Imperialism In The United States

United States imperialism is the practice employed by its government and people to expand and maintain control and influences of other nations. The triggers of imperialism are national superiority, economic benefits and military strength. “There's a debate going on in Washington about whether the United States has become an imperialist power since the cold war ended little more than a decade ago” (Holt). The ending of the cold war signifies a turning point for many but According to Holts this is a pointless debate “The United States has been imperialist since the days of Thomas Jefferson”. The way people see and experience imperialism has changed since its inception, but one thing is clear, the United States of America has always been an imperialistic
To ensure its economic stability and military power the United States needed to control more territory across the Pacific Ocean. So, when Cuba started to fight for its independence from Spain, the United States were more than happy to offer help. This conflict is known as the Spanish-American war, and the main results of this war were Cuba’s Independence, and Spain handing over the rest of his colonies in America and Asia. These were Puerto Rico, Filipina and Guam. Meanwhile Captain Alfred T. Mahan was asking the United States government to consider colonizing in the Western Hemisphere. He is arguing this was the perfect time. First, this would result in the United States’ control of the main straights of the Caribbean, and then in the opening and control of a channel between both oceans, as well as the control of naval stations in the Pacific Ocean, preferably in seas near China. Having control of this will ensure the United States’ interests both in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the far East. This opened their eyes to a new way of expanding and importing goods to Asia and the pacific. As “ships crossed the vast ocean to trade in Asia, islands in the Pacific became important stops for coal, provisions, and repairs. In the South Pacific, the American navy negotiated with awestruck natives for the rights to
By the 19th century the United States had figured out how to keep control of their newly acquired territory. They had naval bases across the ocean, facilitating trade and the military defense of their territory. At the outbreak of the war in Europe President Wilson proclaimed formally the neutrality of the United States:
Whereas it appears that a state of war exists between Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain, and the United Netherlands, of the one part, and France on the other; and the duty and interest of the United States require, that they should with sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent Powers.