Paper Topic:

US HISTORY

In 1893 the USA 's international capabilities were limited in many senses . It was a regional power by modern standards although a rather big one . Its external development driven by manifest destiny ' had reached natural boundaries and thus expired its extensive resourses . New markets - an aim and a need - seemed to be heavily defended by European powers

Nevertheless , by 1901 the situation had changed significantly . The USA turned into world 's leading power in the sense that it could now project its power virtually to every place in the world , its interests

spread both far to the East and to the West and its security became dependent much more on its own capabilities than on the pattern of alliance in distant Europe

How was that achieved ? Was this a result of mere turning of events or things could have gone differently ? By comparing foreign policy initiatives by Grover Cleveland and William McKinley , the two American Presidents of the time , it is possible to answer the question

The de-facto annexion of the Hawaii of 1893 , the Olney doctrine of 1895 the Cuban crisis of 1895 and Pan-American ideas became the content of Cleveland 's foreign policy . Taken as a whole they wittness for the natural ' expansion of US 's throughout its borders , mainly affecting the closests terriories . The same once happened to Russian expansion for security , the analogies of the time were those of Germany and Japan . The process was driven by varuios forces . Marxists would emphasize the influence of capital in search for new markets and cheap labor Liberalists would probably point out the spread of values and procedures towards neighbouring countries which was seeing as contributing to American security . In both cases the result was tremendous . The very foundations for further foreign policy were laid in disputes both within the Western hemisphere and with European partners . Today the United States is practically sovereign on this continent , and its fiat is law upon the subjects to which it confines its interposition . Why . It is because , in addition to all other grounds , its infinite resources combined with its isolated position render it master of the situation and practically invulnerable as against any or all other powers (Gunteinbein 441 . This short paragraph reflects the nature and main goals of American foreign policy under Cleveland . In remained that way far longer

Practical steps were risky . But without them it would have been very difficult not only to interevene European affairs but also to defend American sphere of influence

The most singnificant risk taken by Cleveland was his position towards dispute between Venezuela and British Guiana . The worst possible result could have led to a direct conflict with superior Britain , lost European markets and fallen prestige . Actual outcome was not the best possible but just enough to handle Cuban problem in several years ahead

While Cleveland in 1893-97 laid out conceptual foundations for American foreign policy struggling and risking , McKinley had almost everything at hands . Developed much later , a theory of political realism would...

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