Introduction
In the late 18th century during the government of James Monroe, the United States of America’s central government policy was to keep the native residents out of reach of the white borders into the Indian corollary cycle. At around the year 1990, the United States of America had gained or had established a significant population and it had also developed in terms of industries as well as establishing several military bases both within and even internationally. During the First World War which took place in this period, the United States of America had started rising as an international superpower rapidly.
Main body
As a result of the sinking of the USS Maine, the United States of America started blaming the Spaniards. This resulted in the Spanish-American war. The war seriously strengthened the Americans. Another issue that saw the strengthening of the United States of America was still about the war between America and the Spaniards whereby the Americans wanted to take away Cuba from the hands of the Spaniards as their colony because, by that time, Cube was seriously fighting for its independence. After a successful liberation of the Republic of Cuba and other countries like Puerto Rico and the Philippines by the United States of America from the Spaniards, they later became its territories and gave it more power.
However, in the early days of the 18th, the United States of America was believed to be fully interested the world peace, but in 1917, the American’s involvement in the First World War was essential to the countries that it supported since it ensured victory for them. Weigley (p60) argues that this made the United States of America be considered a superpower. As a result of the First World War, the country developed increasingly in terms of a military world superpower and economical status. Moreover, the United States Senate turned down the Treaty of Versailles which was introduced by its associates on the overcome central powers, but alternatively, it suggested going for unilateralism if any case isolationism failed. During this period the United States of America had about fifty percent of the world’s wealth. This made it to be independent. It was also highly respected by most countries because it protected democratic institutions as well as human rights.
The approaches that the United States of America used to participate in world affairs especially during the First World War were completely different from the other countries. For example, we find that other countries like Spain were always involved in wars because they wanted to gain superiority by conquering other small nations, or they wanted to acquire wealth from the smaller countries which were weaker in terms of military. Examples include countries like Cuba and the Philippines. Whereas the United States of America used to participate in the war indirectly (William p40). The leaders followed this strictly because it was said by the founding fathers that Americans should never fight or when forced to do so, they should then do it indirectly Whenever they were involved in any war, their main aim was to protect the rights of the people as well as the democratic institutions. More so, the United States of America could only join the wars to support the countries that were fighting for the right reason. In most cases, the Americans used to help the smaller countries or the other countries that were very weak and were being attacked for no reason. In general, America’s involvement in world affairs was to help clear messes caused by the other nations.
References
- Carl Guarneri. “America in the world” United States History in Global Context
- Weigley, Russell F. “American Way of War” History of United States Military Strategies. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1977: 56-92
- William Appleman. The Tragedy of American Diplomacy. New York: Norton, 1988:23-56