Essay on American Foreign Policy in Three Influential Wars

American Foreign Policy in Three Influential Wars With the race for the presidential election under way, American foreign policy has entered the minds of many Americans. Like today, foreign policy was of great importance throughout the twentieth-century; it has and continues to play key developmental roles in economic, cultural, diplomatic, and social factors that America has faced. By looking directly at the United States motivation in entering the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II, it can be seen how these factors developed since the turn-of-the-century. In this paper, I will compare and contrast the United States’ motivation for entering these wars by examining the four key factors of foreign policy listed†¦show more content†¦However, as President McKinley promoted and comforted the business community, he began to gain support. The community started to realize that involvement in the Spanish-American War might in fact fuel profits in numerous industries and serve to protect the United States trade and investments in the Pacific and Caribbean. Another benefit that coincided with going to war was that the troubles in Cuba might subside (2). Some journalists were even announcing that the war would further strengthen the transportation industry and that profits in the iron industry had increased before the war had even started. By becoming involved in the Cuban crisis, the United States thought it might be able to force Spain to secede not only Cuba and Puerto Rico, but the Philippines as well. This was also of great economic concern because they might provide the key in opening and strengthening Asian markets. Emily S. Rosenberg states that, â€Å"Both farmers and industrialists hoped to open Oriental markets, and yet, after China’s defeat in the Sino Japanese War in 1895, China seemed in imminent danger of being closed off to Americans. A military and political presence in the Philippines, trade expansionists hoped, would give the U.S. more leverage in deali ng with the big power scramble for concessions and spheres of influence in China. By serving as a coaling station and base for America’s newly strengthened navy and as aShow MoreRelatedThe Cold War : A New History By John Lewis Gaddis Essay1711 Words   |  7 PagesI chose The Cold War: A New History by John Lewis Gaddis for my book to review. I originally read parts of this book for History of the International System, but we did not read the entire book in class, only certain chapters. 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