xThe Tragedy of America Diplomacy By William Apple Williams (Progressive Era-WW1, Military & Foreign Policy)

The Tragedy of America Diplomacy

By William Apple Williams

Progressive Era-WW1

Military & Foreign Policy

Thesis:

US diplomacy and foreign policy during the Progressive Era-WWI pretended benevolence meanwhile expanded power and dominion over lesser countries to secure US economic and political interests abroad.

Specific examples/evidence that supports the thesis:

Summary:
The preface describes how the book was received as it was a novel approach to diplomatic history. Williams asserts that American foreign policy became driven by economic considerations and around securing American corporate investments and markets abroad. While America proclaimed to be anti-imperialist the policy of intervening in affairs of other countries either financially, politically, or militarily was in fact a new form of imperialism securing our interests and hegemony abroad.

The introduction uses Cuba as an example of how the US had contradictory policies toward Cuba, at first saying that our involvement was to stabilize and lead ultimately toward a self-sufficient, self governing Cuba but really the US wanted to keep Cuba as a market for American goods and put a government in place that would take direction from the US and do what suited US interests. i.e. Keeping Cuba a one crop  country (sugar).

What does this tell us about Military & Foreign Policy in the Progressive Era-WWI?

The US wanted to appear as a non-imperialist nation and yet still expand reach and influence. The foreign policy propaganda promoted a benevolent intrusion in lesser countries to help them stabilize and self rule but the real actions taken do not fall in line with this at all.

What parts of the book can be applied to lectures?

General Thoughts:

Excerpts from Book Reviews: 

My Highlighted Passages: