In the election of 1912, America reinforced the progressive reforms transforming the country. Throughout the country, the rallying cry was for reform more than anything else. Thus, when the Republicans and Progressive party split the conservative vote, the Democrats, on the back of Wilson, rode into the White House. An intellectual, Wilson was a man whose firm belief was that the chief executive was the leader for Congress. His reformist background gave him a very stead fast plan of attack for progressing the nation, both domestically and with foreign policy. His attempt to expand his progressive principles into the international arena was a foreign policy maneuver that led to the end of both Teddy’s big stick-ism and Taft’s dollar diplomacy. Wilson didn’t believe in the Imperialistic ideas of his predecessors. Instead he decided to implement his own agenda that left the United States out of as much foreign intervention as possible. By contributing acts that took away from the imperialistic ideas, his reformist ideals reached far past the borders of America.

            All of the non-imperialistic attitudes of Wilson and his policies made him less involved with many countries, but it also introduced new problems that would haunt him. In Mexico in 1913, the Mexicans revolted and led an uprising against many U.S. citizens living in the country. In a series of skirmishes, the American troops under the leadership of General John Pershing. Also, interests throughout the world were appearing to dark as Wilson promoted a neutral stance throughout the world. By avoiding taking sides with one or another, it placed the Americans in a compromising position that led to uncomfortable and borderline hostile situations. In Germany, with the situation worsening in Europe, it appeared to be easy to decided to simply stay out of the conflict altogether in order to avoid any confrontation-by not admitting there was a problem, it didn’t exist. But this philosophy would prove to be very detrimental as all of these growing tensions would lead into the conflict that would result in the first great world war.

            The Mexican-American War was caused by raising tensions between the two countries that led to bloodshed. Beginning with the disputes between American citizens living in the country, the American capitalists living in the country had given the natives more than they could take. Deciding to revolt, the Mexicans began to immigrate to America and the Americans living in Mexico wanted war. But Wilson’s failure to acquiesce forced a difficult situation that eventually resulted in conflict. Although he had allowed the South American countries of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile to negotiate, the plans still went a rye and violence ensued. General Pershing was able to quell the threat and all was forgiven, but the neutral efforts of Wilson was foreshadowing the now inevitable fate of the world in the very near future.

Unlike the foreign policies of Roosevelt and Taft, Wilson’s foreign policy was not aggressive.  He disliked both the dollar diplomacy of Taft and the “big stick” philosophies of Roosevelt.  His foreign policies were an attempt to expand progressive principles to countries other than the United States.  Wilson’s progressive idealism did force him into doing something that he did not agree with.  Wilson did not like imperialism, nor did he agree with U.S. interventions.  However he used both of these later on in order to help the people of other countries, and to keep American items in these countries safe.   

            President Wilson dealt with foreign affairs in ways that were very different from would the previous president, Roosevelt would do.  Wilson did not agree with imperialism.  To show this he signed the Jones Act in 1916.  This act made the Philippines a territory and also assured the new territory that they would be given their independence when they had obtained a government that was stable.  The Philippines became independent on July 4, 1946.  While Wilson was trying to help the Philippines take care of themselves he was also introducing theories of progressivism to them.  A progressive country would be one where the people were able to take care of themselves. 

            Wilson also followed his progressive views when he fought against dollar diplomacy.  He announced after being president for only a week that American investors in Latin America and China would not receive special help from the government.  This caused many American bankers to take away their loans to China the day following this announcement.  Wilson greatly disliked this dollar diplomacy, so he fought against it, and succeeded.      

Wilson’s progressive views also forced him into intervening with the affairs of foreign countries.  One example of this was during the events surrounding Haiti.  The people of Haiti, especially between the years of 1914 and of 1915, attacked the Haitian president.  Wilson then slowly began to reluctantly gain control of this nation.  First he sent in marines to help protect Americans living there and also some United States property.  He also used some of Roosevelt’s Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine in 1916 to bring about a treaty with Haiti.  This treaty allowed the United States to supervise finances and the police in Haiti.  Along with Haiti, the United States sent troops to Dominican Republic to end riots that were occurring here in 1916.  The Dominican Republic would then be helped by the United States for eight more years.  Further going against Wilson’s apparent anti-imperialistic views, he purchased the Virgin Islands in the West Indies from Denmark in 1917.  These three events were all examples of ways a progressive reformer would deal with something.  A person who believed in progressivism would want to help raise the conditions in which people lived in.  The people of these three countries were living in very poor conditions.  So Wilson wanted to assist these countries in order to give them a happier life.  However this act went against Wilson’s dislike for United States intervention into foreign affairs.   

Chapter 30 Part 2:

            In 1913 the people of Mexico revolted against their leaders who were undoubtedly not sharing the wealth of Mexico.  Mexico was a rich country, however the people of Mexico were extremely poor.  A radical group killed the popular revolutionary president and placed General Victoriano Huerta into the position of president of Mexico.  This caused a large amount of Mexicans to migrate to the United Sates.  Many Americans and American properties were in danger because of this revolt.  “Cries for intervention burst from the lips of American jingoes.  Prominent among those chanting for war was the influential chain-newspaper publisher William Randolph Hears, whose views presumably were colored by his ownership of a Mexican ranch larger than Rhode Island.”  (711).  Wilson refused to declare war in order to only save the material possessions of people of the United States.  However Wilson did refuse to acknowledge General Victoriano Huerta and his regime as being the ones in charge of the government of Mexico.  In order to further show this refusal he gave American weapons to the main rivals of Huerta in 1914.  These rivals were Venustiano Carranza and Francisco Villa, also known as Pancho Villa. 

            The event that began the war against Mexico occurred in April 1914 at the seaport of Tampico on the Atlantic Ocean.  A small group of American sailors were arrested, but were then released very quickly with an apology.  However Mexico would not give a salute of twenty guns, which was demanded by the United States.  Wilson then asked Congress for permission to use force against Mexico.  Wilson sent the navy to seize Vera Cruz, which was a Mexican Port, without first hearing from Congress.  Before fighting ever occurred, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile offered to mediate and were able to get Huerta out of the presidential seat in July of 1914.  Venustiano Carranza then took Huerta’s position. 

            Pancho Villa became of the enemy of Carranza when he came into office.  He wanted there to be a war between then United States and Mexico.  Pancho Villa, with the weapons that were previously given to him by the United States, captured and killed sixteen young Americans who were engineers traveling through Mexico.  Pancho Villa later came into the Untied States and murdered nineteen more Americans in Columbia, New Mexico. 

            The United States then ordered General John J. Pershing to break up Pancho Villa and his fellow bandits.  John J. Pershing and his several thousand troops went through Mexico.  They fought with some of Carranza’s forces and also with some of Pancho Villa’s forces.  However as the threat of war with Germany grew, General John J. Pershing and his troops left Mexico in January 1917.

Part 2: What were the causes and consequences of the Mexican-American War?