Liberal, Imperial, and Economic Motivation of U.S. Foreign Policy in the Philippines 1898-1946
Abstract
At the end of the nineteenth century, the United States found itself in a peculiar position. Defining itself as a nation of liberty, still recovering from a destructive civil war to cement its unity and equality, and proud of its long policy history of trade instead of arms as its method of international relations, the country suddenly found itself militarily subduing an empire spanning half the globe. This was not so much an empire of conquest as it was one of convenience or perhaps, as it was seen then, serendipity. Once gained, however, the United States immediately began to struggle with how to manage this empire and what to eventually do with it. This paper will deal with this struggle as it pertains to U.S. policy toward the Philippine islands. Specifically, I will focus upon the initial formation of U.S. policy toward its Philippine possession and how that policy evolved and was interpreted by various presidents and legislatures until ultimate independence was granted in 1946. As the United States today continues to be involved in the possession and (re)construction of countries, the insights into the political and economic tides that swayed U.S. policy toward the Philippines are useful in understanding the forces that affect U.S. policy in other international interventions today. Within the period of U.S. possession I will attempt to draw out three basic camps motivating various policy interpretations. The first is the independence camp, or those who fought for the United States to grant Philippine independence either immediately, or with a defined date. The opposing camp contained those dedicated to the long delay if not elimination of the idea of Philippine independence in favor of U.S. continued dominance. The third position is that of economic interest which was strictly in favor of policy benefiting the United States economically regardless of the question of independence.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA519600
Entities
People
- Scott Weston
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School