T.R.’s Foreign Policy Kennan and Walter La Feber are two historians who take very different viewpoints on the United States’ foreign policy in the late 1890’s. Kennan’s major thesis is that the United States entered into war with Spain due to impulsive decisions made because of public opinion. This public opinion was brought about because of the press. At this time the press was know as the Yellow Press. This type journalism is similar to the National Inquirer of today. According to Kennan, he yellow press stirred the public into a frenzy and made the government make an impulsive decision for war. However La Feber’s thesis states that when the United States entered into war it was deliberate. La Feber believes that the need for commerce was central in the expansion idea, which led to war. Simply, Kennan believes that the United States entered into war as a mistake, while La Feber believes that it was deliberate. The three main things that Theodore Roosevelt did during his Presidency concerning the United States foreign policy were the corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, acquisition to the Panama Canal zone, and the dispatch of the Great White Fleet. The corollary to the Monroe Doctrine deals with the idea that only the United States could get involved with other countries in the Western Hemisphere. The government didn’t want European countries involving themselves in the affairs of the North and South American countries. T.R. was able to get access to a parcel of land in northern Columbia, now know as Panama, which was abandoned by a European Canal company. With this land, the government sponsored for the work to continue. Roosevelt dispatched the Great White Fleet around the world to show other countries that the United States had a good navy. T.R. foreign policy was basically split into three segments.T.R.’ foreign policy would not be able to fit into either Kennan’s or La...
