GERMANY, THE UNITED STATES, AND NAVAL POWER

1
GERMANY, THE UNITED STATES, AND NAVAL POWER
In the U.S., the announcement of the closing of
the frontier helped to foster a general feeling
of anxiety--the U.S. must look abroad for
expansion. The general anxiety--even
paranoia--led to a marked emphasis on military
power and war.
2
GERMANY, THE UNITED STATES, AND NAVAL POWER
As U.S. power grows--particularly its naval
power--being able to enforce the Monroe Doctrine
is closer to reality than ever before.
3
GERMANY, THE UNITED STATES, AND NAVAL POWER
The tradition of American exceptionalism--the
U.S. as a city on a hill--remained very strong,
but if the U.S. was now a great power, did that
mean it was no different that the European powers
that had been the traditional antithesis of an
exceptional United States? By creating an
enemy--in this case, Germany--the U.S. was able
to retain its tradition of exceptionalism even as
it engaged in imperialism. In short, the good
United States could save the world from an evil
Germany.
4
Theodore Roosevelt
Alfred Thayer Mahan The Influence of Sea Power
upon History, 1660-1783 (1890)
5
Junkers trichinosis Reichstag McKinley Tariff
Saratoga Agreement Wilson-Gorman Tariff Dingley
Tariff
6
Our next war will be with Germany. Commodore
(later Admiral) George Dewey, USN
7
Germany is alleged to want certain things that
it is our duty not to let her have, even if we do
not want them ourselves. --Harpers Weekly, 1900
8
Otto von Bismarck
Alfred Tirpitz
Kaiser Wilhelm II
9
Rough sketch of a German war plan for attacking
New York City
10
U.S. Naval War College, Newport RI, founded 1884
1900 - U.S. Navy General Board created 1903 -
U.S. Army General Staff created 1903 - Joint Army
and Navy Board created
11
U.S. (Blue) war plan against Germany (Black)