American Foreign Policy and Manifest Destiny - Essay Example

?RUNNING HEAD: AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY AND MANIFEST DESTINY American Foreign Policy and Manifest Destiny School American Foreign Policy and Manifest Destiny Brief Overview of American History North America had been inhabited by people since the Ice Age. There were Native Americans in the continent when the first Europeans arrived as shown by Norse settlement in year 985 (U.S. Department of State, 2010). At the time when Europe colonized North America, it was estimated that around 18 million Native Americans were already living in what is now the United States of America (U.S. Department of State, 2010). English immigration in the region started during the 1600s, from a few hundreds first and later to millions of immigrants, in the hope to finding freedom from political repression, to practice their religion freely, or to seek new economic opportunities since England was experiencing economic slump during that period (U.S. Department of State, 2010). As England’s support, especially in defense, to the American colonies dwindled, the settlers in Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, Plymouth and New Haven established the New England Confederation in 1643 (U.S. Department of State, 2010). It was the first attempt to unify the colonies in North America (U.S. Department of State, 2010). There were many events that followed and later, a war erupted between the royal crown of England and the colonies in North America. During the battle of Yorktown, Virginia, the British Army surrendered to the American and French forces that led to the cessation of the war, and secured the independence of American through the 1783 Treaty of Paris (U.S. Department of State, 2010). America was beset by a civil war between the north and the south on the issue of slavery during the mid-19th century (that left the largest toll of lives lost in American history) but the contending forces reunified again. The English colonizers of the new world had a vision of establishing a government founded on freedom and a new order. Among the settlers were visionaries and idealist. The government in North America is viewed to have the divine destiny to expand its territory to justify occupation and control over other territories. This concept was supported by influential personalities in the US on the belief that the American type of freedom and democracy should be imposed upon other jurisdictions and territories. The question of whether or not manifest destiny is still being implemented by the US as a policy over other territories and countries will be explored in this paper. Manifest Destiny: The Concept Manifest destiny is a concept that gained popularity in the 19th century expounding on the notion that that United States should expand its territory toward the west of North American continent (“Manifest Destiny”, 2008). It was believed by some that the movement is motivated by God while others see it as an “altruistic right to expand the territory of liberty” (Lubragge, 2007, as cited in “Manifest Destiny”, 2008). It was initially used to describe a political agenda of occupation but later adopted in historical treatises (“Manifest Destiny”, 2008). Jackson Democrats used the term in the 1840s to advance the annexation of Western US (e.g. the present Oregon, Texas and Mexican territories) (“Manifest Destiny”, 2008). The term is coined by John L. O’Sullivan (New York journalist) in 1844 in his essay “Annexation” published in the Democratic Review in support of the Democratic Party agenda (“Manifest Destiny”, 2008). He was urging the US to annex the Republic of Texas, not only as the latter desired but also because it was America’s destiny as ordained by God (“Manifest Destiny”, 2008). O’Sullivan though was thinking of peaceful annexation without violent takeover (“Manifest Destiny”, 2008). Manifest destiny can be described as obvious for “manifest” and certain for “destiny” (“Manifest Destiny”, 2008, para. 1). Annexation and Expansionism in 19th and 20th Centuries The first implementation of expansionism in pursuit of manifest destiny was in Texas in 1845 (Fitzgerald, n.d.). The westward movement next came to New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California the following year (Fitzgerald, n.d.). Oregon was annexed in 1948 (Fitzgerald, n.d.). The US, however, crossed the Pacific and took Hawaii in 1898, followed by Guam, Samoa and the Philippines (Fitzgerald, n.d.). Senator Thomas Hart Benton projected this route to expansionism in 1846, including the Philippines (where Benton proposed a war, 52 years earlier, with Spain) to establish a base of operations in Asia (Horsman, 1981, as cited in Fitzgerald, n.d.). The involvement of the US in the Vietnam War from the late 1950s until 1975 (Nosotro, 2010) is an example of manifest destiny in America’s foreign policy. The communist North Vietnam was invading South Vietnam with aid coming from the USSR and China (Nosotro, 2010). US would not want communism to dominate in this part of the region. The US sent 125,000 men in 1965 for the Operation Rolling Thunder, of which 30,000 remained in 1973 (Nosotro, 2010). US involvement in the war ended with the signing of the Paris Peace Accord, but the war continued with China and USSR supporting the north (Nosotro, 2010). South Vietnam lost and succumbed to communism (Nosotro, 2010). The invasion of Vietnam is part of the overall design of the US to maintain a world order that suits its agenda (Tucker, 1971). It has to maintain its dominant position in international hierarchy and effect a change according to its goals, while excluding other changes that would not support its goals (Tucker, 1971). However, Ludwell (1928, as cited in U.S. invasion, n.d.) said that the involvement of the US in the Vietnam War was economically related. Herbert Hoover (before becoming a president), found out in his studies that the coast near the French Indo-China (later to become Vietnam) has a huge deposit of oil (U.S. invasion, n.d.). Current American Policy and Manifest Destiny American foreign policy, guided the principles of peace, democracy and freedom, and founded on ethics and morals aims to give the world a system that guarantees happiness (Stupak, 1976). With this image being painted on the US system, a stigma of immorality and corruption has been casts upon other systems (Stupak, 1976). In the 1960 President’s Commission on National Goals report, it was stated that the aim of the US is to create a nation and help in making a world where individuals can develop their capacities to the maximum. (Stupak, 1976). It added that its goals overseas are part of its goals for the country (Stupak, 1976). The manifest destiny concept is still apparent through the current American policy toward other territories. It is also intertwined with the economic agenda of the US of influencing the global economy. Having the US dollar as the benchmarking currency in most trading and business transactions is a sign of the influence of the US upon the financial and business sectors around the world. However, many financial and business sectors have been thinking of using another currency as their benchmark when US suffered economic slump due to the subprime real estate crisis a few years back that sent many financial firms and banks to near or total collapse. The influence of US on the economic sphere has loosened. Also, those countries where investments and businesses are tied with the US dollar suffered a setback because of this crisis. The control of other nation’s economy is also manifested in the establishment of American or American-controlled firms and companies in other countries, especially the Third World Countries, which product range from food chains, cars, to apparel and stores (e.g. McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Wendy’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Nike, Wal-mart, Ford). The American lifestyle, way of life, preferences, etc. are vigorously advertised and promoted in other countries. This affects the thinking and preferences of the targeted people, and thus, increasing their demand for these products. It is not surprising that people in Asia or Africa would pattern their clothing and fashion taste from Western trend. By marketing product brands from the USA, there is a subconscious effect upon the targeted market about the American way of life, culture and democratic principles. It promotes the American dream notion that prodded thousands of people from other nations to immigrate to the US on the quest to achieve that quality of life offered in America. In fact, many Chinese left communist China to embrace American democracy and freedom. People from different countries also migrate to the US to study and later applied for naturalization to become US citizens. People would not be competing for acceptance into the US soil if not for the different influences US has extended to them, and that includes projecting that American democracy and freedom are the best. The manifest destiny concept still has its control and influence upon the economy and culture of other peoples. Expansion of US control is also established in other countries through invasion and offer of military assistance. Although the US does not colonize an invaded territory at present, it is able to leave behind its influence and control over the policies of the invaded country after the original government or leader was deposed. The latest of US intervention and invasion on another’s land is that of Iraq (2003). And after the invasion, the new Iraqi government no doubt is pro-US. A recent development in Iraq that reflects western influence is the declaration making Saturday as the official holiday instead of the traditional Muslim practice of having Friday as the holy day, or Thursday and Friday as the days of rest (Gronquist, 2005). This has been protested against by hundreds of Iraqi youth by marching through the streets of Iraq (Gronquist, 2005). According to Gronquist (2005), there has been a deliberate move to erase the cultural and traditional heritage of the Iraqis. When Baghdad was occupied finally occupied, American soldiers did not lift a finger while the museums and libraries were ransacked and looted, thus, leading to the conclusion that it was a deliberate non-action to erase Iraq’s history (Gronquist, 2005). Iraq is being remolded not only according to US democratic system but also with the “Western capitalist values . . . that will better facilitate a global world order that revolves around the U.S. economic interests of elites” (Gronquist, 2005, para. 7). Iraqi law has also been modified by the Coalition Provisional Authority headed by L. Paul Bremer, and the succeeding temporary government, an act proscribed by the 1907 Hague Convention and the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention (Gronquist, 2005). Iraq was invaded by the US along with UK and some allies based on the intelligence report that Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) were stockpiled by Saddam Hussein, but which military action was not sanctioned by the United Nations. No such weapons were found after the invasion. Conclusion The present American foreign policy still contains the manifest destiny concept staunchly promoted in the past to justify annexation or occupation of territories. Various strategies are utilized at present in order to pursue this manifest destiny notion upon other countries. While it can be said that the original motivation for expansionism and annexation is purely a noble belief of giving other people the American brand of democracy and freedom as inspired by God, the present implementation of manifest destiny is tinged with economic interest. Thus, the US has been influencing the way of life, culture and mindset of other people through various media forms. Capturing the minds and taste of the people from other nations would inevitably result for the latter patronizing and buying American goods and products in order to experience a bit of American life. In the invasion of Iraq, US acted as the savior of humanity from the WMDs that Saddam had been stockpiling in Iraq. According to the US government, not invading Iraq would imperil the lives of people and civilization. Thus, after convincing UK and its allies, the invasion occurred. But this invasion cannot be said to have no economic agenda. The US is the top consumer of oil in 2006 with 20.59 million of barrels a day (Top World Oil, 2011), and it had found an opportunity to have access to Iraq’s oil reserves by invading it. Iraq belongs to the top 15 producers and exporters of oil in 2006 (Top World Oil, 2011). Critics to the concept, however, said that manifest destiny is a myth about US superiority on the aspects of religion, politics and culture (Gronquist, 2005). Such a myth has been reinforced again and again until it becomes accepted as the truth and real, a process called “reification” in political science (Gronquist, 2005, para. 5). It is still debated whether US should persist in remaking other countries according to its image since the latter might not want to adopt the US system (Gronquist, 2005). Muslim intellectuals and scientists are beginning to perceive that the imposition of western culture and practices upon the Islamic world is eroding their social system and beliefs (Gronquist, 2005). Imposing the American system upon other states is a strategy to maintain a world order according to the precepts of US governance. The invasion of territories will enhance US security and interest around the world. With more countries that US has direct or indirect control, the more that its brand of democracy and freedom will be maintained. Expansionism of the US territory no longer needs actual annexation of other states at present. The same end can be attained by exporting the lifestyle, culture, educational system, products, economic system, etc. to other countries. Thus, the myth of manifest destiny, as ordained by Providence, will remain part of American policy to maintain its dominance internationally. References Fitzgerald, M. (n.d.). Manifest destiny: American imperial myth, then & now. Retrieved 16 July 2011, from http://www.leftcurve.org/lc29webpages/manifestdestiny.html Gronquist, K.M. (2005, April 25). The Myth of U.S. Cultural, Religious, Political, and Social Superiority: Manifest Destiny – 21st Century Style. Information Clearing House. Retrieved 16 July 2011, from http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8657.htm “Manifest Destiny” (2008, August 29). New World Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16 July 2011, from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Manifest_Destiny Nosotro, R. (2010). Causes of the USA - Vietnam War. Hyper History. Retrieved 17 July 2011, from http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t3w30vietnamwar.htm Stupak, J.R. (1976). American foreign policy: Assumptions, processes, and projections. New York: Harper and Row Publishers. Top world oil producers, exporters, consumers, and importers, 2006 (Millions of Barrels per day). (2011). infoplease. Retrieved 16 July 2011, from http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0922041.html Tucker, R.W. (1971). The radical left and American foreign policy. USA: Johns Hopkins Press. U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Information Programs. (2010, November). Outline of U.S. History. America.gov Archive. Retrieved 16 July 2011, from http://www.america.gov/media/pdf/books/historytln.pdf#popup (The) U.S. invasion of Vietnam. (n.d.). Common Sense Almanac. Retrieved 17 July 2011, from http://www.angelfire.com/co/COMMONSENSE/vietnam.html Read More