Hawaii-Japanese War Analysis

The United States entered the 20th century, as historian George C. Herring observed, “a great power, but not yet participant in the great-power system.” (Herring, 336) The United States began to assume a leading role in the great-power system when President Teddy Roosevelt offered to negotiate an end to the Russo-Japanese War. Beyond fulfilling Progressive Era visions of America’s role in the world, brokering the Treaty of Portsmouth allowed the United States to solidify its interests in the Pacific, and take a leading role in world affairs. Roosevelt welcomed a war between antagonists that each threatened U.S. interests in Asia and the Pacific. The United States feared Russian expansion into East Asia, and worried about Japanese interest in both Hawaii and the Philippines. The war served the dual purpose of checking Russian advances in East Asia, and redirecting Japanese expansion away from the Pacific region the U.S. hoped to dominate. Impressive Japanese victories over an ineffective Russian military made Roosevelt rethink his support for the war. Fearing a dominant Japan, and hoping to prevent the pillaging of China by yet another foreign power, Roosevelt offered to negotiate a peace between the two rivals. Reluctant at first, a Russia that suffered multiple embarrassing defeats, and a

Wary of Japanese military expertise, Roosevelt negotiated a secret side deal that promised acquiescence of Japanese dominance of Korea in exchange for a pledge to respect U.S. holdings in the Philippines and Hawaii. The treaty was hailed by Americans as proof of the nation’s power and positive influence on world events. Winning the Nobel Peace prize in 1906 garnered Teddy Roosevelt international recognition for his influence on the international stage. Moreover, the United States effectively announced to the world it was prepared for the world stage, and would assume a greater role in shaping world