modelcampusa.com – Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President of the United States (1889–1893), served during a time of significant global transformation. As industrialization and imperialism reshaped world affairs, Harrison’s foreign policy decisions played a crucial role in positioning the United States as a rising power on the global stage. While often overshadowed by his more famous successors like Theodore Roosevelt and William McKinley, Harrison’s presidency laid the groundwork for the United States’ expansionist ambitions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Harrison’s approach to foreign policy was defined by a combination of strategic alliances, territorial expansion, economic interests, and military modernization. He took bold steps in advancing American influence both in the Western Hemisphere and in global diplomacy. This article explores how Harrison’s presidency shaped the trajectory of American foreign policy and its role in the world.
The Context of Harrison’s Foreign Policy
Benjamin Harrison came to the presidency at a time when the United States was undergoing profound domestic changes. The country had emerged as a major industrial power, and the old doctrine of isolationism was giving way to new, more assertive policies. With Europe and Japan competing for dominance in Asia, and the expansion of European colonial empires, the United States faced increasing pressure to engage more directly in global affairs.
Additionally, the late 19th century was a period of growing nationalism, and Americans began to see themselves as a potential world power with a responsibility to assert their influence internationally. Harrison, recognizing both the opportunities and the challenges of the time, sought to expand American influence and ensure that the country would play a central role in shaping world events.
Strengthening the United States’ Role in the Western Hemisphere
The Pan-American Conference of 1889
One of Harrison’s most significant diplomatic accomplishments was his effort to strengthen American ties with Latin American nations and to promote the idea of Pan-Americanism, a vision of cooperation and unity among the countries of the Western Hemisphere. In 1889, Harrison hosted the First International Conference of American States in Washington, D.C., which brought together representatives from 18 Latin American nations and the United States.
The conference was designed to address issues such as trade, communications, and mutual defense. It laid the groundwork for future diplomatic and economic cooperation in the Americas. One of the key outcomes of the conference was the creation of the Pan-American Union, an international organization intended to promote cooperation and resolve disputes peacefully among the American states. Although the Pan-American Union had limited immediate impact, it provided the foundation for the later development of multilateral institutions such as the Organization of American States (OAS), which continues to serve as a platform for diplomatic and economic collaboration in the Americas today.
Harrison’s initiative to strengthen ties with Latin American nations reflected a clear shift away from the isolationist tendencies that had characterized American foreign policy in the 19th century. By encouraging closer cooperation between the United States and its neighbors to the south, Harrison helped solidify the country’s influence in the Western Hemisphere and lay the groundwork for future interventions in Latin America.
The Monroe Doctrine and U.S. Influence in the Caribbean
While the Monroe Doctrine—a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy dating back to 1823—had traditionally been viewed as a symbol of American isolationism, Harrison took a more assertive stance in applying its principles. The Monroe Doctrine declared that the United States would oppose any European intervention in the Western Hemisphere, and Harrison sought to reinforce this policy through diplomatic means.
During his presidency, Harrison focused on protecting American interests in the Caribbean and Latin America. This was particularly evident in his administration’s efforts to prevent European powers from interfering with the affairs of independent countries in the region. Harrison’s foreign policy was also influenced by growing American economic interests in the Caribbean, particularly in Cuba and Puerto Rico, both of which were under Spanish rule at the time. Harrison saw the region as vital to the United States’ strategic and commercial interests, and he worked to ensure that European powers would not threaten American influence there.
In 1891, Harrison’s administration took a firm stand against European intervention in the region when it intervened diplomatically to protect American interests in the ongoing political upheaval in Venezuela. This move was seen as a reaffirmation of the Monroe Doctrine’s principles, signaling the United States’ commitment to acting as the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere.
Expanding U.S. Influence in the Pacific and Asia
The Annexation of Hawaii: A Step Toward Pacific Expansion
One of the most significant steps Harrison took to expand American influence in the Pacific was his pursuit of the annexation of Hawaii. Hawaii had long been of interest to the United States due to its strategic location in the Pacific Ocean, its potential as a fueling station for American ships, and its burgeoning sugar industry, which was important to American economic interests.
In 1893, the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown by a group of American settlers and business leaders, with the tacit support of U.S. Minister to Hawaii, John L. Stevens, and U.S. military forces stationed in the islands. The new provisional government quickly petitioned the United States for annexation. Harrison, a strong advocate for American expansionism, submitted a treaty of annexation to the Senate, seeking to formalize the U.S. takeover of the Hawaiian Islands.
However, Harrison’s efforts to annex Hawaii were thwarted when the treaty failed to gain enough support in the Senate. The incoming administration of President Grover Cleveland, a Democrat, was less enthusiastic about annexation, and it ultimately withdrew the treaty. Although Hawaii was not formally annexed until 1898 under President William McKinley, Harrison’s efforts were instrumental in initiating the process that would eventually make Hawaii a U.S. territory.
U.S. Diplomacy with China and the Open Door Policy
In addition to his efforts in the Pacific, Harrison played a key role in shaping American foreign policy toward China. At the time, China was experiencing political instability, and European powers were carving up the country into spheres of influence, seeking exclusive economic privileges and territorial concessions.
Harrison’s administration recognized the importance of China to U.S. economic interests, particularly in regard to trade. As a result, Harrison supported the idea of an Open Door Policy—a diplomatic initiative aimed at ensuring that all countries would have equal access to Chinese markets. The United States sought to ensure that no single nation would dominate trade in China, and the Open Door Policy was designed to preserve Chinese territorial integrity while promoting fair competition among foreign powers.
Although the Open Door Policy would not be fully articulated until President William McKinley’s second term, Harrison’s diplomacy laid the foundation for the United States to assume a leadership role in advocating for free trade and the protection of American interests in East Asia. His policies were part of a broader effort to assert American economic and political influence in regions beyond the Western Hemisphere.
The Modernization of the U.S. Navy and Military Power
The New Navy: A Key Component of Global Power
Benjamin Harrison’s foreign policy was also marked by his efforts to modernize and expand the U.S. Navy, which would play a critical role in projecting American power abroad. At the time of Harrison’s presidency, the U.S. Navy was in a state of decline, relying on an aging fleet of wooden ships. However, Harrison recognized the strategic importance of a powerful navy, especially as the United States began to expand its influence in the Pacific and Caribbean.
In 1890, Harrison’s administration began a program to modernize the fleet by building new steel-hulled ships and investing in advanced naval technology. This initiative, known as the “New Navy” program, aimed to create a modern, powerful naval force that could compete with the fleets of European powers.
Harrison’s efforts to modernize the U.S. Navy would have lasting consequences. The USS Maine, which was commissioned during his presidency, would later become a symbol of U.S. naval strength when it exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898, sparking the Spanish-American War. Harrison’s investments in the navy helped position the United States as a global military power, and the expansion of naval capabilities would prove critical in the country’s later imperial ventures.
Military Diplomacy and Intervention
Harrison’s approach to military diplomacy was also evident in his support for U.S. interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean. He recognized that the growing economic and political influence of European powers in these regions posed a threat to American interests. In addition to his efforts to prevent European intervention in Venezuela, Harrison’s administration engaged in other diplomatic and military efforts to protect U.S. citizens and economic interests in the region.
While Harrison’s presidency did not see major military conflicts, his policies laid the groundwork for future military interventions in the Caribbean and Central America, particularly in the 20th century, when the United States became increasingly involved in global geopolitics.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Strategic Expansion
Benjamin Harrison’s foreign policy was instrumental in shaping the United States’ role on the global stage. His efforts to strengthen ties with Latin America, expand U.S. influence in the Pacific, and modernize the military reflected a growing recognition that the United States could no longer remain passive in world affairs. Harrison’s presidency laid the groundwork for the country’s later imperial ventures and its emergence as a global power in the 20th century.
Harrison’s commitment to expanding American influence in the Western Hemisphere, promoting economic interests in China, and modernizing the U.S. Navy helped establish the United States as a rising force in global diplomacy. While some of his initiatives, such as the annexation of Hawaii, were not fully realized during his term, his policies set the stage for the more aggressive foreign policies of later presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt and William McKinley.
In hindsight, Benjamin Harrison’s foreign policy achievements reflect a turning point in American history, as the country began to embrace a more interventionist and assertive stance on the world stage. His presidency serves as a reminder that even in times of transition, bold leadership can shape the trajectory of a nation and influence its future role in world affairs.