On 1901, a character analogous to a superhero named Theodore Roosevelt entered office. IF an accurate portrayal of Theodore Roosevelt is Batman, his Robin would've been John Hay. Together, starting with the Spanish-American War, all the way to the Root-Takahiri Agreement, changed the face of America forever. This Dynamic Duo made America a global power and an imperialistic, international threat, going further than any American President had ever gone before.
During the Spanish-American War, Roosevelt led the army of Rough Riders towards Cuba to "liberate" it and overthrow Spanish rule. After Roosevelt defeated Spain, Commissioners from US and Spain met, discussing peace. Hay, appointed as Secretary of State, negotiated the Treaty of Paris, scoring a victory for the U.S. Hay is also infamous for describing the Spanish-American War as that "splendid little war". Under McKinley, Hay also had a hand in creating policies such as the Teller-Platt Amendments.
English: Col Theodore Roosevelt stands triumphant ...
English: Col. Theodore Roosevelt. Crop of Image:Th...
Col. Roosevelt on S.S. VANDYCK - departure 10/4/13...These amendments stated giving Cubans their freedom and allowed to elect their own president and make their own laws as long as America approved. The imperialistic fire existed with McKinley and Roosevelt's vision and was soon to be imposed upon the American people.
Hay became one of the most important factors in expanding American influence to Asia and presenting American power, globally. Following China's defeat by Japan, imperialistic European powers moved in, tearing away valuable land. John Hay dispatched to all the great powers a communication soon known as the Open Door Note. He urged them to announce that in their spheres of influence, to respect Chinese rights and ideal fair competition. Basically, he stated that in their dealings with foreign traders, the intruding powers would observe the Open Door. This principle was similar to the Monroe doctrine and also previous attempts at commercial dealings with China. Hay's proposal was...