"The history of the United States began with Revolution and thirteen colonies. It began in 1775 and ended in peace (temporarily) in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris. America grew to be 50 States plus territories and a World Power. Some think that the US should not be involved in global affairs but since the beginning for practical or otherwise purposes, the US has been involved in global affairs. Some small, some large, some concerning US private business's, some concerning military, but do not doubt that the US has played a pivotal role in world affairs since it's inception and will continue to do so. It is not so much inevitable as it is destiny in my opinion.
Long negotiations resulted in the Treaty of Paris (1783), which provided highly favorable boundaries for the United States; it included nearly all land east of the Mississippi River and south of Canada, except British Florida, which was awarded to Spain. Encompassing a vast region nearly as large as Western Europe, the west contained a few thousand American pioneers and tens of thousands of Indians, most of whom had been allied to the British but were now abandoned by London.
The diplomatic history swung over the decades from isolationistic to global. Today the US has a sustained global presence, not only through diplomacy and military but also through imports/exports and US private business interests.
The history has varied according to how the Congress & President saw a need or thought there was a need during their tenure in office. In 1797, The Treaty of Tripoli states the US is not regarded as a Christian nation. It was the first treaty signed by the US & approved by Congress with Tripolitania (Note:The coastal region of what is today Libya) American interaction with Libya goes back a long way :)
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen [Muslims],—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Muslim] nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
"The diplomatic history of the United States oscillated among three positions: isolation from diplomatic entanglements of other (typically European) nations (but with economic connections to the world); alliances with European and other military partners; and unilateralism, or operating on its own sovereign policy decisions. This is in direct contrast to the European Union, whose member States have given up their national sovereignty in exchange for cooperative mediation and group policy-making, especially in the economic arena.
Emerging as a nation, the people of the US began expanding to other areas of the US. By 1823, The Monroe Doctrine was in place, no longer would European powers colonize America. This Doctrine was an very crucial one in the coming years of the expansion of the United States. If the Doctrine hadn't been in place, if land that European powers held, the America may have been a very different country or parts of a country. The foresight of President Monroe & Congress at the time ensured that that aspect of colonization didn't happen. Thereafter, America negotiated buying land that European Powers held. The one exception was Mexico.
The following years were frought with small and large wars, the interests of America expanding into the far reaches of the world as early as 1912 in Asia.
One of the earlier efforts at effecting world peace was the Fourteen Points of Woodrow Wilson and became the foundation of the League of Nations which further became the United Nations.
The map of the world was changed by WWI of benefit to the victors but not the defeated. Some would claim later that WWI led to WWII and very possibly the way the negotiations were handled after the war did lead in many ways to the next confligeration.
The negotiations with Germany and it's allies wasn't as workable as was thought at the time. Discord erupted in Germany leading to the rise of the Nazi's & World War II started. With the end of WWII, peace of a kind was established. Countries were drained from the two wars so close together. Revolutions had disrupted countries. The Red and White War in Russia followed by WWI & WWII with the German push into Russia pushed them to the brink. Without the Russian winter, which also defeated Napoleon, Russia would have been lost.
After WWII, the divisions of lands that were made would lead to more tho smaller conflicts, across the globe but particularly in the Asian and Middle East areas. The European powers left a legacy of mistrust and a vacuum of power and government that would be filled one way or the other. Many countries nationals wanted out from under the yoke of Colonial Powers. They looked to the stronger nations to ensure the separation. When it didn't happen, they chose revolution as in Vietnam.
The US would never be spared in the conflicts left from the legacies of those two wars and the European powers.
First came the Israeli war Holocaust survivors and Jewish nationals vs Arab countries, India, a religious war Hindi vs Muslim, the Korean war left over from Japan, became more a US vs Russian entanglement than a North vs South Korean war. The Vietnam War, left over from France, became more a US vs China entanglement than a North Vietnam vs South Vietnam war.
China has it's own history of foreign influence starting with the Boxer Rebellion and ending with the Chinese Revolution of 1949. China's interests began to expand with the resolution of it's internal problems. The continued distrust and discord with Japan would keep the US involved in the Asian area.
In today's world China has oil and fishing rights in mind, Deepwater Drilling and other oceanic search for minerals. They consider the South China Sea their territory regardless of the coastal limits for each of the other countries that border the South China Sea. Allies or provisional allies of the US in the area are Indonesia, Malaysia, Mayanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
"The South China Sea--a zone of conflict between China, Southeast Asian nations, and the United States--appears, on the surface, to have quieted down over the past six months. China and five other nations claim parts of the South China Sea, which has strategic significance and potentially sizable petroleum deposits. Last year, the United States publicly warned Beijing that free passage, and a resolution to claims accepted by all parties, was a U.S. "national interest." The United States has treaty allies in the region, sends ships through the South China Sea regularly, and views the waters as critically strategic. This position, however, infuriated China.
China's interests have not been limited to Asian areas but were expanded early on with Pakistan
"People's Republic of China–Pakistan relations began in 1950 when Pakistan was among the first countries to break relations with the Republic of China on Taiwan and recognize the PRC. Following the 1962 Sino-Indian War, both countries have placed considerable importance on the maintenance of an extremely close and supportive relationship. Since then, the two countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in a variety of agreements. The PRC has provided economic, military and technical assistance to Pakistan and each considers the other a close strategic ally.
Bilateral relations have evolved from an initial Chinese policy of neutrality to a partnership that links a smaller but militarily powerful Pakistan, partially dependent on China for its economic and military strength, with China attempting to balance competing interests in the region. Diplomatic relations were established in 1950, military assistance began in 1966, a strategic alliance was formed in 1972 and economic co-operation began in 1979. China has become Pakistan’s largest supplier of arms and its third-largest trading partner. Recently, both nations have decided to cooperate in improving Pakistan's civil nuclear power sector.
"China wants a grip on the strategic area to assure unfettered road and rail access to the Gulf through Pakistan," stated the NYT. Beijing intends to create a corridor from the Indian Ocean up to the Chinese province of Xinjiang. The first cornerstone of this grandiose project has been the construction of the Gwadar Port, at the mouth of the Persian Gulf and outside the Strait of Hormuz. It is near the key shipping routes used by the mainline vessels that have connections to Africa, Asia and Europe, and it enjoys a high commercial and strategic significance.
Two areas that are vital to other interests, China is seeking to control. Tho, China and India maintain an uneasy peace they are both striving for regional supremacy. Both have large populations and are in need of resources for their people.
Of note is an interesting conclusion of the author of the Gates article:
"By linking its western province to the Indian Ocean, China will not gain just a strategic stronghold and access to the Persian Gulf, but also could significantly influence the geopolitics and trade in the Indian Ocean Region, as well as in Central Asia"
The other growing area is South America is another area of US foreign policy. Of note is that Brazil is also partnered with China in the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) agreement.
The US involvement began with the 1823 Monroe Doctrine.
"The 1823 Monroe Doctrine, which began the United States' policy of isolationism, deemed it necessary for the United States to refrain from entering into European affairs but to protect Western hemisphere nations from foreign military intervention. The Monroe Doctrine maintained the autonomy of Latin American nations, thereby allowing the United States to impose its economic policies at will.
Who could overlook Teddy Roosevelt's acquisition of the Panama Canal begun by the French for $10 million in 1904? What once took 67 days was reduced to 3 weeks from the US Pacific side to the Atlantic side, at the time. Not only that the railroads weren't all completed in that time period either. From the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast is 3,122 miles. Roads were virtually nil, more like buffalo paths.
Here is a US Railroad Map from 1901
NOTE: This website is the Florida Center For Instructional Technology and they have a Lot of interesting US and World historical collections, and clip art & clippixs.
There was a big fuss in the US between Imperialists and anti-imperialists over South American 'interventions'. At the time they were known as the Banana Wars since the economic interest also involved the United Fruit Corporation. Nothing different about that now is there?
The rest I'm going to make a short synopsis of with some information of my own plus information from the Wikipedia article found here
Cuba was 1898 & another fuss ensued over that little spat w/Spain. In 1899, it was the Honduras, In 1915, it was Haiti, in 1916, it was the Dominican Republic. Mexico, ah poor Mexico, first US help & than taking about half of Mexico. Other cross border skirmishes were off & on over the years. Nothing has really changed in that direction, Mexicans came and went into the US, Americans likewise did the same. They still do.
Franklin Roosevelt started the Good Neighbor policy with South American countries but during WWII there were a number of Germans in 15 Latin American countries that were expelled. Most innocent.
European expats became a part of many of the Latin American countries as are their grandchildren & greatgrandchildren. Some of the expats were influencial in the gov'ts which wasn't always to the good of the native populations just as in the beginning when Spain 'conquisted' several areas.
Latin America is still undergoing changes from the colonial power days. They have gone from being ruled to revolution to ruling to revolution and back to ruling. The resources of their nations are for their people not for anyone to drain their countries and leave them with little or nothing to show for it. They have come to realize this and if their leaders do enable their people, South America will be a continent to reckon with in the long run. The US has enacted many treaties with various Mexican & South American governments over the years. The most notable one NAFTA is still contested. The the three signators the US, Canada and Mexico are still laboring under issue's with the treaty. Maybe, one day they're get the details right.
If you are interested in US Treaties, Wikipedia has a list here.
Africa and US involvement is a whole continent that will require an article all by itself. Yes, Colonial Powers and WWII had a lot to do with the current issue's also.