Page 340 - 1992 - XVIII Congresso Internazionale di Storia Militare

306 JURG~N ROHWU

importane rea so n an d rh e yardsrick for che build-up of a big banle-fleec during che
rcrms of Presidents Theodore Roosevelr and WiUiam H. Tafi.
At che samc time anocher possible rhrear was seen i.n che Far Easc. After irs
vicrory over che Chinese in 1895 Japan had begun co build a modero banlefleer.
In 1902 ic concluded an alliance with Greac Brirain, and won a decisive viaory
over thc Russians in 1904-05 with che caprure ofPon Arthur and che annih.ilarion
of che Russian Flect in thc Batde of Tsushima. The American planners rhoughr
Japanese expansion mighr endanger che American "open door" policy in China and
especially ics inccresu in che Philippines. So planning fur a war ag;ùnst Orangt.!Japan
bccame more and more imporranr. Over cht: decades ir planned for ù1e defence
of che Philippines by che Army unlil che Navy cnuld break a Japanese siege and,
in case che islands were losr, a counrer offensive with che tleet across the Cenual
Pacifìc co regain rhcm as a base from which co launch a decisive naval b:mle and
fìnaUy a blockade of Japan.
Whcn b~rwcen 1906·07 Japnnese immigration to the American Wcsr Coasr
Stares led co increasing rension >J.nd fears of Japanese action, President Roosevelc
decidcd co show che Japnnesc nnd che wocld che 'big stick' bel11nd the sofrcr la n·
guagt> of diplomac.y and sent 16 barrleships of che "Greac Whirc Flcct" from che
Adnnric coast through thc Srraits of Magcllan for a "visit of friendship" co Japan
and on ncross the lndian Occnn w the Mcdicerraocan and rhen back to New York.
Thc efTorcs of che Generai Boo.rd of che Navy, presideJ by che retired viccor
of Maniln, Admirnl Dcwey, ro build che barde fleec up co a srandard equa( co che
German plus d1e Japanese flccrs in 1920 were curcaiJed by rhe new governmenr
led by Prcsidcnr Woodrow Wilson. Hc was more inrercsted rn domestic reforms.
His foreign policy was led by economics nnd a mora l srance as when he intcrvencd
in che Mexican Civil war against a "cerrorist" governmenr and whcn he uied co
maimain American neurralir:y in che European War of 1914 in an efTorr co con-
rinuc Ùlc profìmble rrade wirh ali bclligcrents. This becamc impossrble when rhe
Brirish blockade of che Centrai Powers prevenred America n mercbanc vessels from
reaching d1eir porcs, notwithsranding the diplomadc prorests lodged. To conrinue
ar leasr rrading wich che Allicd counrries Wilsou soon had to approve credm co
the beJiigerenrs, a measurc which could benefic, in such a siruarion, only the Allied
countrics. America n indusrry so bccarne more and more tied to an Allied milrrory
vrccory. Wilson's procesrs againsc che Brirish naval blockadc wcre blown away by
rhc loss of Americnn lives aboard ships sunk by German U-boacs.
The ui.JitallÌa·casc offered most -arduous supporrers of a bigger fleer new argu-
ments. Whcn Germany remporarely backed down, WiJson, bcing in an elc:ction
yenr and aware of d1c public's aversion ro foreign emanglemenrs. hesirared ro go
on. Bue in 1916 Ùlc mtval expcrcs used che ncw Russo-Japanese coalirion. che cen·
sion wich Mexico. and rhe inconclu$ive ourcome of che Barde of Jutlond, to draw