Per. 2
The Rise of the United States on the World Stage
For almost two and a half centuries, the role of the United States as a world power has continually risen and ebbed. America’s part as guarantor of international solidity raises the question whether an empire can operate effectually under anti-imperial grounds. Moritz Julius Bonn wrote in 1947,"The United States have been the cradle of modern Anti-Imperialism and at the same time the founding of a mighty empire". World power is defined by a nation, organization, or institution so powerful that it is capable of influencing or changing the course of world events. Both the Open Door Policy and America’s role in the building of the Panama Canal contributed to the rise of the United States as a world power through economic control by manipulative tactics.
With the creation of the Open Door Policy, the US gained a great influence in international diplomacy, swaying global events half a world away. The Open Door Policy is a good example of economic control because it was manipulated by the USA in order to decrease conflict amongst foreign powers in China. China’s selective trading partners often clashed over the distribution and sales of raw materials necessary for big businesses all over the world. For this reason, the country was carved up among the powers so that any country was free to trade. To avoid additional conflict, the US encouraged an “Open Door” to all nations to be free to do business with China. Therefore, it diminished foreign powers desire to control sections of China. This newly found economic power set the foundations of American influence, facilitating leaders to pursue more ‘grand’ policies like these. This shaping of America’s imperial situation with its positive implications for security and trade were critical starting points in the international race to imperialism.
The building of the Panama Canal was an economic milestone for the USA. Also, involvement in WWI began establishing America in a prominent position among world powers. President Wilson’s sense of timing, effective planning and successful carrying-out of US participation in WWI propelled America to the top of the world order. Beginning with the construction of the Panama Canal, this turned out to be a massive turning point in the United States’ World influence. A canal across Central America for goods would cut the 13,000 miles and time by more than half, making it extremely useful. Only days following Panama’s independence, it signed a treaty that gave the United States the rights to build a canal. The United States paid $10 million in addition to yearly fees for the usage of the property. The canal is an amazing engineering achievement but Disease and accidents killed more than 5,600 workers; mostly blacks from the British West Indies. Enlightened Presidents and top decision-makers with their visions and strategies were crucial in
