As America Empire is getting bigger, there is a new urgency for transportation between the two oceans. Theodore Roosevelt became president because McKinley was shot by an assassin named Leon Czolgosz. Soon after, President Roosevelt decided to build a canal. The best place to built this canal was across Panama, but the problem was that Panama was in Columbia. Roosevelt offered $10 million dollars to the Colombians for that part of the land, but they refused. Roosevelt stated that "But I deemed it likely that there would be a revolution in Panama soon." And in turn he was right. Roosevelt sent over a battleship along with U.S. marines to support the new government. Once the rebels were in control, they gladly accepted the $10 million dollar offer. The construction of the Panama Canal was rough for the ones who were building it. The mosquitoes were so horrible and they carried yellow fever, also the weather was harsh condition to work physically in, so lots died from disease.
The U.S. sent many troops in to Latin America. Since the Roosevelt Corollary stated that we can stop any country from doing something that we felt was wrongdoing, we used this to protect our investments and businesses in Nicaragua and Latin America. Since America had been using Nicaragua's natural resources, Japan started to want to take over Nicaragua. A small quarrel broke out where the rebels and a group lead by a man named Walker, took over. America did not want to take over since we did not want to interfere with the slave and non slave territories. Walker died, and the involvement with America still continued until a new government kicked in under Adolfo Diaz. He threatened the agreement, and William Taft, called for the Corollary, and our troops suppressed the revolt. We handled most of their international money, and helped were their main police.
Until next time...
Cites:
http://www.operationworld.org/files/ow/maps/lgmap/pana-MMAP-md.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Mckinley.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/FDR_in_1933.jpg
http://i.infoplease.com/images/mnicarag.gif
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