Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine

Audience

The language in Roosevelt's annual message was aimed at two constituencies. First, he was preparing the American people for the potential need for further interventions in Latin America. His main targets, however, were the nations of the Western Hemisphere themselves and the European powers that might be tempted to establish a presence in the Caribbean. The Latin American countries resented American assertiveness but could do little at that time to resist the power of the United States in a direct way. At the same time, the European nations were mindful of the power of the navy of Great Britain, when combined with that of the United States, to exert power in the Caribbean. While Germany, in particular, chafed at the way in which Roosevelt wielded his power over the next several years, there was little disposition in Berlin to provide a direct challenge to the United States. As long as American dominance of the region continued, the response in Europe and Latin America to the Roosevelt Corollary was one of grudging acquiescence.