How did the United States assert power in the Caribbean and Central America?

The United States asserted power in the Caribbean and Central America primarily through military interventions and economic influence.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the United States began to assert its power in the Caribbean and Central America, a policy often referred to as the 'Big Stick' diplomacy. This was largely driven by the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, which declared the Western Hemisphere off-limits to European powers, and the Roosevelt Corollary of 1904, which asserted the right of the United States to intervene in the affairs of Latin American nations to maintain stability.

One of the most significant ways the United States exerted its power was through military interventions. For instance, the U.S. intervened in Cuba during the Spanish-American War in 1898, which resulted in Cuba becoming a U.S. protectorate. Similarly, the U.S. occupied Haiti from 1915 to 1934 and the Dominican Republic from 1916 to 1924 to protect its economic interests and maintain political stability. These interventions often resulted in the establishment of governments that were friendly to U.S. interests.

Economic influence was another key tool for asserting power. The United States wielded considerable economic power in the region through its control of resources and markets. The United Fruit Company, for example, had vast holdings in Central America and the Caribbean, and its influence was so great that it was often referred to as the 'Octopus'. The company's interests were often protected by U.S. foreign policy and military interventions. The Platt Amendment of 1901, which gave the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and establish naval bases there, is another example of economic influence, as it was largely aimed at protecting American business interests.

The United States also used diplomacy to assert its power. The creation of the Panama Canal, for instance, was a significant diplomatic achievement that greatly increased U.S. influence in the region. The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903 granted the U.S. the rights to the canal in perpetuity, which not only provided a strategic military advantage but also a significant economic one, as it facilitated trade between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

In conclusion, the United States asserted its power in the Caribbean and Central America through a combination of military interventions, economic influence, and diplomacy. These actions were often justified by the Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary, which asserted the U.S.'s right to intervene in the region to