Final answer:
The 'big stick' diplomacy was established by President Theodore Roosevelt, focusing on the use of military threat over direct force to achieve foreign policy goals, such as the Panama Canal construction and during the Russo-Japanese War, upholding American interests internationally.
Step-by-step explanation:
Theodore Roosevelt's 'Big Stick' Foreign Policy
The diplomacy that was based on the principles of the "big stick" can be attributed to President Theodore Roosevelt. Coined after an African proverb, 'speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far,' the term "big stick" diplomacy represented Roosevelt's foreign policy which emphasized the threat rather than the use of military force to achieve international goals. Roosevelt's philosophy encouraged engaging in international affairs with a strong military backdrop, to ensure that force could always be threatened if necessary, without necessarily implementing it.
During his presidency, Roosevelt applied the big stick approach on various occasions, including the construction of the Panama Canal and during the Russo-Japanese War. The display of military strength was particularly evident when Roosevelt sent the U.S. Great White Fleet on a world tour as a show of force to protect American interests, especially in response to Japan's actions in Manchuria. Roosevelt's doctrine extended the Monroe Doctrine through his assertion that America had the right to act as an 'international police power' in Latin America.
Under Roosevelt's leadership, the United States avoided direct military conflict by leveraging its growing military might to support diplomatic negotiations and to maintain a balance of power in international relations. The legacy of Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy is a critical component of early 20th-century American foreign policy, illustrating the strategic use of military power to underpin diplomatic efforts without engaging in warfare.