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What was Roosevelt's strategic reason for commissioning the Great White Fleet and sending it round the world?

to deliver supplies to allies
to train navies from other nations
to display America's superior naval power
to allow Roosevelt to visit leaders overseas

User Vivanov
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2 Answers

7 votes

Final answer:

Theodore Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet on a global journey to demonstrate America's naval power, assert U.S. international interests, especially against Japanese moves in Asia, and reinforce the Open Door policy under his "big stick" foreign policy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Great White Fleet was commissioned and sent around the world by President Theodore Roosevelt as a demonstration of America's naval power. In the early 20th century, following the influence of Alfred Mahan's theories on naval power and its role in establishing a country as a great commercial power, the United States sought to expand and modernize its navy. The goal of the fleet's journey from December 1907 through February 1909 was to showcase the U.S. fleet's strength to the world and, in particular, to send a clear message to Japan regarding American interests in response to Japan's exclusion of American businesses from Manchuria.

This display of force was an implementation of Roosevelt's "big stick" foreign policy, which emphasized diplomacy backed by the threat of military power. The fleet's voyage was a strategic move to reinforce the Open Door policy and protect U.S. interests in Asia, asserting the nation's rising status as a global power and its capability to project its influence across the oceans.

User Alois Klink
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3 votes

Answer:

To display America's Superior naval power

Step-by-step explanation:

He wanted to rally U.S. public opinion in support of the Navy and win over memebers of congress who opposed his shipbuilding programs.

User Yevgeni
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