Stories Of Violence Research Articles

The Meaning of Pan-Americanism

Tlp HERE is little evidence of national in history, which runs more to invasions, violence and wars. All empires have, like the Roman Empire, been es tablished by conquest, and all great nations have sought to ex pand their boundaries. The Good Neighbor doctrine, born in the Americas, is radical break with this tradition, and history offers little guidance for those who wish to put it into practice. It is not surprising that sincere good neighborliness in America meets mistrust and resentment, just as it has throughout history. The story of the territorial expansion of the United States in cludes episodes of violence and war, and not only at the expense of Mexico. Extracontinental conquests were made to assure stra tegic security. Dollar Diplomacy and the Theodore Roosevelt policy of the Big Stick are still remembered in the Americas, and the memory offers emotional barriers to the advance of Pan Americanism. The history of the Latin peoples carries the same story of violence and of war among themselves; and these too are sources of resentment. If all these discords cannot be sur mounted, American unity is impossible. Fortunately, there is also powerful trend toward solidarity which opens path. The destiny of our community of nations was early revealed by the sympathy felt in the United States for the struggle for freedom of the peoples of Latin America and by the recognition by the United States of the new independent governments there. In dramatic and moving gesture, President Monroe received crippled patriot, Manuel Torres, in June i8z2, as diplomatic representative of Greater Colombia-the first recognition of the free nations of Latin America. The Monroe Doctrine was received with approval when it was proclaimed, and undoubtedly saved the Latin Americas from the greed of Europe. United States' support of the Mexican liberals of the Reform in their struggle against Maximilian's Empire carried the com munity further along this path, and the conference summoned by Blaine created the body later known as the Pan American Union and renewed the noble mission of Bolivar, which Henry Clay said opened a new epoch in human affairs. The idea of Pan-Americanism is essentially Hispano-Ameri