The Great Rapprochement
Encyclopedia
The Great Rapprochement, a term usually attributed to Bradford Perkins
, is used to describe the convergence of social and political objectives between the United States
and the United Kingdom
and its colonies
in the two decades before World War I
.
, the United States and the British Empire's relationship had been troubled. There had been the War of 1812
, U.S.–Canadian border disputes, and a general suspicion between the two. The U.S. was seen as a potential threat by the British Empire, and the latter was seen by the former as the antique and aristocratic empire that had once ruled them.
However, the Americans were aware of how much they owed to their British background, and the British institutions had always contrasted favorably against their European counterparts; as early as 1823, the United Kingdom backed up the American Monroe Doctrine
, presaging future cooperation. The differences that had separated an agrarian and anti-imperialist United States and the industrialized British Empire had rapidly diminished in the decades preceding the Great War. The United States emerged from the American Civil War
(1865) a major industrial power, and emerged from the Spanish–American War (1898) an imperial power with possessions in the Caribbean
and Pacific: the Philippines
, Hawaii
, Cuba
, Alaska
, and others.
With the decline of Anglophobia
in the United States, the government of the United Kingdom also desired of a long-term ally that would prevent an upset in Britain's balance of power
, which the German Empire
and Russian Empire
appeared to threaten.
remarked at the end of the 19th century that the most significant event of the 20th century would be "The fact that the North Americans speak English". Most in United States and the British Empire also shared a common heritage
. In the 1790 census, British
made up 80% of the White
population. Between 1790 and 1890 12,827,470 immigrants were naturalized
, of whom 7,305,410 came from the British Empire.
Leading figures in both the United States and Great Britain began to see the two countries as centres of democracy
, in a world threatened by rising autocracies
, namely the German Empire, Russian Empire, and the Japanese Empire.
was the United Kingdom's actions during the Spanish–American War. Britain had an expressed policy of maintaining the sovereignty of Spain
in Cuba, because the threat of possession of Cuba by an unfriendly United States might harm British trade in the Caribbean. However, with the warming of Anglo-American relations and a guarantee of Cuban independence by the U.S. in 1898, Britain abandoned this policy.
At the start of the Spanish–American War, most Continental
European powers remained neutral
but sided with Spain because of political ties and investments in Spanish Colonies, notably Germany
. Britain also remained neutral but openly sided with America. During the War, Britain sold coal and ships to the U.S. Navy and allowed the U.S. Military
to use Britain's undersea cables
to communicate. When Commodore Dewey
's fleet sailed out of Hong Kong
's harbor for Manila
, the British soldiers and sailors in the harbor cheered for them.
Bradford Perkins (historian)
Bradford Perkins was an American historian who spent the bulk of his career at the University of Michigan. He was the son of the historian Dexter Perkins.-Life:...
, is used to describe the convergence of social and political objectives between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and its colonies
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
in the two decades before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Mixed Feelings
Since the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, the United States and the British Empire's relationship had been troubled. There had been the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, U.S.–Canadian border disputes, and a general suspicion between the two. The U.S. was seen as a potential threat by the British Empire, and the latter was seen by the former as the antique and aristocratic empire that had once ruled them.
However, the Americans were aware of how much they owed to their British background, and the British institutions had always contrasted favorably against their European counterparts; as early as 1823, the United Kingdom backed up the American Monroe Doctrine
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine is a policy of the United States introduced on December 2, 1823. It stated that further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention...
, presaging future cooperation. The differences that had separated an agrarian and anti-imperialist United States and the industrialized British Empire had rapidly diminished in the decades preceding the Great War. The United States emerged from the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
(1865) a major industrial power, and emerged from the Spanish–American War (1898) an imperial power with possessions in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and Pacific: the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, and others.
With the decline of Anglophobia
Anglophobia
Anglophobia means hatred or fear of England or the English people. The term is sometimes used more loosely for general Anti-British sentiment...
in the United States, the government of the United Kingdom also desired of a long-term ally that would prevent an upset in Britain's balance of power
Balance of power in international relations
In international relations, a balance of power exists when there is parity or stability between competing forces. The concept describes a state of affairs in the international system and explains the behavior of states in that system...
, which the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
appeared to threaten.
Shared Interests
Otto von BismarckOtto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
remarked at the end of the 19th century that the most significant event of the 20th century would be "The fact that the North Americans speak English". Most in United States and the British Empire also shared a common heritage
Culture of the United Kingdom
The culture of the United Kingdom refers to the patterns of human activity and symbolism associated with the United Kingdom and its people. It is informed by the UK's history as a developed island country, major power, and its composition of four countries—England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and...
. In the 1790 census, British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
made up 80% of the White
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
population. Between 1790 and 1890 12,827,470 immigrants were naturalized
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
, of whom 7,305,410 came from the British Empire.
Leading figures in both the United States and Great Britain began to see the two countries as centres of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, in a world threatened by rising autocracies
Autocracy
An autocracy is a form of government in which one person is the supreme power within the state. It is derived from the Greek : and , and may be translated as "one who rules by himself". It is distinct from oligarchy and democracy...
, namely the German Empire, Russian Empire, and the Japanese Empire.
The Spanish-American War
The most notable sign of a warming in Anglo-American relationsAnglo-American relations
British–American relations encompass many complex relations over the span of four centuries, beginning in 1607 with England's first permanent colony in North America called Jamestown, to the present day, between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of...
was the United Kingdom's actions during the Spanish–American War. Britain had an expressed policy of maintaining the sovereignty of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in Cuba, because the threat of possession of Cuba by an unfriendly United States might harm British trade in the Caribbean. However, with the warming of Anglo-American relations and a guarantee of Cuban independence by the U.S. in 1898, Britain abandoned this policy.
At the start of the Spanish–American War, most Continental
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
European powers remained neutral
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
but sided with Spain because of political ties and investments in Spanish Colonies, notably Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Britain also remained neutral but openly sided with America. During the War, Britain sold coal and ships to the U.S. Navy and allowed the U.S. Military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
to use Britain's undersea cables
Transatlantic telegraph cable
The transatlantic telegraph cable was the first cable used for telegraph communications laid across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. It crossed from , Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island, in western Ireland to Heart's Content in eastern Newfoundland. The transatlantic cable connected North America...
to communicate. When Commodore Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
's fleet sailed out of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
's harbor for Manila
Battle of Manila Bay (1898)
The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish-American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón...
, the British soldiers and sailors in the harbor cheered for them.