The Doctrine of "Open Doors": US Policy in the 20th Century towards China

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

Alternative history buffs would be interested to know that at the beginning of the twentieth century, China could become such a South Korea. The reason for this is the doctrine of "open doors". The world would have been completely different then, although this would hardly have saved people from the dominance of Chinese goods. But first things first.

The essence of the open door doctrine

The US sought to subjugate China. To do this, in 1899, a doctrine was formulated that contained the principles of the US government's policy towards China. It meant equal access to capital and goods in the colonies of European powers.

The purpose of the doctrine was to enable the United States to overcome barriers from other states in order to gain a foothold in the entire Chinese market.

Doctrine Maker

The US statesman John Milton Hay is considered to be the one who put forward the "open door" doctrine. During this time, he served as secretary of state for hiscountry, that is, was the main thing in the foreign policy life of the United States.

In addition to doctrine, Hay is known for an agreement with the government of Panama to provide a zone during the construction of a famous canal.

What did the US count on

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, world powers began to struggle to capture vast territories in China. The country began to be divided into spheres of influence. The United States is late in this section. The state wanted to establish itself in China, so it announced "equal opportunities." This meant that the Asian country should not be controlled by a single power, but by the international community. Thus, the US government and its industrial and financial circles were going to infiltrate China.

The doctrine of "open doors" formally recognized the division of the Asian state into spheres of influence. But the American government wanted its organizations and entrepreneurs to have the same rates and benefits that the national "commercial organizations" had. What did other world powers think about it?

Accession of other states

The doctrine of "open doors" was addressed to such states as Great Britain, Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Japan. They all reacted differently to Hay's statement.

Most governments have tried to evade a direct answer. Britain, France and Russia did not object directly, but made various reservations. So, France agreed to the terms of "open doors", but only on the officially leased lands of China.

Be that as it may, in 1900 the United States announced that the states listed above had joined the doctrine of "open doors" in China. The governments of the powers neither supported nor denied such a statement.

Japan is the enemy of the doctrine

The Land of the Rising Sun has long sought to get Manchuria. After the end of the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, she was able to establish herself in this territory. Japan immediately closed access to Manchuria from US commercial organizations.

In 1915, Japan made "Twenty-One Demands" to the Chinese government. It was contrary to the "open door" doctrine. The US protested, but the agreement was signed. Since 1917, Japan has been recognized as "special interests" in China. In 1919, Germany abandoned its possessions in China in favor of the Land of the Rising Sun. These events seriously damaged relations between Japan and the United States. In the thirties of the last century, the Japanese began to seize Northeast China. They soon succeeded.

In 1934, the country publicly abandoned the Hay Doctrine. Three years later, she started a war to conquer all of China. Then there was a long and exhausting war for everyone.

Post-war state of affairs

With the end of World War II, the US stopped hiding its interests in China behind doctrine. Japan was defeated and itself dependent on the United States. Britain's position was also seriously shaken. There was no competition from other states. The US is now seeking"close the doors" to China to turn it into a controlled territory.

In 1946, the US-China treaty was signed. A year later, the government of Chiang Kai-shek had to give the green light to the presence of American troops. United States naval and air bases have appeared in Taiwan, Qingdao, Shanghai and several other areas.

The question of resuming the policy of "open doors" arose because of the threat of the defeat of the Kuomintang. The US called on twelve states to form a "common front" to defend "democratic government." However, the Communist Party won the People's Liberation War.

In 1949, the People's Republic of China was formed. The US plans to control China were thwarted. The reason for this was not one of the European countries or Japan, but the wave of the socialist movement.

China has long become a closed country to the capitalist world. However, he had to "open the doors" for the development of his own economy. Where this will lead, time will tell.