Since the beginning, the US has continuously grown to find its place in the world. What started as a nation that was having no problems, the United States has become a better global economy. Along with the money-based power and the different foreign policies put into law since the Civil War, the US has found itself known as the “World Police”. The title of the Policemen of the World came about with the Spanish-American War and had since led to involvement in foreign conflicts on many occasions.
The foreign conflicts include the Korean War, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Desert Shield to say the least. Not very long ago, the US has been involved in conflicts in the Middle East, such as the Civil War in Libya and the matters in Iraq.
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The Spanish-American war was fought for humanitarian reasons and as the backlash to Spain’s treatment of the Cuban Independence movement. The result of this war was that Cuba was freed but under U.S. instruction by terms of the Platt change with Spain assuming the Cuban debt. Puerto Rico and Guam were given up to the United States as indemnity, and the Philippines were given to the United States for a payment of $20 million. Next to this display of the US military, the US was also becoming a global economy, and with increasing money based interests overseas, had to protect these interests. The US continued to expand its global power, and following World War II, played a major role in forming the United Nations. The United Nations has resulted in the United States taking on the role of a police force multiple times and existed largely because of the formation of the US.
Three international incidents from the past five years that can be traced back to a foreign policy created after the Civil War are Vietnam, Somalia, and Iraq. The Vietnam War began in 1955 and was between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The government in power of North Vietnam and its allies known as the Viet Cong were supported by the Russian government while South Vietnam’s primary ally was the United
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Immediately after getting independence from Great Britain the new nation focused on issues on the home front. After the loss of the Civil War, the country welcomed the Industrial Revolution with open arms. The advances in technology and transportation during the Industrial Revolution led to great improvements in American society and established the United States as a world power. Although the United States had moral reasons for expansion, their foreign policy was mostly fueled by self-interest. This self-interest has dictated foreign policy from 1867 all the way to the present