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The Creation Of The Great White Fleet And Its Effect On World Affairs

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Natalie Wynn
Pamela Yates
American History II
16 February 2015
The Creation of the Great White Fleet and its Effect on World Affairs Theodore Roosevelt was renowned for his foreign policy that stated: speak softly and carry a big stick. This meant that Roosevelt handled foreign affairs with a tranquil state of mind, but also threatened with the military if things did not go as planned. Roosevelt utilized this ideology to navigate America in the right direction. The Great White Fleet abided by this policy, specifically. From 1907 to 1909, the fleet sailed the seas and made history. Not only did this publicity stunt grant America the respect Roosevelt had hoped for, but it also altered world affairs significantly.
The beginnings of the
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If the cruise was a success, Roosevelt believed that this endeavor would provide the United States with a prime example of a powerful and well-trained navy, but he also thought the good outcome of the event would allow him to expand the fleet with four complimentary ships. This would allow for more exploration and time overseas to invest ourselves in the affairs of foreign countries. Though the intent to prove America’s worth was strong, there were several other underlying concepts as well.
The need to acquire more experience was imperative and it would strengthen the naval forces for any future battles. The various legs of the journey allowed the naval crew to gain the practice they needed to strengthen their expertise; however, the length of the deployment made some shudder with uncertainty. Unfortunately, several obstacles were faced during the plight to gain naval experience. The great length that the fleet would have to travel would call for several stops in order to satisfy the need for coal (consumption of coal was also an area the naval crew needed to brush up on) and docking facilities. There were also issues for the ships that flew the American flag. Roosevelt intervened with supply contracts, but a vast majority of carriers did not comply with this offer because they were incapable of acquiring the proper amount of cargo to pay for the trip back. Nevertheless, the
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