The "Open Door": The Strategic Track Of American Expansion During The First Half Of The 20th Century

This article intends to discuss the original, the formation and the development of the"Open Door"policy, and intend to reveal the strategic track of American expansion during the first half of the 20th century. The track of American expansion began from the northeast of China than to all the territory of China, and then the expansion from China to Asia and Pacific Ocean region, and then from Asia and Pacific Ocean region to Europe, and finally to all of the world. The track of American expansion can be seen from the carrying of the"Open Door"policy.The issue of the three"Open Door"notes signed the formation of the American's"Open Door"policy. The American's domestic expansion thought was the idealistic cause leading the"Open Door"policy's coming out; and the great benefits which obtained from the American-Spanish war was another important cause leading the"Open Door"policy's coming out, and in addition, the"Open Door"policy's coming out was still a special product of American expansion which happened in a special period. During the period of the"Open Door"policy's formation, American made the northeast of China as the emphasis, and at the same applied the"Open Door"expansion strategy in the European international affairs, and through keeping balance and arbitrating, initially established great-power status.From American exited from reorganization loan which handled by the six countries bank group in March, 1913 to some years after American and Japan resigned Lansing-Ishii Agreement in November, 1917 was the period that the"Open Door"policy applied in the whole areas of China. In this period, faced to the economic and martial expansion of Japan, American limited its power adopted a diplomatic strategy named"political affirmed"and"discussed later"in the course of pushing the"Open Door"policy. That means in this period in the course of pushing"Open Door"expansion strategy, American insisted flexible and transigent principles at the same time, and raised the camouflage of respecting China's administration and territory unification. Thus, American enjoyed hypocritical prestige in international morality and justice.From Wilson published Fourteen Points in January, 1918 to the ten years after signing of the Nine-Power Treaty was the period of the"Open Door"policy extended to the Asia and Pacific Ocean region. At the beginning of this period, limited by its martial power and its political benefits, the pushing of"Open Door"policy was not very successful, and its European and Asia open together and region economic contain finally failure. But later in the Washington Conference, America legalized the principle of"Open Door"through made it as international agreement, thus the"Open Door"policy was much more perfect than before and the pushing of"Open Door"policy also attained climax.From Henry Stimson published disavowal note in January, 1932 to Bretton Woods Conference in July, 1944 was the period that the"Open Door"expansion policy once frustrated and than overflow, and finally"Open Door"policy transformed to world supremacy policy. In this period, the"Open Door"principle early of late used as the precondition of appeasement to Japan and Germany, and as the condition to aid allied countries. After the Second World War, the"Open Door"principle was used as the core of world trade liberalization, and through this principle pushing its supremacy in the world.