Woodrow Wilson is often portrayed as the model statesman, uniting countries in pleas for peace. After all, he created the League of Nations, and fought in a noble war alongside the British, French, and Russians during WW1. This is what we are led to believe in schools.
He was nothing of the sort. Wilson was a meddlesome and arrogant leader who used military force to spread American imperialism.
In a statement in November of 1913 to British envoy William Tyrrell explaining his policy on Mexico, Wilson says the following:
We are friends of constitutional government in America; we are more than its friends, we are its champions. I am going to teach the South American republics to elect good men.
Wilson kept his word.
Wilson served as President from 1913 – 1921 and by the end of his presidency he ordered the U.S. military to invade Mexico in 1914, Haiti in 1915, the Dominican Republic in 1916, Cuba in 1917, Panama in 1918 and ensured that U.S. troops stayed in Nicaragua well passed his presidency.
All the effort and hard work at deterring democracy in Latin America paid off. Wilson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919 for “his crucial role in establishing the League of Nations”.
I don’t have anything to add to the Banana Wars since much has been written about them. My purpose here was just wanted to document a good quote and some supporting evidence by a “one of the best Presidents” in American history.
Thanks for reading,
Notes:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2007/01/woodrow-wilson/41117/
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