The Open Door Era

In 1899, U.S. Secretary of State John Hay called for world powers to take an "Open Door" approach to relations with China to guarantee equal trading opportunities and prevent conflict in the region. That ideal emerged as the central component of U.S. foreign policy in the twentieth century in much the same way as the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny shaped thinking in the nineteenth century. A flexible idea, the Open Door was used by presidential administrations to inspire...
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In 1899, U.S. Secretary of State John Hay called for world powers to take an "Open Door" approach to relations with China to guarantee equal trading opportunities and prevent conflict in the region. That ideal emerged as the central component of U.S. foreign policy in the twentieth century in much the same way as the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny shaped thinking in the nineteenth century. A flexible idea, the Open Door was used by presidential administrations to inspire Americans to fight against totalitarianism, imperialism, and international communism. In a concise yet wide-ranging examination of its origins and development, readers will discover how the idea of the Open Door came to define the American Century.