Changes

There was a strong sense--which continues to this day--that a major American mission is to spread democracy in the world, with the belief that democratic governments will avoid abuses of human rights.

There was a strong sense--which continues to this day--that a major American mission is to spread democracy in the world, with the belief that democratic governments will avoid abuses of human rights.

In the late 19th century Americans paved more and more attention to human rights abuses abroad. The [[Irish Americans]] were especially angry at British refusal to allow for the independence of Ireland.  [[American Jews]] were alarmed at the murderous pogroms of Jews in Russia. All Americans were angered by the brutal Spanish suppression of freedom movements in Cuba; this anger directly caused the [[Spanish American War]] in 1898, which resulted in a small American empire. In each case Americans argued that the denial of democracy was the root cause of the human rights abuses.

In the late 19th century Americans paved more and more attention to human rights abuses abroad. The [[Irish Catholics]] were especially angry at British refusal to allow for the independence of Ireland.  [[American Jews]] were alarmed at the murderous pogroms of Jews in Russia. All Americans were angered by the brutal Spanish suppression of freedom movements in Cuba; this anger directly caused the [[Spanish American War]] in 1898, which resulted in a small American empire. In each case Americans argued that the denial of democracy was the root cause of the human rights abuses.

American were outraged by German brutality in Belgium in 1914, and by the German sinking of an unarmed passenger liner the ''"[[Lusitania]]"'' in 1915. President [[Woodrow Wilson]] forced the Germans to abandon attacks on merchant ships--and when Germany resumed in 1917, he asked Congress for a declaration of war.  Americans were aghast at the Turkish slaughter of Armenians --the [[Armenian Genocide]] of 1915; for a while in 1919 there was talk of making Armenia an American protectorate, but nothing came of that.

American were outraged by German brutality in Belgium in 1914, and by the German sinking of an unarmed passenger liner the ''"[[Lusitania]]"'' in 1915. President [[Woodrow Wilson]] forced the Germans to abandon attacks on merchant ships--and when Germany resumed in 1917, he asked Congress for a declaration of war.  Americans were aghast at the Turkish slaughter of Armenians --the [[Armenian Genocide]] of 1915; for a while in 1919 there was talk of making Armenia an American protectorate, but nothing came of that.

Meanwhile, Wilson was outraged at the extreme violations of human rights and democracy in Mexico, and intervened in the civil war raging there. The intervention ended in 1916 as the greater crisis of German threats was at hand.

Meanwhile, Wilson was outraged at the extreme violations of human rights and democracy in Mexico, and intervened in the civil war raging there. The intervention ended in 1916 as the greater crisis of German threats was at hand.

Promoting [[Wilsonianism]] as the expression of American idealism in world affairs, especially regarding democracy and human rights<ref> the Term "human rights" was not commonly used before 1945.</ref>, Wilson promulgated the idealistic principles of the [[Fourteen Points]], and at the [[Versailles Conference]] in 1919 he exerted enormous influence to lead the world to democracy and a [[League of nations]] that would prevent wars and promote democracy.  He succeeded in part, and the LEague was created, but the U.S. Senate rejected the League and the U.S. never joined.

Promoting [[Wilsonianism]] as the expression of American idealism in world affairs, especially regarding democracy and human rights<ref> the Term "human rights" was not commonly used before 1945.</ref>, Wilson promulgated the idealistic principles of the [[Fourteen Points]], and at the [[Paris Peace Conference]] in 1919 he exerted enormous influence to lead the world to democracy and a [[League of Nations]] that would prevent wars and promote democracy.  He succeeded in part, and the LEague was created, but the U.S. Senate rejected the League and the U.S. never joined.

When Japan seized Manchuria in 1931 the U.S. refused to recognize the conquest.  American sympathy was strongly on the side of the Chinese, thanks to Christian missionaries and publicists such as [[Pearl Buck]] and [[Henry Luce]]'s [[Time]] magazine.  When Japan launched a full-scale war in China in 1937, the U.S. funded the Chinese resistance, supplies arms, and even sent in an air force--the "Flying Tigers" under General [[Claire Chennault]]--to fight the Japanese invasion.  President Roosevelt refused to compromise with the Japanese, and cut off their oil supplies in 1941 so they could no longer make war.  They responded with a desperate attack on the United States and the British Empire that ended in total disaster for Japan. At wars ended the U.S. took over Japan with the goal of systematically creating a democratic nation, and succeeded under the leadership of General [[Douglas MacArthur]].

When Japan seized Manchuria in 1931 the U.S. refused to recognize the conquest.  American sympathy was strongly on the side of the Chinese, thanks to Christian missionaries and publicists such as [[Pearl Buck]] and [[Henry Luce]]'s [[Time]] magazine.  When Japan launched a full-scale war in China in 1937, the U.S. funded the Chinese resistance, supplies arms, and even sent in an air force--the "Flying Tigers" under General [[Claire Chennault]]--to fight the Japanese invasion.  President Roosevelt refused to compromise with the Japanese, and cut off their oil supplies in 1941 so they could no longer make war.  They responded with a desperate attack on the United States and the British Empire that ended in total disaster for Japan. At wars ended the U.S. took over Japan with the goal of systematically creating a democratic nation, and succeeded under the leadership of General [[Douglas MacArthur]].