John Quincy Adams Quotes

The notion of America flexing its military muscles and intimidating other nations by sending a fleet of 16 battle ships around the world was not greeted enthusiastically by some. However in Japan, the reaction was totally positive. The Russo-Japanese War had been ended thanks to the mediation of Theodore Roosevelt (for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize) and America was a model for much of Japan’s modernization. 25 years later the Japanese would view America as an interfering, intimidating bully, curtailing their national aspirations and rights.

Most Americans do not realize that our naval forces were disbanded after the Revolution and even the Constitution did not require a navy. We had some Federal revenue cutters to interdict smugglers but no warships and no permanent sailors or officers. The Barbary Pirates had an incredible extortion racket going in the Mediterranean. If nations would pay them an annual sum each year, they would not attack and seize merchant ships of that country and sell the ships and goods while holding the sailors for ransom. See {640850},86703,{640846} & {640848}

He was referring to attacking the Barbary States. The Barbary Pirates had an incredible extortion racket going in the Mediterranean. If nations would pay them an annual sum each year, they would not attack and seize merchant ships of that country and sell the ships and goods while holding the sailors for ransom. See {640846}.

Greek invaders were marching on Istanbul

3 years later he led America on a huge invasion and nation building project in Iraq. It turned out that had he listened to his own advice and not flip-flopped, the huge cost of the Iraq War might have been avoided.

It is hard for us to envision that sophisticated and intelligent men like Sherman would actually see Communism as a danger of defeating capitalism. Our intelligence was poor and often exaggerated to justify military buildups and much of the leadership made statements like this and then many began to believe their own propaganda. Ironically, those who knew communism the best were more aware and realistic of the fatal flaws in not only communism in general but in the particular Soviet repressive version of communism. It would take almost 50 years, but the Soviet Union collapsed revealing its weaknesses for all to see.

This size standing army which alarmed so many at the beginning of the 20th century, looked very small when compared with the standing army of America a century later. For earlier American Politician’s views on a standing army, see {592824}, {631687}, {622888}, and {641008}.

That was an ironic statement. Shortly thereafter we invaded Mexico, occupied the country, pressured it into “selling us much of what is now the Southwest of the United States, and finally left.

On military or foreign policy matters his view was that presidents ought not to rule anything in or out so that he/she can keep all the options open and not reduce future flexibility.

Political disputes over the degree of defense spending are classic in American political history. In the early 20th century, most conservatives were opposed to government spending for the military and the President had great difficulty getting the Conservative wing of his own party to support increased military appropriations. The remains of the great naval hero John Paul Jones had just been brought to the United States from France in which he had died. A large ceremony was held in Annapolis, Maryland and most of the conservatives who had opposed the military spending proposed by Roosevelt attended the ceremony to demonstrate their patriotism. TR shocked them by turning the solemn ceremony into a political embarrassment for them.