Comparative Critique of Kennans American Diplomacy and...

The works of William Appleman Williams and George F. Kennan have contributed to understanding of American diplomatic history during the period of 1900-1950. Kennans book, American Diplomacy, offers a sharp critique with its focus on American mistakes, specifically examining the absence of direction in American foreign policy and with the end result of American strength and insecurity at the start of the Cold War. Williams, in his book The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, pursues a different but still critical perspective by asserting that American policy was largely motivated by the Open Door policy, which led to the eventual alienation of countries to the United States and ultimately created the Cold War. By analyzing these two†¦show more content†¦The Open Door policy of John Hay was established to acknowledge equal rights of nations to economic opportunities in China. Kennan questions the importance of the Open Door policy, stating that it resulted in hardly any percept ible practical effect. The United States was not even willing to enforce its views. The authors final criticism of the futility of this policy is that America would not adhere to it with regards to Puerto Rico and the Philippines, both of which possessed strict restrictions against foreign commerce. The only utility of the Open Door policy was this it was an idealistic device that created domestic admiration for the Administration. Despite its ineffectiveness, it did place a burden on America to uphold its principles. In promoting the equal access to trade in China, the United States would call upon foreign powers to acknowledge the Open Door policy, each time drawing a reluctant acknowledgement. The very nature of the Open Door policy resided on vague concepts that did not incorporate the realities of foreign entrenchment in China or the fact that China did not conform to the standard of a modern nation-state. This correlated into perceived diplomatic achievements by the American people, and also served as a threat to some of the powers, namely Japan, that held vital