Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Munroe Smith
Subject(s): Daniels, Josephus, 1862-1948, International relations, Long, John Davis, 1838-1915, McKinley, William, 1843-1901, Military leadership, Naval art and science, Naval strategy, O'Laughlin, John Callan, 1873-1949, Pamphlets, Sea-power, Spain, Spanish-American War (1898), United States. Department of the Navy, United States. Dept. of the Navy
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Theodore Roosevelt thanks Munroe Smith for sending his pamphlet, “Military Strategy versus Diplomacy.” Roosevelt corrects Smith that he served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to John Davis Long and while Long was a “high-minded, honorable man,” Roosevelt believes he was unfit to lead the Navy. For example, one of Long’s theories was to hold all warships in port until there was danger of war. After the sinking of the USS Maine, Long refused to prepare the Navy for war as he believed this would “tend to bring about war.” Roosevelt’s actual advice to William McKinley was that the Spanish government should be informed that the United States would consider the Spanish fleet being sent to American waters as a declaration of war. If the fleet were still sent, then it would be attacked on the high seas. This is different from Long’s statement but Roosevelt doubts that Long sees the distinction.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1915-03-24
Creator(s)
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Recipient
Language
English
Period
Post-Presidential Years (1913-January 6, 1919)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
3
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Munroe Smith. [March 24, 1915]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o212135. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Munroe Smith. [24 Mar. 1915]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 30, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o212135.
APA:
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919., [1915, March 24]. Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Munroe Smith.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o212135.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 30, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
