Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt tells Professor Smith that Roosevelt did make his proposal to McKinley at a Cabinet meeting and that R. A. Alger supported it, and Lyman J. Gage did not. Roosevelt thinks highly of the “Carnegie Peace Endowment” since they have ordered extra copies of Smith’s article.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-05-03
Munroe Smith exactly stated the grounds on which Theodore Roosevelt would have based American actions in Cuba and would like to base action in Mexico. Roosevelt sent an American fleet to the Pacific with the understanding that this could lead to war with Japan. He did not believe there would be war, but instructed the fleet to operate as if it were at war and always be prepared for hostilities. Sending the fleet turned out to be the “greatest stroke for peace that could be struck.” If Japan had declared war, Roosevelt would have known that the Japanese had simply been waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-04-10
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.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-03-24
Theodore Roosevelt gives permission for the two letters to be published with slight corrections. He agrees that the references to John Davis Long and Japan should be removed.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-06-06