Chauvinism and jingoism

In the first vignette, a Japanese man holding a camera sees the Washington Monument and says, “I’ll snap this shot tower” while another Japanese man takes a picture of German Emperor William II saying, “Ah, a snap!” In the second vignette, a Japanese man takes a picture of the White House, “This may come in handy.” In the third vignette, a Japanese man draws a picture of a trolley car and says, “Hist!” In the fourth vignette, a Japanese man takes a picture of President Roosevelt as he pushes a plow, “Ha! A new engine of war!” In the fifth vignette, a Japanese man draws a picture of a trolley and a car on a torn up road, “I never saw such a sight before! Some new method of blocking a forward movement I suppose.” In the middle of the cartoon, a man labeled “American jingo” reads the “yellow journal” with the headline, “Japs posed for war! Spies everywhere!”

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-17

President Roosevelt and Uncle Sam stand on the shore of the ocean. In Roosevelt’s pocket is a handle labeled, “lately discovered,” and Uncle Sam says, “Just a squall, Ted,” as they look out on the “Japanese jingoism” waves.

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-06-11

President Roosevelt shares his thoughts on various topics with Cecil Spring Rice. Roosevelt is planning to swap foreign assignments between John B. Jackson and Richmond Pearson, mentioning that Pearson had trouble with missionaries in Persia. While Jackson has done well as Minister to Greece, Roosevelt does not approve of his strong pro-Russia feelings. Roosevelt thinks the Russian people are good, and feels badly that they oscillate between despotism and anarchy. Roosevelt is interested in what Spring Rice says about the movement of Islam in Persia toward more tolerance, and gives his opinion about progress in Islamic countries in relation to Buddhism and Shinto. The violent incidents in San Francisco towards Japanese immigrants concerns Roosevelt. Roosevelt thinks everyone should be in favor of peace and temperance, but he feels professional advocates of both talk a lot without ever getting anything done. At home, Roosevelt is trying to keep a balance between plutocrats and labor unions. Roosevelt hopes to see Spring Rice and his wife soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Vice President Roosevelt met with Mr. Bell and they discussed George W. Smalley. Roosevelt is fond of Smalley but understands that Smalley does not agree with American life or international policy. He hopes to meet with Smalley when Smalley visits the United States so they can discuss international relations and their differences of opinion.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-09-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt received Henry White’s letter. He and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt have become fond of White and his wife, Margaret Stuyvesant Rutherford White. Roosevelt wants to visit England to research naval matters. He was amused at George W. Smalley’s comment about his “supposed jingoism,” especially as he wishes “we were more jingo about Cuba and Hawaii.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-04-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt chides Cecil Spring Rice for not replying to his or Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt’s letters and suggests possible reasons why. Roosevelt enjoys his new position, although he will not see much of his family. He is proud of what he accomplished as police commissioner but reached a point where he could not do anything else.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1897-04-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Robert Bridges thanks Theodore Roosevelt for his interest in Charles Sheldon’s volume, and he intends to send Roosevelt an early copy of it before it is officially released on September 30th. Bridges also thanks both Roosevelt and his wife for their meeting and says that he enjoyed it greatly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-30

Creator(s)

Bridges, Robert, 1858-1941

Secretary of War Taft returns some letters concerning growing tensions between the United States and Japan to President Roosevelt. Taft believes it might be better to have the seriousness of the situation generally known, as it would make it easier to get money from Congress to fortify defenses in the Philippines. Taft says he does not believe Japan is serious about war. Although there may be some jingoistic voices, they tend to come from younger men than from elder statesmen. Taft describes fortifications in Manila and Subic Bay and the importance of fortifying both.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-26

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

German Ambassador Sternburg shares information gathered by a German military attaché in Japan with President Roosevelt. Japan has been improving her army and navy in order to defend recent gains in war against Russia and maintain her possessions on the mainland, rather than in preparation for renewed aggression in the short term. The attaché suggests, however, that Japan expects another war with Russia in the next five to ten years. This informant maintains that Japan could not conduct aggressive actions in the near future without substantial “sacrifice of blood and money.” A war with the United States would mean the loss of important trade. If Japan had wanted to go to war over the treatment of Japanese immigrants in the United States, she would have aroused public sentiment to that end in the press, but has not done so. That said, it would be a mistake to believe the Japanese have not been deeply offended by events in California, and could turn public opinion to war in the coming years. The informant concludes that while Japan is not on an immediate footing for war with the United States, it is a concern for the future.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-29

Creator(s)

Sternburg, Hermann Speck von, Freiherr, 1852-1908

British Foreign Secretary Grey informs President Roosevelt that Ambassador H. Mortimer Durand will be replaced, and while he understands Roosevelt’s desire to have Arthur Lee in his place, that is politically impossible. Temporarily, Esmé Howard will be sent to Washington as Councillor to the Embassy. Grey appreciated Roosevelt’s explanation of his telegram to German Emperor William after the Portsmouth Peace. Grey explains that his foreign policy is not anti-German, but to be independent he feels it necessary to strengthen the entente with France and come to an agreement with Russia. Grey believes that his generation has had enough of war, and the British people feel a special bond with the United States. Grey hopes the dispute between Canada and the United States over Newfoundland will soon be settled. He also adds that many in Great Britain are upset over reports of slavery and plunder in the Belgian Congo.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-12-04

Creator(s)

Grey of Fallodon, Edward Grey, Viscount, 1862-1933

President Roosevelt wears a shirt with a Republican elephant on it and uses the “Constitution of the United States” as a boxing bag. On the ground is a “jingoism” hobbyhorse, “big stick foreign policy” Indian clubs, and “high tariff, high prices” weights. William McKinley eyes Roosevelt from a picture frame on the wall. Caption: “I then stated it was my purpose to carry out his principles and policies. * * * To the best of my ability I have kept the promise thus made.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-29

Creator(s)

Rogers, W. A. (William Allen), 1854-1931

President Roosevelt rides a “jingoism” horse past Uncle Sam, who is peering his head out of a window. Caption: Paul Revere Roosevelt—”To arms! The Colombians are coming!!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-20

Creator(s)

DeMar, John L., 1865-1926

Governor Roosevelt responds to a quotation pertaining to the United States and the Philippines sent to him by General Johnson and elaborates on his feelings and previous statements regarding Democrats, in particular William Jennings Bryan. Roosevelt is particularly critical of Bryan’s position regarding the Philippines and conditions for African Americans in the United States.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1900-08-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt expresses his appreciation of General Johnson’s support and shared views on jingoism. Roosevelt also discusses the potential role of United States military force in international relations.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1898-03-07

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

President Roosevelt, portrayed as Paul Revere, rides a horse labeled “Jingoism” and calls out, “To arms! The Colombians are coming!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-12-20

Creator(s)

De Mar, John L., 1865-1926

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1898-04-27

Creator(s)

Wadsworth, William Austin, 1847-1918

Recipient

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Language

English