United States. Navy

Edward Renehan examines Theodore Roosevelt’s lifelong interest in naval affairs: naval history, strategy, and the building and deploying of a naval fleet. Renehan highlights the exploits of Roosevelt’s uncles, James Dunwoody Bulloch and Irvine S. Bulloch, and the work of Alfred Thayer Mahan as influencing Roosevelt’s views. Renehan also notes the importance of Roosevelt’s history, The Naval War of 1812, his tenure as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and his construction of battleships while president.

Two photographs, one of Roosevelt’s flag as Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, and the other of Renehan with Alexandra Roosevelt Dworkin, supplement the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

In a letter to James Ford Rhodes, President Roosevelt asserts that the South was in the wrong on every issue in the American Civil War, and argues for the buildup of the Navy to avert war. Roosevelt also believes that there exists a serious movement to reestablish slavery in the Southern states in the form of peonage, and he criticizes various politicians and intellectuals in the North for either supporting the South or being ineffective in their criticism of it. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1904-11-29

In his review of Henry J. Hendrix’s Theodore Roosevelt’s Naval Diplomacy, William N. Tilchin examines each of the seven chapters of the book, highlighting both the issues where he disagrees with Hendrix and praising him for “a well-crafted narrative account” of diplomatic milestones in Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency. Tilchin challenges Hendrix on the latter’s account of the Venezuelan crisis of 1902 – 1903, and he takes exception with one of the conclusion’s assertions, but he finds great value in Hendrix’s chapters on the Panama Canal, the Ion Perdicaris affair, the Treaty of Portsmouth, and Roosevelt’s transformation of the United States Navy. Tilchin’s review includes a number of references to prior works on Roosevelt’s diplomacy, highlighting the historiographical debates which have marked issues addressed by Hendrix. 

Three photographs of naval commanders under Roosevelt and two illustrations, including the book’s cover, supplement the text. An advertisement for chocolate bars from The Chocolate Lady of Oyster Bay, New York, appears at the end of the review.

Henry J. Hendrix argues that President Theodore Roosevelt did not see diplomacy and the deployment of the United States Navy as separate and unrelated actions, but rather he saw and used them as complements to one another, and Hendrix cites examples of episodes during Roosevelt’s presidency to bolster his argument. Hendrix cites the Venezuelan crisis of 1902, intervention in Panama in 1903, the kidnapping of Ion Perdicaris in 1904, and the mediation of the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 as examples of Roosevelt deploying assets of the United States Navy in support of his diplomatic efforts. Hendrix asserts that Roosevelt used a very hands on approach to his statecraft, in effect acting as his own Secretary of State and Secretary of the Navy.

Two photographs of Hendrix and one of Secretary of State John Hay appear in the article along with a text box containing the mission statement of the Theodore Roosevelt Association.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Michele Bryant describes two visits by ships of the United States Navy to Seattle, Washington. The Great White Fleet made a port call in and around Seattle beginning on May 23, 1908, and two ships visited the city on May 23, 2008 to commemorate the fleet’s arrival a hundred years earlier. Bryant provides details of each event, highlighting the parade and the gift of live bears to each of the sixteen battleships during the 1908 visit. She notes the many dignitaries from the navy on hand for the 2008 port call, highlights the speakers, including Joe Wiegand, and details the various ceremonies, speeches, and gatherings that marked the occasion.

Sixteen photographs accompany the essay with four devoted to the 1908 visit and twelve showing the various guests, dignitaries, and speakers at the 2008 events.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

William N. Tilchin organizes, explains, and defends the diplomacy of President Theodore Roosevelt. Tilchin lays out the three guiding principles of Roosevelt’s foreign policy: that the United States needs to engage with the global community; that power must be behind the nation’s diplomacy; and the United States should cultivate a close relationship with Great Britain. Tilchin also examines Roosevelt’s style of diplomacy with an emphasis on his personal direction and informality, and he describes the precepts of “big stick diplomacy.” Tilchin also divides Roosevelt’s foreign policy into three periods during his presidency, and he cites specific examples of Roosevelt’s management of various crises and events from the acquisition of the Panama Canal to the voyage of the Great White Fleet. Tilchin highlights Roosevelt’s careful and continual cultivation of a relationship with Great Britain, and he examines Roosevelt’s legacy by looking at the foreign policy undertaken by succeeding administrations in the twentieth century. 

Photographs of Roosevelt as assistant secretary of the navy, army officer, and president appear in the text as does a photograph of Secretary of State George P. Schultz.

Carl Cavanagh Hodge examines Theodore Roosevelt’s ideas and policies regarding naval policy in the context of international relations and a naval arms race in the first decade of the twentieth century. Hodge emphasizes Roosevelt’s reading and use of the ideas of naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan, and he compares American naval plans with those of Great Britain and Germany. Hodge frames Roosevelt’s policies within the context of friendly relations with Great Britain, an increasingly assertive Germany, and the rising power of Japan, especially in the wake of the Russo-Japanese War. Hodge highlights the acquisition and construction of the Panama Canal and the voyage of the Great White Fleet as key parts of Roosevelt’s overall naval strategy. He notes Roosevelt’s embrace of the battleship as a means of engaging other nations’ fleets abroad, and he asserts that Roosevelt saw the fleet as an important symbol of American power. 

Eight photographs, including those of Roosevelt and Mahan, and one illustration supplement the article. A text with the mission statement of the Theodore Roosevelt Association appears in the endnotes. 

William N. Tilchin argues that President Theodore Roosevelt understood the importance of maintaining a friendly diplomatic relationship with Great Britain, and he further recognized that British naval power did not threaten American power or interests. Tilchin asserts that by maintaining cordial relations with Great Britain, the United States did not have to match or exceed British naval strength and that if the two nations interests were aligned, American naval power could complement the British fleet. Tilchin closely examines a diplomatic row that occurred between Great Britain and the United States after a devastating earthquake in Jamaica in early 1907. Tilchin says that Roosevelt’s handling of this incident, which could have upset relations between the two nations, demonstrated his deft diplomacy and underscored the realignment of naval power in the western hemisphere. 

Two photographs of Roosevelt onboard the presidential yacht USS Mayflower and a photograph of Tilchin appear in the text. 

In this citation for the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal, Perry D. Floyd cites a long list of John F. Lehman’s accomplishments as Secretary of the Navy during the Reagan administration which qualify him to receive the award. Lehman is especially noted for increasing efficiency in the Navy and strengthening the military capabilities of the branch. Lehman was also involved in the naming of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Two photographs of Lehman and one of Floyd appear in the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Theodore Roosevelt had a deep involvement with the United States Navy, and is regarded as the Father of the Modern U.S. Navy. Beyond Roosevelt himself, several other members of his extended family have also served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Roosevelt’s son Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Douglas Robinson, and Henry L. Roosevelt.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1986

This edition of the “Book Reviews” section examines four works. “How Does TR Rate?” focuses on the poll numbers assigned to Theodore Roosevelt in The Rating Game in American Politics and finds that Roosevelt places in the great or near great categories. The review gives an overview of the essays in the collection, and highlights those on Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. William Davison Johnston reviews Edward L. Beach’s The United States Navy: 200 Years and notes that it is not a narrative history, and he stresses that it was awarded the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Naval History Prize for 1987.

In “The Independent Progressives,” John A. Gable reviews Eugene M. Tobin’s Organize or Perish: America’s Independent Progressives, 1913-1933 which studies former members of the Bull Moose Party like Amos Pinchot and George L. Record. Gable notes that these figures operated outside of elected offices and built organizations, but that they lacked the strength and numbers to build a political party. Gable notes how Tobin’s work adds to our understanding of the larger Progressive era. The section concludes with a notice that the Naval War College has published a comprehensive bibliography of the writings of Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan.

A photograph of Johnston and Beach shaking hands at a Theodore Roosevelt Association event in October 1983 appears in the section.

President Theodore Roosevelt asserts that if the United States has to go to war, its fate will hinge on the navy, and that in order to prevail the nation must make sure that its navy is well trained and prepared for war.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1902-05-02

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Chase Untermeyer examines the evolution of the office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy from the time it was held by Theodore Roosevelt until Untermeyer’s entry into the role in 1984. Untermeyer also provides a biography of Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman and asserts that Roosevelt would have approved of his career and policies. Untermeyer praises the work of President Ronald Reagan and Lehman in enlarging the U.S. Navy, and he quotes Roosevelt to draw a parallel between the world of 1897 and that of 1979-1980.

A photograph of Untermeyer appears on the first page of the article.

This article provides a biography of each of the winners of the 1983 Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal. Three paragraphs cover the four winners: Captain Edward L. Beach, Ambassador Philip C. Habib, Harold Lyle Schafer, and Sheila Schafer. The paragraphs provide highlights of the careers of each of the winners. Each of the paragraphs is accompanied by a photograph of the medal recipient(s).

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

William Davison Johnston records the achievements of Captain Edward L. Beach, United States Navy, both for his heroic service aboard submarines during World War II, as well as his command of the USS Triton which completed the first submerged circumnavigation of the globe in 1960. Johnston also notes Beach’s considerable body of work as an author of both fiction and nonfiction titles on naval topics. Johnston compares Beach to Theodore Roosevelt and finds him a worthy recipient of the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal.

Photographs of Theodore Roosevelt, a great grandson of President Roosevelt, and of Beach at the award ceremony accompany the citation.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

In Boston, Massachusetts, Theodore Roosevelt stands in a crowd of Navy servicemen, turning to speak to them. In another scene, he arrives in an automobile, standing up and doffing his hat to the crowd.

Collection

Sherman Grinberg Film Collection

Creation Date

1918-05-02

A fleet of U.S. Navy submarines is seen entering the harbor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, amid jagged rocks and cliffs. The submarines are safely moored, and then the sailors go ashore. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., then Governor of Puerto Rico, greets and shakes hands with the fleet commander.

Collection

Sherman Grinberg Film Collection

Creation Date

1930-04-19

Description of the ceremonies marking the 200 year anniversary of the founding of the United States Navy and Marine Corps at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site on October 5, 1975. The notice highlights the order of the program, the speakers, and the musical entertainment. It also notes Theodore Roosevelt’s service to the United States Navy.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1976

This brief obituary notice for F. Trubee Davison highlights his military service in both World Wars and notes his over thirty-five years of service to the Theodore Roosevelt Association as a Trustee.  

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1975

Collection of newspaper clippings of articles, photographs, and maps showing some of the actors, naval vessels, and events making up parts of the Spanish-American war. Includes some handwritten notes and hand-colored photographs.

Collection

Dickinson State University

Creation Date

1898