William II, German Emperor, 1859-1941

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt was only concerned about the letter he had sent Ambassador Reid because of its nature, but permits him to show any portions he deems proper to King Edward VII of Great Britain or Sir Edward Grey. He also recommends Reid make Roosevelt’s dislike of British Ambassador H. Mortimer Durand known, emphasizing that if he had been a man Roosevelt liked, he would have consulted with him more. Roosevelt reflects on the strategies he uses in foreign relations, particularly with the Germans and German Emperor William II, but also with the English and Japanese, which he describes as “to be scrupulously polite, to show a genuine good-will toward her, but to keep our navy in such shape” so as to deter any aggression. He sends his greetings to Reid’s wife, Elisabeth Mills Reid, and remarks that he enjoyed reading about the social news from England.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick W. Whitridge

President Roosevelt sends an amusing telegram he received to Frederick W. Whitridge, Special Ambassador to Spain for the wedding of King Alfonso XIII. Whitridge appears to have made a strong impression on King Edward VII of Great Britain, and Roosevelt hopes that he got on well with German Emperor William II as well. Roosevelt asks Whitridge to “give my regards unofficially and heartily to Mrs. Whitridge; and much less heartily but more formally to the King of Spain.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from William Loeb to Frederck W. Whitridge

William Loeb forwards Frederick W. Whitridge two signed letters from President Roosevelt to present to King Edward VII of Great Britain and Emperor William II of Germany.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-25

Creator(s)

Loeb, William, 1866-1937

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

President Roosevelt informs Ambassador Sternburg that Walter Wellman is going to Spitzbergen to try to acquire an airship for an expedition to the North Pole, and asks if it would be possible for Wellman to meet German Emperor William II. Roosevelt also informs Sternburg that he will give a letter of introduction to Frederick W. Whitridge, special ambassador to the marriage of King Alfonso XIII of Spain, so that he might be able to be presented to Emperor William II.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-19

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John William Burgess

President Roosevelt asks Professor John William Burgess to extend a warm personal greeting to German Emperor William II when he meets him. Roosevelt feels that Burgess’s mission abroad will help the United States by forging a closer friendship between it and Germany.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-04-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt asks Ambassador Reid to give King Edward VII the enclosed letter. He discusses the trouble that Germany is causing at the Algeciras Conference, after Kaiser William II did not honor his promise to instruct the Germans to follow Roosevelt’s instructions. Roosevelt believes that Germany believes that it can defeat both England and France now that Russia is out of the way. Domestically, Roosevelt believes that the railroad rate bill will pass after “mild troubles,” including Senator Nelson W. Aldrich losing “both his head and his temper.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-03-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt discusses various aspects of his efforts to make peace between Japan and Russia at length with Cecil Spring Rice. He also discusses the current strained relations between England and Germany, and informs Rice that he does not intend to take on the role of regular peacemaker between other countries. It is necessary for him to focus on the affairs of the United States, rather than trying to keep peace in Europe.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

President Roosevelt asks German Ambassador Sternburg to send the enclosed volume to Emperor William II.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hugo Münsterberg

President Roosevelt is glad that Hugo Münsterberg liked his speech and telegram to the German Emperor William II.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt reflects to Ambassador Reid on the broader implications of the peace negotiated between Russia and Japan. The British Ambassador to France, Sir Francis Bertie, believes that the terms were too harsh on Japan and will make the United States and Roosevelt unpopular there. Roosevelt believes that Japan’s belief that if it continued the war, it could gain a large indemnity from Russia was incorrect, and nonetheless stresses the importance of the United States remaining ready for any international developments. In a postscript, he takes issue with British criticism of American conduct in the Philippines.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to George Otto Trevelyan

President Roosevelt reflects on the peace between Japan and Russia, especially discussing the Russian diplomat Sergei Witte and the future of Russia. He believes that Russia needs to take steps towards liberty and self-government. Roosevelt also tells George Otto Trevelyan about several books he has been reading and thanks him for his letter about the late Secretary of State John Hay. Roosevelt wishes that Trevelyan could come stay at the White House, and hopes that when his term as president is done, he can travel around the world as a private citizen, without having to attend official functions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to F. V. Greene

President Roosevelt hopes F. V. Greene’s wife will enjoy her brief trip to Europe and wishes Walter W. Warwick will travel to Manila soon. Roosevelt discusses his efforts in bringing about the peace conference to end the Russo-Japanese War and says that although it is a great success and he is being broadly praised, he is sure that by next year, new issues will have arisen, and he will be attacked in the press.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-05

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

President Roosevelt discusses the military prowess of the Roman Empire. He tells German Ambassador Sternburg that he believes that the Japanese government did a poor job of communicating to their people how much they gained in the Treaty of Portsmouth. The Japanese are now rioting because the country did not receive a large indemnity. Roosevelt also tells Sternburg about problems with stockholders, as well as his trip in the submarine Plunger.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt sends Senator Lodge the complete texts of various cablegrams he sent and received in his efforts to broker peace between Russia and Japan. He includes cablegrams to and from George von Lengerke Meyer, Ambassador to Russia, to show his role in it, as well as congratulatory notes from Kaiser William II, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Emperor Meiji of Japan, and British Ambassador H. Mortimer Durand.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-09-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from William Loeb to Hilmar von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen

William Loeb asks German Charge d’Affaires Bussche-Haddenhausen to send an enclosed message from President Roosevelt to German Emperor William II.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-27

Creator(s)

Loeb, William, 1866-1937

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt asks that Cecil Spring Rice give his regards to Lord Henry Charles Keith Petty-FitzMaurice Lansdowne. Roosevelt writes at length about the current state of international affairs and of relationships between different nations. He feels that it is not in Japan’s interest to extend the Russo-Japanese War for another year and explains his actions in pressing for peace negotiations between the two powers. Roosevelt also discusses his efforts urging the United States to interpret the Monroe Doctrine in an active way and remarks upon the recent death of Secretary of State John Hay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt tells Senator Lodge of his sorrow at the death of John Hay, who, while not flawless as Secretary of State, he greatly respected. He believes Elihu Root will be a good Secretary of State. Roosevelt updates Lodge on the progress of arranging peace talks between the Japanese and Russians, as well as his part serving as an intermediary between France and Germany. Newspapers are speculating that Root agreed to join the cabinet as a step towards the presidency, but Roosevelt feels that Secretary of War William H. Taft may make a better candidate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-07-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

President Roosevelt has requested a special report from Secretary of the Treasury Albert M. Shaw, and will communicate further with German Ambassador Sternburg once he receives it. He hopes that France will act along the lines Sternburg outlined in a previous telegram, and will speak with French Ambassador J. J. Jusserand about it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry Cabot Lodge

President Roosevelt shares with Senator Lodge the in-depth details of how he worked to arrange a peace conference between Russia and Japan, including substantial quotations from letters and telegrams between himself and officials of both governments, as well as with Ambassador George von Lengerke Meyer and Ambassador Lloyd Carpenter Griscom. He writes frankly of his views of the two nations, and is not sure whether the negotiations will be successful.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Hermann Speck von Sternburg

President Roosevelt asks German Ambassador Sternburg to thank German Emperor William II for his comments and express his pleasure at helping keep the peace. Roosevelt plans to see Sternburg towards the end of the week.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-06-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919