19-28 PREFACE The purpose in writing this book has been to give a brief and accurate survey of the diplomatic and commercial relations between the United States and those Latin American countries with which our interests have been most closely related. The increasingly friendly relations brought about by the World War, the development and expansion of commercial relations, the improved facilities for communication and travel, have made evident the vital importance of our future relations with the nations of this hemisphere. This need has been shown by the demand in our colleges and universities for more courses dealing with Latin American history, geography, institutions, diplomatic policies and commercial possibilities. This volume, designed primarily as a text for classes in American diplomacy, and for those studying our relations with Latin America, will, it is hoped, also appeal to that part of the general public which is interested in the bases and development of American foreign policy. To make it the more useful for reference, the citation of the documentary sources of much of the material has been considered essential. In addition, supplementary reading lists have been appended to each chapter to give the student opportunity to obtain the background necessary for a complete understanding of the facts presented. The maps have been specially prepared for the volume to give the reader a clearer conception of the general features of Latin American geography, and for that reason have been made as simple as possible. Every effort has been made to present the facts fairly and accurately, with particular emphasis upon those phases of American diplomacy which have hitherto received least attention. For example, the diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico preceding the Mexican War have been sketched very briefly, inasmuch as this material is already available in excellent form. On the other hand, our recent relations with the Caribbean countries and Central America, and our diplomatic relations with Argentina, Brazil, and Chile have been given. more detailed attention owing to the greater difficulty of obtaining satisfactory material on these subjects. The author wishes to express his deep obligation to Professor Frederic A. Ogg, the editor of the series, for his careful reading and revision of the manuscript and for his many helpful suggestions and improvements. Grateful acknowledgment is also given to the librarians of the Wisconsin Historical Society for their constant and invaluable assistance, and in particular to Mrs. R. D. Evans for aid in collecting the documentary materials and to Miss Mary Foster and Miss Marjorie Park for their cooperation in the search for material. August 8, 1922. GRAHAM H. STUART. 56 75 94 VII CUBA AND ITS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS VIII THE INDEPENDENCE OF CUBA . X AMERICAN INTERESTS IN HAITI AND SANTO DOMINGO . 201 XI AMERICAN IMPERIALISM IN HAITI AND SANTO DOMINGO 219 XII INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES IN CENTRAL AMERICA 239 XIII RECENT RELATIONS WITH CENTRAL AMERICA ARGENTINA-THE MAKING OF A NATION |