TR and the Mexican revolution. I’ve heard a few times on alternatehistory.com & SHWI folks posit a near certainty that if TR were in office during the Mexican revolution (either by winning a third consecutive term and being President in 1909-1913, or by winning the 1912 three-way election and being President 1913-1917), he would have intervened in a major way, resulting in a large-scale and probably protracted military expedition there. Were talking about something much bigger and less ephemeral than Wilson’s intervention here.
Why would this have happened. Just his insatiable bully-ness that neither Taft nor Wilson were inclined to match?
Taft managed to avoid military intervention, and I don’t see why Roosevelt would not have too if he were President at the beginning of the revolution.
And Wilson’s intervention came about because of his disapproval of Huerta’s deposition of Madero. But Wilson’s passion on this issue was an idiosyncratic preference and an odd situation, that was also shaped by a completed disconnect between President Wilson and his pro-Huerta Ambassador, Henry Lane Wilson, in Mexico. Every other foreign power with interests in Mexico got along with Huerta and thought he would represent order and stability, and I would think if TR were President in 1913-1914, he’d likely be more in synch with his ambassador in general and would not have an objection to Huerta in particular.
What, in your view, would make it likely for TR to make a major military commitment in Mexico where other Presidents did not….if that is your view? How would his reaction to the Mexican Revolution been different in other respects than military?
Why would this have happened. Just his insatiable bully-ness that neither Taft nor Wilson were inclined to match?
Taft managed to avoid military intervention, and I don’t see why Roosevelt would not have too if he were President at the beginning of the revolution.
And Wilson’s intervention came about because of his disapproval of Huerta’s deposition of Madero. But Wilson’s passion on this issue was an idiosyncratic preference and an odd situation, that was also shaped by a completed disconnect between President Wilson and his pro-Huerta Ambassador, Henry Lane Wilson, in Mexico. Every other foreign power with interests in Mexico got along with Huerta and thought he would represent order and stability, and I would think if TR were President in 1913-1914, he’d likely be more in synch with his ambassador in general and would not have an objection to Huerta in particular.
What, in your view, would make it likely for TR to make a major military commitment in Mexico where other Presidents did not….if that is your view? How would his reaction to the Mexican Revolution been different in other respects than military?