School of War Ep 192: Raymond Jonas on Europe’s War on the Monroe Doctrine (~165 years ago)
Apr 25, 2025
Raymond Jonas, Jon Bridgman Endowed Professor in History, delves into the dramatic 19th-century European attempts to undermine the Monroe Doctrine. He uncovers the complexities of transatlantic relations during the American Civil War, the ambitions of Napoleon III, and Maximilian I's intriguing yet doomed reign in Mexico. The conversation highlights how European powers aimed to alter the political landscape and the resilience of Mexican forces. Jonas also reflects on the unexpected implications for American sovereignty and modernization in the wake of these initiatives.
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Europe's distraction aided US growth
- Europe distracted by wars (1792-1815) gave US a generation to grow without European interference.
- Post-1815, European powers eyed the Americas again, spurring fears that monarchies would intervene against republican ideals.
Monarchy seen as Mexico's salvation
- Mexican conservatives argued republics were weak and monarchy was needed to defend Mexico.
- They sought European monarchs to restore order, considering it a strength rather than foreign interference.
Racial framing fueled French intervention
- Europeans framed the future conflict in racial terms: Anglo-Saxons versus Latins in the Americas.
- This narrative gave France a pretext to intervene in Mexico to lead Latin peoples against US expansion.