Clark Memorandum facts for kids
The Clark Memorandum was an important document written in 1928 by J. Reuben Clark, who worked for the U.S. government. It was about when and why the United States might use its military in countries in Latin America. This paper was kept secret at first, but it was officially shared with everyone in 1930.
The Clark Memorandum said that the Roosevelt Corollary was not actually part of the Monroe Doctrine. The Monroe Doctrine was a rule that said European countries should not interfere in the Americas. But the Roosevelt Corollary had allowed the U.S. to step in if Latin American countries had problems. The memorandum explained that if the U.S. did intervene, it was because of America's own rights as a country, not because of the Monroe Doctrine. It made it clear that the Monroe Doctrine was only about keeping European countries out, not about the U.S. getting involved with its neighbors in Latin America.
What Was the Clark Memorandum?
In the late 1920s, many U.S. leaders wanted to improve relationships with Latin American countries. These nations had felt controlled by the United States for many years. J. Reuben Clark, who was a government official and later an ambassador, believed in a friendlier approach. He wrote the 236-page memorandum during Calvin Coolidge's time as president.
Key Ideas of the Memorandum
The Clark Memorandum explained several important points:
- Every country, including the United States, has the right to protect itself. This is called "self-preservation."
- The idea of self-preservation is a main reason for the Monroe Doctrine.
- Only the United States decides when it needs to step in to help Latin American countries.
- The Monroe Doctrine was not about how the U.S. related to other American nations. It only applied when European countries threatened the safety of the United States by interfering in those nations.
- The Doctrine was about the U.S. and Latin America together against Europe. It was not about the U.S. against Latin America.
- The main goal of the Monroe Doctrine was to keep European powers from interfering with Latin American countries. It was not meant to harm or control these nations.
- The Roosevelt Corollary was a separate idea and not part of the Monroe Doctrine.
- The way the U.S. used the Monroe Doctrine was helpful to Latin American countries.
A New Approach to Latin America
While some people thought the Clark Memorandum completely rejected the Roosevelt Corollary, it actually just said the Corollary was separate from the Monroe Doctrine. It argued that if the U.S. needed to step in, it was because of its rights as an independent country, not because of the Monroe Doctrine.
Clark's ideas became public in March 1930, during Herbert Hoover's presidency. At this time, the U.S. was starting a new way of dealing with its Latin American neighbors, called the Good Neighbor policy. The memorandum also used the term "national security" for the first time that we know of.
