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It later acquired the modern, unofficial nickname of “The Big Stick,” from Roosevelt’s famous quote “speak softly and carry a big stick,” itself derived from a West African proverb. La doctrine du Big Stick est une expression qui renvoie à la politique étrangère menée par le président Theodore Roosevelt au début du XXe siècle et visant à faire assumer aux États-Unis une place de véritable police internationale. "Although used before his presidency, Roosevelt used military muscle several times throughout his two terms with a more subtle touch to complement his diplomatic policies and enforcing the Most historians, such as one of Roosevelt's many biographers The U.S. used the "big stick" during "Canal Diplomacy", the questionable diplomatic actions of the U.S. during the pursuit of a canal across With Platt Amendment in place, Roosevelt pulled the troops out of Cuba. Big Stick policy, in American history, policy popularized and named by Theodore Roosevelt that asserted U.S. domination when such dominance was considered the moral imperative. If a nation does not in this sense speak softly, then sooner or later the policy of the big stick is certain to result in war.

…“speak softly and carry a big stick.” Roosevelt resorted to big-stick diplomacy most conspicuously in 1903, when he helped Panama to secede from Colombia and gave the United States a Canal Zone. But what befell Luxembourg six weeks ago, what has befallen China again and again during the past quarter of a century shows that no amount of speaking softly will save any people which does not carry a big stick.

This article was most recently revised and updated by The idea is negotiating peacefully but also having strength in case things go wrong.

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An avid hunter, Roosevelt used the rifle to hunt elephants, rhinoceros, buffalo, and other big game on a year-long safari in Africa. First it was essential to possess serious military capability that would force the adversary to pay close attention. Roosevelt to White, Sept. 13, 1906, Roosevelt Papers, Library of Congress Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

At the time tha…

Roosevelt’s threat of force was therefore credible … Simultaneously threatening with the "big stick", or the military, ties in heavily with the idea of I have always been fond of the West African proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far. Big stick ideology, big stick diplomacy, or big stick policy refers to President Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policy: "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." Construction began at once on the Panama Canal, which Roosevelt visited in 1906, the first president to leave…

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Earlier, in a letter to a friend, while he was still the governor of One of the main lessons to learn from this war is embodied in the homely proverb, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” Persistently only half of this proverb has been quoted in deriding the men who wish to safeguard our national interest and honor. The Just at the moment I am so angry with that infernal little Cuban republic that I would like to wipe its people off the face of the earth.

As practiced by Roosevelt, big stick diplomacy had five components.

All that we wanted from them was that they would behave themselves and be prosperous and happy so that we would not have to interfere.Roosevelt played the major role as a neutral who supervised the peace negotiations that resulted in the Venezuelan Affair (1902) and the Roosevelt CorollaryVenezuelan Affair (1902) and the Roosevelt CorollaryJames R. Holmes, "“A STRIKING THING” Leadership, Strategic Communications, and Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet." Virtually any topic for the virtual learner. Persistently the effort has been made to insist that those who advocate keeping our country able to defend its rights are merely adopting ‘the policy of the big stick.’ In reality, we lay equal emphasis on the fact that it is necessary to speak softly; in other words, that it is necessary to be respectful toward all people and scrupulously to refrain from wronging them, while at the same time keeping ourselves in condition to prevent wrong being done to us. Roosevelt’s strategy of “speaking softly and carrying a big stick” worked well in Latin America, where the United States had a strong military presence and could quickly and easily act on any threat of military action.

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.Roosevelt’s first noted public use of the phrase occurred when he advocated before the U.S. Congress increasing naval preparation to support the nation’s diplomatic objectives. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox.