Why did Theodore Roosevelt think merely the threat of force was sufficient to achieve his foreign policy goals?

Question

(1 point)
• Recent military successes had established the U.S.'s ability to back up its threats.
• President McKinley had not been able to use U.S. military force to annex colonies.
• The American public did not support using military force to attain foreign policy goals.
• Roosevelt felt that engaging in peaceful negotiation was more effective than using force.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: Recent military successes had established the U.S.'s ability to back up its threats.

Theodore Roosevelt believed that the United States had demonstrated its military capabilities through recent successes, which provided a foundation for him to assert that the mere threat of force could be an effective means of achieving foreign policy objectives, encapsulated in his famous motto, "speak softly and carry a big stick."