Canal Along The Panama Isthmus example essay topic

Christopher Columbus was enchanted by the stories told by Natives about a strait through which one might travel westward into waters that led directly to the land for which he was searching for, the Indies. His belief increased as he reached Central America. More recently, the Gold Rush began, and people from all over the world immigrated to California. Gold rushers from the East Coast traveled to California by ship, having to go around South America, a 13,000 mile trip, but some decided to cut some of these miles by taking a boat to Panama and crossing Panama's thick jungle by mule reaching the Pacific Ocean.

Then, taking another boat all the way to California. A journey, although shorter than going around S. America (5,000 miles), proved to be nearly impossible because of the thick jungle, humid weather, and the diseases that crowded the air, including yellow fever and malaria. A shorter route connecting the two oceans, the Pacific and the Atlantic, was a dream pursued by many. The first to think about building a canal was Spain, but the first to actually begin working in Panama on the canal were the French, led by the engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps. Due to bad organization, lack of machinery, and lack of knowledge about diseases, their attempt to build a canal failed. Theodore Roosevelt believed that the United States was capable of doing the impossible: building the canal, continuing the work that the French had started.

Theodore Roosevelt visualized many benefits on the Canal and wanted to have the rights to the land where the canal was being built. There was only one obstacle: Panama belonged to the Republic of Colombia, and Colombia was aware of the importance of Panama and didn t want to give it up easily. President Roosevelt contemplated recommending the forcible seizure of Panama. Instead, with the self interest of obtaining rights on the Panama Canal, the U.S. helped provoke a revolt that gave Panama its independence from Colombia. Then, once Panama gained its independence, the U.S. selfishly recognized Panama knowing that having power over the land where a canal could be build would be very beneficial. Many other countries besides the United States also new the importance of Panama.

From the beginning, the isthmus (the strip of land that connected two oceans) was determined to be el centro del universo (the center of the universe) according to the South American hero, Simon Bolivar. 1 Countries like Spain, France, and the United states wanted some type of control of Panama in order to benefit from what they believed a canal could provide. This translated mainly into money, power, and convenience. A canal that connected the Pacific with the Atlantic ocean meant a gold mine.

Also the convenience of not having to go around South America to reach either ocean was priceless and could give any country the advantage of position in case of war. The interest in a short route from the Atlantic to the Pacific dates back to the 16th century, when Hernan Cortez, the Spanish conqueror of Mexico, suggested acanal across the isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico. Other explorers suggested acanal through Nicaragua, but the first project for a canal through Panama was started by Charles V. A working plan for a canal was drawn as early as 1529, an din 1534 some Spanish officials suggested a canal route close to the present location of the Panama Canal. None of these ideas were submitted to the king, sono action was taken and the Spanish abandoned its interest on a canal. But, in the early 19th century the German scientist Alexander Humboldt revived interest in acanal project. In 1819 the Spanish Government authorized the construction of acanal and the creation of a company to build it, but again nothing resulted from this effort.

Then, during the revolutions in South America, Spain lost control of Panama and with it, the canal as well. The next to try to build a canal were the French. Led by Fernindand Marie de Lesseps, France was the first country to actually work on digging a canal, but Lesseps and his company went bankrupt in 1889, and the digging stopped with no result. Lesseps, with his tail between his legs for having failed on his attempt to build a canal, and giving his country pride, reorganized allow the information of the terrain that he had gather while working in the isthmus and offered its assets to the United States at a price of $40 million.

Because president Rutherford B. Hayes before dying solemnly stated that the United States would never accept a canal under non-American control, 2 the U.S. accepted Lesseps offer. Then, after overcoming many problems (these will be mentioned later), an dafter the Spooner Act, and act to provide for the construction of a canal connecting two waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans 3 the United States finally began working on the canal. In 1906 the decision of building a canal with locks instead ofa sea-level channel was approved by the U.S. Congress. President Theodore Roosevelt put the construction work of the greatest natural resource 4 according to Panamanians, under the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Col. George W. Goethals was named to head the project. The Panama Canal was in operation by the summer of 1914, almost two years ahead of schedule.

The construction of the canal ranks as one of the greatest engineering works of all time. 5 Not only did the construction of the canal involved excavating an estimated 175 million cu yds. of earth, but also sanitizing the entire canal area, which was infested by mosquitoes that spread yellow fever and malaria. The final cost of the canal for the U.S. was $336 million and it involved not only one but many countries and its ideas to complete. A task once said to be nearly impossible 6 became a reality.

Now, as mentioned earlier, the United States went through many problems before being able to build the canal. There was one obstacle: Panama belonged to Colombia. Panama voluntarily became part of Colombia in 1821 after South American countries revolt against Spain. 7 But Colombia was never able to control Panama completely because of the type of person the isthmus attracted- the rootless, lawless, transient who obeyed no authority.

8 In 1902, the U.S. government negotiated with the Colombian government to obtain a strip of land, six miles wide across the isthmus to build a canal, but the Colombian Senate refused to approve this settlement (the Hay-Herr an treaty) because they knew that the United States wanted to fully control a canal if built. But then Panama, with theassistance of the U.S., overthrew Colombian rule on November 3, 1903 after a bloodless revolt. Roosevelt supported the revolution to secure the right to build acanal for U.S. interest by sending troops to the isthmus and prevent a violent revolt. Panama's ties with the United States formally began on November 6, 1906, when Washington extended recognition. 9 Only three days before Panama, with theassistance of the United States, had overthrown Colombian rule.

Roosevelt's hand began to close around the Isthmus as soon as he saw Colombia's grip of Panama slipping. It is best put by S.I. Hayakawa: We stole it fair and square... , 10 a U.S. senator, and where really the key word is stole. Fair and square is just the American view of how the United States obtained the rights of the Isthmus. Not only after Panama gained its independence, was the United States able to begging working on the Canal.

On November 18 the United States and Panama signed a treaty giving the U.S. the right to dig the canal and the perpetual right to occupy and control a strip of land on either side of the canal. In return, the United States paid Panama $10 million and agreed to pay $250 000 each year. Colombia just got the right to use the canal free of charge. With the recognition of Panama, the United States guaranteed Panama independence and most importantly, was given the right to intervene in case of military disorder and of foreign countries threats, in order to protect the canal an dits benefits. This agreement between The U.S. and Panama gave the United States lot of power. The canal offered many benefits, as dreamed before the canal was built.

Obviously, the canal would make easier the mobilization of ships, since it would make the route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean a lot shorter. Also, it would enable the Atlantic coast to compete with Europe, on equal terms as distance, forthe markets of Asia 11 and reduce the distance to the western coast of Latin America by half. The canal also provided the United States a great tactical spot fora navy base, such as that led by Lt. W. L Friedel, U.S. N, which was the first naval defense of the U.S. on the Panama Canal 12. This base provided a huge advantage of positioning in case of any conflicts over seas, since the canal made the distance from the Atlantic to the Pacific much shorter and because U.S. warships have free and interrupted transit 13 across the Isthmus.

Apart from the benefits, the United States also has a tremendous influence on Panama and the Isthmus. The domination that the U.S. has over Panama is described by John F. Muc cio, when he writes to Philip W. Bons al on June 6, 1944: The army can completely and thoroughly sabotage Panamanian commercial life through simply declaring either all Panama or specific business enterprises off limits to soldiers... Our control over water works another utilities can completely stop the development of whole sections of the cities of Panama... Every realistic Panamanian, just as every realistic American, is fully aware that this influence over the daily life of Panama exist... 14 The United States also possesses $1.8 billion of investments in Panama, and North American Banks, multinational corporations, mineral processing companies, and agribusinesses dominate Panama's economy. The United States takes advantage of the power it has over Panama.

During war, the U.S. paid Spain $20 million to $30 million each year for the use of airbases in Spanish territories, and knowing that Panama relies greatly on the canal for economic reasons, pays only $1.9 to $2.3 million in annual rental of the Isthmus. 15 The United States didn t paid Panama enough for the use of the canal zone, even when the canal could produce $2 billion annually, according to a United Nation report. 16 The United States, just like Spain and France understood from the beginning the importance of a canal that connected the Atlantic to the pacific ocean through the Isthmus of Panama. Colombia didn t have the resources or the influence to build a canal along the Panama Isthmus by itself, and the United States knew this.

That is why the U.S. helped Panama gained their independence from Colombia by helping and encouraging a revolt, and selfishly recognized Panama to secure their rights on the canal zone. By doing this, the United States gained a lot of power and influence as stated on this paper. Note: Panamanians believed that the U.S. took advantage of their vulnerable position of under-developed country and therefore arranged that the United State swill seized control of the Canal to Panama on January 31st, 1999. And although the U.S. will still have the right to defend the canal's neutrality after that date, the ownership and control will be held by the rightful owner: Panama.

Bibliography

New Isthmus Company. The New York Times. July 2, 1901, p.
4 U.S. Navy always has played Important part with the Canal. Panama American. August 15, 1939 Ga use, Frank A.
The Story Of Panama-The New Route to India. Boston, New York, Chicago: Silver, Burdett and Company, 1912.
George, Judith St., Panama Canal-Gateway to the World. New York: G.P., Putnam's Sons, 1989.
Jordan, William J., Panama Odyssey. Texas: University of Texas Press, 1984.
LaF eber, Walter., The Panama Canal- The Crisis in Historical Perspective. New York: Oxford University Press, 1978 Ryan, Paul B.
The Panama Canal Controversy. Palo Alto: Hoover Institution Publication, 1977.