Woodrow Wilson's Wars

Woodrow Wilson's?presidential?administration (1913-1921) was marked not only by?America's?participation?in?World War?I,?but also by numerous armed interventions?by the United?States?in?other?countries.?Spanning the globe, these actions included?the years-long occupations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic,?a border war with Mexico,?and the use of?Marines?guarding American citizens during unrest in?Chinese cities.?Author Mark?Benbow examines what?these American policy decisions and military adventures?reveal?of?Wilson?as?commander-in-chief, and the powers and duties of the office.? Wilson tended to let his cabinet officials operate their own departments as they?wished?as?long as?their actions did not contradict?his overall policies.?However, as regards?foreign policy,?Wilson took an active role overseeing American diplomats. His policy toward the military followed?a similar?pattern,?though sometimes?military commanders' actions.?affected Wilson's diplomatic goals.?Benbow focuses on those conflicts?between military reality, the pragmatic needs of policy, and the larger goals of crafting a lasting foreign policy.