200 YEARS OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE - FROM PROTECTION OF THE HEMISPHERE TO GLOBAL DOMINATION

The content of the declaration

On 2 December 1823, 19 years to the day after Napoleon's coronation as Emperor of the French and 25 years before the coronation of Franz Josef, American President James Monroe set out the main thrust of his foreign policy before Congress. In doing so, he emphasised two principles: On the one hand, he tressed that the United States did not want to interfere in European conflicts; on the other hand, he demanded that European powers end all efforts to own colonies in the Western Hemisphere. He also announced that the US would intervene if Europeans disregarded these principles. The clear message was "America to the Americans", Europeans must respect the independence of the states of Latin America.