Gunboat Diplomacy (Noun)
Meaning
Diplomacy in which the nations threaten to use force in order to obtain their objectives.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The United States employed gunboat diplomacy to pressure Japan into opening up its ports to American trade in the mid-19th century.
- The European powers used gunboat diplomacy to carve up Africa into colonies during the Scramble for Africa in the late 19th century.
- China has been accused of using gunboat diplomacy to assert its claims in the South China Sea, sending naval vessels to intimidate rival claimants.
- The United States has a long history of using gunboat diplomacy to protect its interests in Latin America, often sending warships to support or overthrow governments.
- Gunboat diplomacy was a hallmark of British foreign policy during the 19th century, as the Royal Navy was used to enforce British trade and territorial claims around the world.