The policy of the "big stick" restrained the ambitions of other great powers. The updated Monroe Doctrine meant, according to Roosevelt, that the United States could act as a “sheriff in the North and South Americas."
A large place in the foreign policy of President T. Roosevelt was occupied by the Panama Canal zone. He well understood its strategic importance for the USA. Legally, Panama was controlled by Colombia. Taking advantage of the unrest and riots in Panama, the United States in 1903 sent its troops to Panama. The construction of the canal lasted about 10 years; it was built by American firms with American money on projects and under the guidance of American engineers. Therefore, the US government considered the Panama Canal its property. The US naval forces could be transferred from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic and vice versa in a matter of hours. In addition, the Panama Canal was of great importance for international trade.
