tate to both Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt, addressed identical messages known as the "Open Door Notes" to England, Germany, Italy, France, Russia and Japan. The notes stated that each nation with a sphere of influence in China must respect the rights and privileges of other nations in it's spheres, must allow Chinese officials to continue collection of tariff duties in all spheres, and must not discriminate against nations with port dues and railroad rates within their own spheres. Although Europe and Japan failed to commit to these principles, Hay declared all powers in agreement with the "Open Door". At the height of the Boxer Rebellion, the United States joined the imperial nations in quelling the rebellion to secure a voice in settling the uprising and to prevent colonial dismemberment of China by European powers, thus ensuring United States access to lucrative Chinese trade. Roosevelt built on the "Open Door" precedent in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904, which centered on control of the Chinese province of Manchuria. At a peace conference in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Roosevelt, at Japan's request, fostered an agreement whereby Russia would acknowledge Japan's territorial gains, and Japan would cease the fighting and advance no further, leading him to win the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize. Roosevelt also took a special interest in Latin America. When the Venezuelan government began to renege on it's debts to European bankers in 1902, British, Italian and German naval forces blockaded the Venezuelan coast. When Germany began to bombard a Venezuelan port amid rumors of the establishment of a permanent base in the region, Roosevelt threatened the use of American naval power to force Germany's withdrawal. This incident helped persuade Roosevelt that European intrusions into Latin America could result not only from aggression, but also from instability and irresponsibility within the Latin American nations themselves. This prompted Roose...
