Havana Conference of 1940
Encyclopedia
The Havana Conference was a conference held in the Cuba
n capital of Havana
in July 1940.
As Germany
began to take over countries throughout Europe during World War II
many colonies in the New World
found themselves orphaned (such as those owned by Netherlands
, Denmark
and France
). At the conference the United States
thus agreed to share with its neighbors the responsibility of protecting the Monroe Doctrine
. The Havana Conference marked a dramatic change in the use of the Monroe Doctrine. No longer was it to be used solely for economic dominance and imperialism by the United States
, but in conjunction with its 20 neighbors, to defend the collective security of the Western Hemisphere
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n capital of Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
in July 1940.
As Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
began to take over countries throughout Europe during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
many colonies in the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
found themselves orphaned (such as those owned by Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
). At the conference the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thus agreed to share with its neighbors the responsibility of protecting the Monroe Doctrine
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine is a policy of the United States introduced on December 2, 1823. It stated that further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression requiring U.S. intervention...
. The Havana Conference marked a dramatic change in the use of the Monroe Doctrine. No longer was it to be used solely for economic dominance and imperialism by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but in conjunction with its 20 neighbors, to defend the collective security of the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
.