Adam Ruins Everything - How Teddy Roosevelt Stole Panama for the Canal | truTV

The United States took advantage of a revolution in Panama to create the Panama Canal.
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About Adam Ruins Everything:
In Adam Ruins Everything, host Adam Conover employs a combination of comedy, history and science to dispel widespread misconceptions about everything we take for granted. A blend of entertainment and enlightenment, Adam Ruins Everything is like that friend who knows a little bit too much about everything and is going to tell you about it... whether you like it or not.
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Adam Ruins Everything - How Teddy Roosevelt Stole Panama for the Canal | truTV
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[@buffunicorn3188]

Adam missed the fact that Panamanians actually wanted independence from Colombia for a while. The “American overlords” comment is a little misleading as the US just took the land for the Canal site which was mostly unpopulated jungle. Panama had major US influence but was still an Independent Country. Which for the age of imperialism, was pretty mild compared to the European Empires.

[@DaveUnknown]

That being said, we did treat them terribly and we basically invaded them unprovoked in 1989 and like burned down half the country

[@joekate121609]

It was stolen

[@TheFrugalVideoGamer]

"Except for that time I engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a great white" Oh come on, that was the *perfect* setup to mention his actual knife-fight with a cougar!

[@clayjack9969]

Adam has some weird beef with Teddy I don’t know why.

[@cfG21]

@@clayjack9969 well colombians dont like teddy either

[@yeahitsmariangel157]

@@cfG21 lmao truee

[@MrGksarathy]

@@clayjack9969 Gee I wonder why.

[@clayjack9969]

@@MrGksarathy every president has done terrible things but for some reason Adam shits on Teddy more. Like in his Mount Rushmore video he was like: “why is Teddy even on there he hardly did anything hur dur.” Yeah expect for founding the national park service which is the whole reason Mount Rushmore was able to be made in the first place. Just makes him come off as dumb and uneducated.

[@nmhg]

As a Honduran, we were taught the real history of our fellow Central American nations, and although this is a little oversimplified, it is pretty accurate... It would have been nice if you had mentioned that they planned to originally build the Canal in Nicaragua, they were going to use the lakes for it...

[@ShinigamiInuyasha777]

Al menos con el canal de Panama, los chilenos perdieron el monopolio del estrecho de Magallanes...Ves no todo es malo

[@DragonTrainer201]

Nathalie H. Maybe they mention it in the full episode?

[@JMStrahm1st]

use google translate: he said "At least with the Panama Canal, the Chileans lost the monopoly of the Strait of Magellan ... You see, not everything is bad"

[@TheThoughtAssassin]

Trịnh ngk “at least with the Panama Canal the Chileans lost the monopoly on the Strait of Magellan. So you see not all is bad”

[@chrischg1197]

Trịnh ngk I speak spanish and I can say that the quality of the translation is good

[@imperialwarhawk123abc5]

The show makes it seem that the new government of panama had the canal sprung on them at last minute when in reality that government knew the US wanted to build a canal. Furthermore, The people of panama saw themselves as a separate nation from Colombia since the 1820s. The US intervention just gave them their independence as a nation-state. The issue that Panama had with the US isn't that it built a canal or intervened . Its that it built the canal and retained control of it (thus control over goods that flowed through. There is a difference. The issues panama had with the US are a question of Nationalism and economics. The US perspective on the issue was that it needed the Panama canal for strategic military purposes. Not because Teddy wanted to look coool. That is just ridiculous. No Panamanian would believe that US intervention was bad because they would have likely remained a part of Colombia without the US. What was bad was that they stuck around (which strategically for the US was the logical thing to do during the world wars and first half of the cold war) The treaty signed in 1977 even shows US motivation to control the canal. The canal is now controlled by panama but according to the treaty the US is allowed and obligated to protect the canal from anything that threatens the neutrality of the canal.

[@ANGIEHINA]

ImperialWarhawk123ABC Colombia, it’s written Colombia.

[@imperialwarhawk123abc5]

I'm TheGeloMonster K

[@bigbrainboy1318]

ImperialWarhawk123ABC to add to this, the French had already started building the canal by then and had quit due to accidental death and sickness.

[@HolyCrapItsALion]

And what you demonstrated is the very reason why it's always wise to cross-reference and look more closely at these sorts of things when possible. The show is meant to be entertainment first, educational second. So of course they may leave out certain details. They did however in a very sad way shared more in a snippit of a few minutes then what may had been taught to most Americans in grade school.

[@lucascastillo9391]

Yhea but they didn't know that they couldn't even step in half of their countries

[@tomzhackray6116]

What if I told you this show was made in the US for American audiences, of course Adam is going to point out the most flaws in American history.

[@Anactofgod]

Lie about made up flaws*

[@5spec]

​@@Anactofgodalways the people with animal profile pictures.

[@BLEHStudios]

Now do one on how the United States invaded Panama in 1989 and burned half the country down

[@jessicaberton4520]

bias textbooks

[@RodMndz]

Not really, it is FACT that the US invaded the country to take down Noriega... They burned half the city and tested new military weapon on a country that did not have a relevant defense force. I live in Panama, 1989 was not that long ago, some the stories that older generations tell about the invation are scary stuff.

[@bobwilson679]

Really? I never learned that in history class.

[@BLEHStudios]

oh yeah! it was the largest US military operation since Vietnam! I am not surprised they dont teach you about it in school. This video summarises it better! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqCmlp13bLeal5o

[@pauly260]

Noriega nationalized the Panamanian banks, which were loaded full of money from junk bond dealers, dictators & drug lords. Bush Sr. was head of the CIA and waist-deep in Iran-Contra. In other words, if the practices in those banks became public, he’d be connected & it would destroy him and his legacy. Funny how “just like Hitler” Noriega was a CIA asset that was a School of the Americas honor grad.

[@pankticsblog4326]

Should probably mention that panama already wanted independence from Colombia and had attempted to secede multiple times since the 1850’s. By the time of Teddy Roosevelt, all the US really had to do “create” panama was to wait for another to occur and then stop the Colombians from intervening. Should also point out that Colombia had agreed to allow the US to build the canal already, but when a new dictator took power, he had the legislature unanimously kill the treaty when he took power so he could squeeze more money out of the deal for himself. Roosevelt, being a man’s man, wasn’t going to take that. Basically, the story is extremely oversimplified. I’m a liberal, but to suggest this show is anything other than regurgitated Zinn-like perspectives of history lacking any nuance whatsoever is complete nonsense.

[@MrJpc1234]

Panktics' Blog yeah if you get an uncomfortable feeling from rhese videos it is because they either just lay out facts without any context or narrative...or they do give a context or narrative but pretend that they are just talking in facts

[@hippo11222]

It's got that Chris Hedges "American Empire" vibe. Noam Chomsky anyone?

[@kevinsantos5050]

As you said the story is really oversimplified, but lets be honest you can't expect to explain in details the history of the relationship between Panama and USA Or the history of the Panamá Canal in a 2:30min video. For all that matters this is kinda accurate

[@pankticsblog4326]

Concerned Commoner exactly

[@pankticsblog4326]

Kevin Santos True, but let’s not pretend this video is even remotely fair to teddy Roosevelt. And since most people who see this clip will never watch the full episode or, you know, read a book about these events, it’s still harmful.

[@ryanjapan3113]

“No one got hurt” A shopkeeper and his donkey died

[@sciencewizard2861]

Oh

[@meloncollies]

:(

[@brainstorm623]

Well that line came from Jerry Smith-I mean, the narrator, and everything he says is suppose to be wrong.

[@DrewColpurs]

I didn't learn the nitty gritty, but I was taught that Teddy used backstabbing, trickery, and regrettable actions to build the canal. I also learned that we absolutely ruined tons of land from both the construction and the methods used to kill the mosquitos.

[@hanksmith7645]

Well this “rarely” told story was told to everyone in my high school

[@lucascastillo9391]

In one highschool out of thousands of others

[@TheOneTrueGhostyBoi]

Nope mine to and plenty of other ones from what these comments say

[@bishop51807]

Not mine.

[@itismethatguy]

Not mine even tho we didnt study the canal, not in course

[@chase.7780]

you may disagree, but Teddy is still easily one of if not the best presidents of all time. the imperialist rhetoric and behavior wasn't a really good thing at all, but considering the Panama Canal is now Panama's largest source of revenue it wasn't horrible for them (granted Teddy didn't initially propose for them to have it in the future). also he was easily one of the most forward thinking presidents of his era, and proposed for a universal healthcare system and labor rights well before these things were trendy, and was also a staunch conservationist and was so manly and outdoorsman that he'd make Putin look like a cub scout in comparison.

[@FOLIPE]

chase. Considering israel is rich and good, I think we can agree ... No. Not really. Something's origin is important to determine if that is good or bad, and things can be analyzed be themselves.

[@cseijifja]

No one argues teddy's awesomeness, but when people ask "why do prople dont like the US, we are the good guys", this kind of stuff always comes up, and there's plenty of dirty little US secrets.

[@SuaveRenegade]

Also not many people recall what Roosevelt said on the subject of the largest mass lynching in US history. The New Orleans Lynchings of Italians. Roosevelt openly approved of the mass killing. "Monday we dined at the Camerons; various dago diplomats were present, all much wrought up by the lynching of the Italians in New Orleans. Personally I think it rather a good thing, and said so"

[@coachrenaldo]

chase. Don't forget to mention that he got shot while giving a speech and still manage to finish it.

[@Redbird-dh7mu]

Donny Card well, at the time, it would of been career suicide to support the immigrants. Perhaps the most famous corrupt politician of US history used immigrants to get votes, he basically tokenized them, I am talking about Boss Tweed. Some corrupt politicians also followed in his foot steps and do similar things. The newspaper showed Tweed’s corruption quite a few times, however, Tweed’s target audience couldn’t read, so, he was able to stay in power. In fact, there is a famous quote from Tweed that goes along the lines of this, “I don’t care what they print [type], they [immigrants] can’t read, they can look at pictures though”, this was when his corruption was being put in political cartoons

[@delvinlora1198]

Just learned this in history.

[@ChimeraArts]

Not the way I waz taught with these old ass text books that our school keeps reusing.

[@timvanrijn8239]

No you learned one part off it knowing a taking point bearly registers as knowing a subject

[@Cr1msonFir3]

Can't be true. The history book I had 15 years ago never said this.

[@ejpadilla4238]

tim van rijn I think you need to go back and learn basic grammar and spelling.

[@sheepbeeps3369]

welcome to the 19th century... this was actually pleasant compared to what most other nations did at the time.

[@Drafonni]

This makes me like Teddy more

[@Saiyan_Goku]

Drafonni good. Only people that don't like Teddy are snorting condoms and eating tidepods

[@grey3247]

I like teddy but I don't like this.

[@chaosXP3RT]

@@grey3247 Why? It benefited both Panama and the USA

[@WorrizEcko]

Ronaldjr Montagne yeah same

[@unusannus..8005]

Ya this basically was good for everyone

[@samuelbedsole5089]

I was taught this version middle school. I had forgotten all about it, but my teacher did leave out the whole 2,000 marines thing and said we essentially guilted them into cooperating.

[@colekuczek9812]

“rarely told” *is taught in every US history class in the country* Change the shows name to “Adam is a standard US history teacher.”

[@adriannagerace3119]

Cole Kuczek I never learned this

[@The_Faceless_No_Name_Stranger]

Cole Kuczek Education in the US isn’t standardized and changes depending on state, hell even individual school districts have different objectives to teach

[@ryankrekeler1292]

Adam, I learned this in high school. I thought it was common knowlege

[@PittBullBytes]

my textbooks never gave details about the revolution, rather it was built with US backing with some local opposition

[@kupertjerobin]

Did you also learn English in high school?

[@ryankrekeler1292]

kupertjerobin there u happi grammer,natzi?

[@Camelotsmoon]

In history I never got past the American revolution. Every year they seemed to start us over at the beginning like we hadn't learned enough about it.

[@PittBullBytes]

Our education is f---ed

[@sananaryon4061]

I kinda knew this already. Not the whole thing, but I knew Roosevelt supported Panama's revolution. I read Don Rosa comics

[@lucascastillo9391]

Did you know that The USA kicked Panama out of Panam

[@lucascastillo9391]

A

[@theultimatemadman1126]

So is it weird that I was taught this version in my PUBLIC school

[@MK-ms4uz]

Very misleading. First of all, Panama wanted independence for half a century and didn’t have the methods of beating Columbia. You make it seem as though the US forced them to revolt. Secondly, the US gave all the land it had taken back to Panama after they finished the canal.

[@ANGIEHINA]

1000 SUBS WITH ONE VIDEO Colombia*

[@lucascastillo9391]

Lie you ignorant the true was like this panama got their independence from colombia then they built the canal but still they couldn't step on half of their country then the USA promesed to place Panamas flag with the USA's flag but they never did that is why they revolted

[@mckenzie.latham91]

Whether Panama wanted indolence or not doesn’t matter, they thought that the country would be theirs, and not that the US would steal a portion of it for the own geo-political and economic benefit at the exclusion of the people of panama. The creation of the canal itself wasn’t the issue but that the US stole the land and control of the canal away from the actual people who lived there and were basically occupying the land in a corrupt deal and scheme they made for that purpose. and no Idiot they did not give it back after they finished the canal They used force and threat of mass slaughter to ensure their power and control over it, and they even banned and refused the panama people from stepping foot in the area and or canal zone and didn’t let them profit off of it despite the fact they themselves made a mint on charging fees and etc. for use of the canal from everyone else. Panama only really benefited from it only after the US had sold it back (at a massive cost and series of heavy payments) to them.

[@guyinacage]

I learned that he did it to make trade easier, and to allow for navy ships to travel from East to West quickly in case of an attack, which was a possibility at the time. I Highly doubt he would do anything just to look awesome. It would be a waste of money to build a canal randomly for no good reason. It would have killed him in the press if he decided to build a canal that didn't actually help America.

[@kaymencherrington9331]

That is the political equivalent of doing something to look awesome.

[@tnttiger3079]

Yeah, it'd be beneficial for trade, true. But why would he, really, care? The only incentive he had to improve trade was so people liked him and gave him more votes. No capitalist politician acts out of benevolence and kindness.

[@crash10125]

Vizlox Truth hurts

[@dennydaydreamer]

And in recent times when Beijing builds highways and railways into Tibet, it got lambasted in the west for the similar reasons. People (or at least the press) in the west really should take a page from your book of open-mindedness.

[@tortirion]

He actually pushed it because he wanted to be able to move ships (military ships mostly) between the oceans faster, he had long bee. An advocate of making america a meritime power to rival Britain, this is one of the ways he saw it. Way to belittle one of our greatest presidents

[@NickdeVera]

"We should keep the Panama Canal. After all, we stole it fair and square." -S.I. Hayakawa

[@dogguy8603]

I mean, yes, that how the world works

[@StormTeeVee]

Hey it's Jerry from Rick and Morty

[@robertgraham7245]

Locks work by using gravity, there are no "powerful motors" to move the water. The new recently opened locks do use some pumps to recirculate water as they would run out of it if they didn't.

[@deathsythelui]

Not gonna lie, Teddy Roosevelt swaggering in and just _taking the damned land he needed_ to build the canal actually makes the story way more badass...

[@mckenzie.latham91]

Still underhanded fascist imperialism either way

[@cashstephenson3449]

@@mckenzie.latham91 Fascism is control by the state of businesses and military with an authoritarian dictator and nationalistic views. All compounded by relinquishing individual control of life to the state for the countries greater good. What was done was an imperialist action but I do not believe a fascist one as that idea would not be created until the rise of Mussolini post WWI.

[@mckenzie.latham91]

@@cashstephenson3449 Fascism: *A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, a capitalist economy subject to stringent governmental controls, violent suppression of the opposition, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.* Now, a racist country like the US (who looked down on non whites even under teddy Roosevelt, were there was still massive inequality and unequal justice for blacks, latinos, native, japanese etc.) who was overly nationalistic (Teddy Roosevelt self was a ultranationalist, and pioneered American Big stick diplomacy which was essentially military intimidation and threatening to get your way) Literally undermined the democracy and will of another country so that his country and the capitalistic markets and business operating within it could have access to the Panama canal and the geo poetical and economic bounty that it would bring them, at the cost and to the detriment of the people who actually lived there for the glory and prosperity of America (the state) Aside from the centralized power structure though i would say the American president has more leeway to be a legalized dictator since there is only two ways to remove one (impeachment or voting out) we have 3/4 requisites...

[@ericnicholls3955]

Thank you for this video. Unfortunately in Panama history is taught differently. According to Panamanian history books, Panamanian "patriots" fought against the evil Colombia for "freedom" until we became a republic in 1903. Then with the help of Bunau Varilla, the US got a contract to build the Panama Canal in 1906. But we were never told that the two events were connected and that the US actually took Panama by force to build the Canal.

[@charlieandersen4815]

Agree

[@_Crazyman109]

This story isn’t exactly true

[@celebisonm4271]

PLEASE tell me that Theodore Roosevelt saying "get a load of this!" was a reference to the fact that he inspired the design for Dr. Robotnik, who is famous for saying that very line

[@starguy1o163]

I remember when the great Teddie Rosvelt rolled onto WW2 on D day inside a wheelchair as his agents protected him as millions of Storm troopers shouted panicking saying that he was some type of new American tank

[@elshowdeantony]

wrong roosevelt

[@starguy1o163]

Antony Arango THAT'S WHAT THOSE TRUMEN SUPPORTERS WANT YOU TO THINK

[@MrAllmightyCornholioz]

Thats franklin roosevelt not theodore

[@starguy1o163]

Mr. Allmighty Cornholio Nani times 20

[@ludicrus32]

Actually, funnily enough, Teddy Roosevelt’s son, Teddy Roosevelt, was a general that fought in the D-Day landings, and was the only general to join his men on the frontlines. He was vital in securing Omaha Beach, scaring away Germans while he patrolled the beaches with his pistol and cane. I’m not even kidding. He got a Medal of Honor for it.

[@drbone3959]

Is anyone really surprised? TR is my favorite president but everyone knew his mottos and his way of taking action

[@lucascastillo9391]

Yhea he is a good president but rememmber that the USA was mean to Panama

[@TickedOffPriest]

It would be a shock if we did not flaunt our military might.

[@Xo-3130]

TickedOff Priest What powerful nation doesn't do that to less powerful Neighborseben in ancient times generals would have their armies train in front of their enemy in order to demoralize them.

[@christianweibrecht6555]

TickedOff Priest CPG gray was right when he said "the throne changes it occupant"

[@timvanrijn8239]

No neither to any other nation

[@thebloodbath8437]

Roosevelt most famous quote is "speak softly and carry a big stick" in fact his foreign policy is marked by how he liked to flaunt his military might and "carry a big stick" but how he rarely had to actually use it. This is why Roosevelt is the greatest american president, god I love him. (plus that sick mustache)

[@nathanbrunt390]

the bloodbath just saying this form the hell of it. the US revolted against the brits for 'freedom' but you had to have a civil war to stop slavery and they also took over Panama and controlled them suppressing there freedom, they controlled islands in the Caribbean but they hold no representation in congress (USA also revolted for having no representation in parliament) Not trying to start fights but just wanted to say it and have a discussion.

[@animefreek217]

My history teach briefly went over the panama canal saying it was a great accomplishment for the Americans and humanity to be able to connect these oceans and then he went over how it was built and how it works. After all that he ended the class by saying something along the lines "there were people already living in panama at the time and we didn't treat them very well to get this built, but we don't really talk about that part." He did this with a few other parts of history and i kind of love it.

[@andrespineda9008]

I beg to differ. The signatary of the treaty wasn´t elected by the public and the treaty instaurated a clause of perpetuity within the adjacent lands of the canal. Panamanians got screwed over in the sense that when the arranges were made just a small elite benefited(and outrageous terms were included that no democracy would agree to.) not the nation(they considered what they gained and did not care for the outcome until the canal was reverted; the tax received by the country was meager, but the issue was not that. it was that pepetuity clause.

[@deaddaddy4471]

My history class taught this in school.

[@Irall12]

The more I hear of US history,the more happy I am of been Canadien.

[@Vexelius]

This story was also the basis for a chapter in "The life and times of Scrooge McDuck"... And yes, Roosevelt made a cameo there.

[@lucascastillo9391]

Most books are liyng about this I'm from Panamá so I know the true story

[@charlieandersen4815]

@@lucascastillo9391 entonces ahora sabes que Panamá es producto de una conspiración entre Roosevelt y especuladores de wall street? O sea, que los gringos le robaron el istmo a Colombia.

[@brittanyhellman4912]

I love Adam Ruins Everything. I have a respect for his pessimistic view on everything

[@ManCheat2]

He does leave out alot of facts though.

[@shaunfleming4464]

On the bright side guess what we were able to get our fleets quickly into the pacific for WW2 but not like that matters

[@FOLIPE]

On the bright side, the canal could've been built through other means, but not like it matters. All that matters is, obviously, its usefulness for you.

[@Redbird-dh7mu]

Yeah, the Panama Canal helped a lot more than just the US, unless you felt like going around the New World (about 2 weeks of time), you aren’t getting ship to the other side without that canal

[@giannisk.916]

No, absolutely not. Teddy Roosevelt didn't want to make himself look better. He wanted America's navy to easily get from one side of the country to the other.

[@Youhavetherighttobewrong]

"hey, that's unpatriotic. the us is perfect. bashing it means that you are biased"

[@maverickfalcon4856]

Youhavetherighttobewrong really dude

[@notaweeb7555]

he's clearly joking

[@watchop]

i guess you hate the truth

[@myduckisonqauck7227]

I honestly find this patriotic, even though it likely aimed for the opposite.

[@emawerna]

Adam left stuff out. The U.S. had been trying to get a canal through Central America for close to 80 years. This certainly wasn't Roosevelt's ego at play here. Going all the way around the tip of South America was exceptionally long and dangerous. Narrow passageways, sudden gale force winds, and massive waves make Cape Horn one of the most dangerous routes for ships in the world. Cape Horn is still the yatching equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest. Having a canal was mutually beneficial for everyone in North America, Central America, and South America. Imagine if today, 2018, Americans legitimately needed something that would benefit countless others and had been waiting for it since WWII. The U.S. certainly isn't perfect, but the canal was mutually beneficial and wasn't going to happen at all. Of all the questionable stuff the U.S. has done, this is one of the most defensible.

[@lisarodriguez9346]

Most of what Adam says is true. He left out the part that France was the one originally working on the project and that the panama citizens were not threatened by the US after they gained their independence. He also left out the fact the after the country was taken over mosquitoes were eradicated causing significantly less disease, due to trade the country's well off then and today, and they eventually did gain full independence. This maybe true, but it's told in a slanted view.

[@mammothmammon]

Yeah it has always been and always will be America First and America only.

[@Redbird-dh7mu]

That is every country, every country is looking after themselves first

[@ManCheat2]

You're saying it as if no country does that and if its bad.

[@lucascastillo9391]

Yep America that means Canada USA Panama Brazil Argentina Nicaragua Chile Venesuela ect

[@mckenzie.latham91]

@@Redbird-dh7mu Wrong, many other countries have actually managed to not be selfish assholes who destabilize, steal and or kill foreign nations and people to get what they want

[@Redbird-dh7mu]

@@mckenzie.latham91 that doesn’t mean they don’t put themselves first, you can either be too weak or just not want to hurt other countries directly to get what you want. For instance, plenty of countries don’t destabilize other countries, but just about every country is willing to do business with China/US and other countries that actively do pretty horrible things. Sure, it isn’t quite the same thing, but the principle still applies. Just about every country will prioritize their own citizens and wellbeing over other countries.

[@Pixelslayer]

Adam Ruins Everything Actually helps my Tuesdays

[@HuckleisMyHoney]

I saw some comments on the video being about the show being biased and politically leaning and those who think that really need to stfu...I remember this portion saying the same events happened in a AP US textbook when I was in highschool. Its FACTS

[@ryankrekeler1292]

Hσηєувєє тнє ƁƖσggєя ♡ yes, BUT he thinks were all dumbasses who don't know this.

[@silverionart8536]

It really is but some people really have a hard time accepting that the idealized America they were taught never existed. No country is perfect but Americans really have a hard time accepting that fact.

[@isaacsechslingloff6296]

APUSH is the best high school course.

[@HuckleisMyHoney]

+Ryan Krekeler, not really, this can be something like Crash Course and this season can be shown to younger audiences

[@HuckleisMyHoney]

+Issac Seschslingloff It really is

[@Juank722]

As Panamenian, have to tell you, you forgot to mention a lot of things, Panama already Indepent from spain, and later join the Great Colombia, that is not the same as Colombia, it also include Venezuela, Ecuador, and part of brazil, peru , and Nicaragua, also you didnt mention that the French already try to build a canal in Panama, but they fail and Philippe Jean Bunau-Varilla was a french. ingeneer from that Company, he with the assistance of a US lobbyst William Nelson Cromwell influenced the United State to complete the proyect start by the French. I hope you read this

[@bulletbill1104]

First of all, Panama was already rebellious, the US didn’t just stir up a rebellion. Second, the Panama Canal’s benefits heavily outweighed the bad things about it. It generally improved the global economy and made transporting important resources so much easier, thus improving the quality of life around the world. The Panamanians wouldn’t be independent without it, and as earlier stated they had wanted to be independent for a long time. The USA completely deserved to build the canal No matter what you say about how evil this was (which it wasn’t, as this was completely normal for the time), it was crucial for creating a modernized world.

[@Cangeltibon]

.....There's always unrest Texas, California and Florida continuously want to split off, now if Russia comes in and organizes the small rebellions into an actually threat we wouldn't think very kindly of them.

[@lucascastillo9391]

They were rebellius because they couldn't step in half of their country and the USA lied they tolled Panamá they would place their flag next to their flag and they never did that was why they started their revolution

[@smithonme1888]

I love how this came out right as I’m looking for sources for my Panama Canal report that I’m doing, however I don’t think I could sight this video as a source

[@Nicholas.Rogala]

Thanks for filling in the details of Panama's secession from Columbia. I knew it was orchestrated by the US to build the canal, I just didn't know about the military support we sent.

[@AnnetteSyn]

*Colombia

[@bulletbill1104]

Nicholas Rogala It wasn’t orchestrated by the US. Panama had been trying to secede since the 1850s

[@Nicholas.Rogala]

And they only succeeded because of US intervention. Regardless of what some people were trying to do before, the conflict that resulted in Panama seceding was instigated by the US for US interests. Simply put Panama without the US would still be a part of Colombia(thank you Anne; I won't edit my OP so your response still makes sense). So yes it was orchestrated by the US. You're just trying to play a game of semantics Bill. It wont work.

[@Redbird-dh7mu]

Actually, the US didn’t really have to do much to make Panama rebel, Panama already wanted to become an independent country before that and even rebelled. Panama hated being part of Columbia, Panama was the sore thumb compared to the rest of Columbia. Heck, even some Columbians were considering letting Panama become a country as they were causing a lot of trouble with their resisting and rebelling.

[@Nicholas.Rogala]

I concede that the Panamanians wanted to secede. My point (not that there was one beyond what I said in my OP) is that the United States "orchestrated" (Def: arrange or direct the elements of (a situation) to produce a desired effect, especially surreptitiously. Source: www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=orchestrated+definition&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) the secession for their own benefit. On top of that I was unaware that the US directed military assets to facilitate the success of that secession. I do not doubt (nor do I care) that the Panamanians had been trying to secede for half a century. However until the US intervened they had failed for half a century.

[@LucidDreamer54321]

As Van Halen would say, “I’ll get her, ah! Uh-oh. Panama.”

[@FishingwithCristina]

Wow that's crazy and then after all that they give the canal back to Panama

[@Vik7736]

No, there are fees paid by every boat. Those fees were used to pay off the cost of building the canal plus interest. Panama was also a US puppet state for many years. Look up Noriega.

[@FabianLopez_lomba]

uhm actually US had control of the canal for 100 years, that was the deal

[@TheDarkZoren]

well they did build the damn thing

[@FabianLopez_lomba]

ok so 97 years then

[@FishingwithCristina]

It's crazy but it's not the first time that it happens United States stoled Land from the Mexicans and how were the Mexicans going to get their land back they couldn't the United States overpowered them

[@SamClaus]

Yey! Finally someone is telling part of the story between my country and the US. Now you just have to talk about the invasion in 1989 🇵🇦

[@charlieandersen4815]

Hello? I gave a like... 😘

[@who2495]

Yeah! First time early on an Adam video! Awesome!

[@evilproductionstudios9659]

They formed a unincorporated territory around the zone. That zone was abolished in 1979 but wasn’t fully incorporated into Panama until 1999.

[@flyercurse]

*Reading comments...* so... since every single powerful nation did it in the past that makes it ok? so the big bully can do whatever it likes and expect no consequences? might makes righ huh?

[@selenagamya1612]

The point is that the US is not the only country guilty of doing things like this, despite Adam's constant insisting that the US is some big source of pure evil.

[@yummersmcgee]

You can't look at the past with a lense from the present

[@Elrich272]

You got geopolitics in a nutshell there.

[@cj6498]

Angel Fox Try to get Turkey to talk about the Armenian genocide, try to get Japan to talk about Nanking. Everybody does it. It still doesn't justify it, but don't act like the US is the only person who sweeps their garbage under the rug.

[@inamib.9786]

Selena Gamya Adam ruins everything is a US based show about popular misconceptions. So obviously, he’s mostly going to talk about misconceptions about US history. What’s the point correcting history none of the main audience knows about?

[@gabagook]

We didn't build a canal to "prove that we were powerful". The government wanted to be able to move Navy ships between the Atlantic and Pacific in case of invasion, as well as opening a new shipping lane between the east and the west.

[@lucascastillo9391]

Lie it was for war

[@chaosXP3RT]

@@lucascastillo9391 Not a lie.

[@TheDarkZoren]

the title itself is a lie. The US did not steal the canal because the US built the canal. The canal did not exist until the US had control over the area of land in panama. The US took control of the land away yes but they also eventualy willingly gave it back. The US would not just build the canal for free so of coarse they held on to if for years to recoup costs untill a set date.

[@gabrielmontenegro9476]

Zoren But the panamaians didnt agree to let the us build the canal under those conditions. The US imposed a treaty that gave them the control of the would be canal until 1999.

[@AMcGrath82]

Also nowhere does it say they "stole the canal." It says 'How Teddy Roosevelt stole Panama *for* the canal.' You're reading it wrong.

[@kylepietrusiewicz2749]

Gabriel Montenegro the us did pay them 10 million dollars with an annual rent of 250,000 dollars for it though, the pannamanians were not thrilled though, and the canal zone remained a point of contention between the us and Panama, so America did impose it's will on Panama, but as always, history is not black and white, no real good or bad guys

[@broken_monitor_]

You're missing the part where the panamanians revolted against the americans in the 1960's leading to many deaths on the panamanian side. And btw, at first the US never intended on letting go of the canal.

[@kylepietrusiewicz2749]

Alejandro Jacome like I said, shades of grey, that is one of the points of contention and a major factor in why the us revoked the treaty in 1977, giving dual ownership of the canal with Panama, untill 1999 where full canal administration was given over to Panama

[@scaryanarchist1260]

"Knock knock, it's the United States. With huge boats. With guns. Gunboats."

[@samfahrenkopf8679]

I'm starting to hate Adam ruins everything. It's just getting more and more biased

[@TickedOffPriest]

BOI IF YOU DONT Yet he has danced around several important items.

[@Tixmix]

What do you mean? That he chooses subjects that make the US look bad or the way he explains it?

[@FranksterRS]

Biased against your preconceived perceptions of the past taught to you by the people who changed the recording of the events?

[@super6pop]

+BOI IF YOU DONT These events are historically documented. You not trusting this is like saying the Declaration of Independence is fake

[@gamegodtre141]

Yang Wright it is fake, fake news. Everyone knows when the lizard people founded America they implanted the colunists minds with fake memories like the declaration of Independence which was written by the lizardmen in order to control our minds, you can't trust the fake news history books at all.

[@medicentio]

Panamanian here: Teddy did land a full batallion of Marines, but it was part of the agreement, to dissuade any further confrontations, especially since at the time we had a history of guerrilla fighters going against the "conservatives", the people who wanted to keep Colombia united. The USS Nashville and its troops were a deterrent. The provisional government had already agreed to everything with Buneau-Varilla beforehand, and they did not mind having the Canal Zone in Panama, as long as that kept Colombia out.

[@bryanbaez4412]

This is exactly the version I heard from my teacher

[@ZombieNoodles13]

It's interesting how fast Panama's history goes

[@mattherhorn290]

Has anyone noticed how the color of Ecuador on the map changed at least six times? 😂😂

[@zyaicob]

I thought this was common knowledge. We just learned this in school.

[@alexernst9448]

"Totally insane and rarely told" seems to be a common theme in American history.

[@PaigeWylderOwO]

I remember the plot to build the Panama Canal being more Machiavellian and convoluted than this video presented it.

[@marioDB300]

As a Panamenian I can say that, acording to what we learn in school, this is accurate, oversimplified, but accurate. Great Video

[@charlieandersen4815]

That's not what panamanians are taught at schools... 🤦‍♂️

[@michaelmurdock9856]

They didn't bother to hide this at my school, we were taught this. Tbh I still love Teddy , Imperialism and all

[@mckenzie.latham91]

That says a lot about you you know... none of it good.

[@ranelgallardo7031]

Maybe Panama qualifying for the FIFA World Cup and the US didn't qualify for it, was some overdue karma?

[@tarrker]

I absolutely love this depiction of Teddy. LoL :)

[@emiliemendoza8278]

This is ironic since I'm watching this from Panama. Hell yeah. 🇵🇦

[@Onion176]

Good lord, has the editor lost his mind? That outro is WAY too loud.

[@lucascastillo9391]

You were wearing headphones right

[@themadhackermatt]

Except this wrong too. Panama had made multiple attempts at independence before Teddy got involved. US troops were actually keeping a lid on Colombia's problems because the Colombian state was extremely weak.

[@lucascastillo9391]

It didn't say Panamá hadn't tried to get their independence

[@lucascastillo9391]

So suck on that ignorant

[@AngryExpress]

Im from colombia! YAY I was part from the video!

[@williamfrancis5367]

This video forgot the French construction attempts, 1881-1894 directed Ferdinand de Lesseps, ( the guy behind the Suez Canel).

[@furn2313]

Love these videos 😁

[@nickdegugs7190]

Welp, at least Roosevelt is still the coolest guy with glasses!

[@samualwatkins]

I honestly didn’t know about the 2,000 troops part. I just figured the threat was more subtle holy crap.

[@mckenzie.latham91]

Roosevelt’s famous use of the threat of destruction and obliterating a country with American military might is legendary he literally coined the big stick paradox where he basically admits that the US would use the threat of military annihilation to force and intimidate other nations into bending over for them and letting them do as they please occasionally he had to ensure that there was a reason countries didn't call them on it hence his support and war mongering for the spanish american war and then the bloody imperialist annexing of the entire philippines

[@FuyGieri1]

teddy rosevelt and saxton hale would get along so well because they both love hand to hand combat with great whites.

[@MrTBoneSF]

You left out a couple of key facts. First, France had already begun digging the canal decades earlier (but they were having little success) and had already leased the land from Colombia. The US bought France's interest (which included the land lease) from France. The US also struck a deal with Colombian leaders to continue to lease the land "in perpetuity" but it failed to pass the Colombian Senate because of the current state of the Panamanian revolution. It would have been like the US trying to lease land in Georgia to France while the Civil War was going on.

[@nelswolf]

Oddly enough we were taught this in US history which to be fair was just how everything went back then. We eventually gave Panama back their land and canal.

[@spoi525]

I want to build a canal! What is the most logical way to do that? A) build it on your land B) build it in the ocean C) build it underground D) get a rich man to have access of putting ships down on the culmination shore so they can't fight for their rule, then, turn that country into Panama and build your canal there

[@spoi525]

Idk, something about building a canal underground which seems impossible

[@El-Hechi]

As A colombian, I aproove this simplified lesson.

[@bigdumbchannel]

did you ever think to yourself maybe you should show Teddy Roosevelt more respect than having him wildly aim a firearm and shoot holes in walls?

[@id85181]

I was just learning about this What a coincindence

[@felixdevine6792]

Jerry just can’t stop being wrong

[@lukerb52]

They only got the land for the canal. Your plan has backfired and I now respect Theodore Roosevelt even more.

[@miguelpinilla3031]

I'm from Panama, can confirm 3/4 of every Panamanian wear hats and have beards.

[@robbiewalker2831]

Now I see where the ideas for King K. Rool and Dr. Robotnik came from.

[@robertjoe9396]

Game Theory

[@CartoonLab]

With this and the Adam Ruins Everything episode about Mt. Rushmore, Adam seems to have a beef with Teddy Roosevelt. Teddy actually did a lot of good for the country, including breaking up Monopolies, giving him the name Trust Buster. Plus, he was the one that gave Teddy Bears their iconic name. He may not be a perfect president, but he’s my favorite one.

[@pjfrederic4977]

Wow... liberating Panama in exchange for building a canal. What a raw deal. I swear you guys will try to slap a bad name on anything

[@Super-wx6br]

The US built the canal to have a faster and better way to trade rather than going all the way around South America

[@lucascastillo9391]

OMG you heard that is not true it was for war

[@xqiuvmah]

It might suck that we screwed over Panama, but the canal revolutionized global trade. A voyage from Florida to California by sea used to take 3 months, crossing one of the most dangerous parts of the ocean in the process. After the canal that journey took only 3 weeks through relatively calm seas

[@mckenzie.latham91]

So unethical and or evil things can be excused as long as they have beneficial conseqences good to know. Maybe that should replace the justice system cost analysis benefits of every crime after all maybe murder shouldn’t be illegal if it’s phrased as decreasing drain and or stress on the resources of the system... etc. etc.

[@tomasfong40]

The US wasnt the first country to try to create a canal in panama. You guys omitted a lot of context

[@lucascastillo9391]

Comment back to know the real story ignorant

[@Archris17]

It's called an empire. The US was hardly unique in building one, but it IS unique in how to this day, they maintain that they aren't an empire.

[@jordlor6260]

Is balancing audio just not a thing anymore? Why is the credit music twice as loud as the video itself?

[@billlupin8345]

...I thought Adam Ruins everything was supposed to go after common misconceptions. This is just history. Like from a history textbook. Is he going to cover the yellow journalism that kicked off the spanish-american war next?

[@ErikaMcQueen89]

I know what I’ll be showing to my 7th Grade social studies class next school year

[@lucascastillo9391]

Let me tell you more facts France also tried to build the canal

[@lucascastillo9391]

The USA lied about placing Panamas flag with theirs then teens place Panamas flag with the USA flag and got killed then a officer ripped the flag and killed more inocent people and that is why Panama has the canal now

[@FTWKGaming]

Ok, just don't bring up anything about the canal's functionality. You're kidding yourself if you think Teddy was only interested in showing off his greatness.

[@samdurfee6093]

Interestingly he's not entirely wrong. True the new Panamanian government was extremely upset when the US took the land for the Panama canal, however what he seems to leave out is the fact that America receiving the land they wanted was all apart of the deal. America lent weapons and Marine Corp vets to train the rebels. So when Panama refused to give the Land over to America that was in violation of the agreed deal so Rossavelt was entirely justified in using lethal force to secure the canal. But Panama was not screwed there were 3 main benefits in the American Panama canal. 1 America would have constant security in Panama to protect it, not to opres. 2 the Panama canal became a significant hub of American trade making for increase in commerce for Panama improving their economy. 3 America then had a working Naval Belt to protect American seas, that includes protection for Panama. Additionally like poetic irony when America was in assistance to Iraqi rebels pretty much the same thing happened, only one significant difference. After the success of operation desert Fox and Iraq was over thrown the new Iraqi system refused to give America partial oil rights to Iraqis oil fields. President Bush would have used lethal force to secure America's interest. However Democracs of the time refused to back Bush in the retaliation vote and instead of issuing executive order to send in troops like he should have Bush dropped the issue. Now Iraq is as shitty if not more since we left. Also it should be noted that Bill Clinton "returned" the canal to Panama, now our southern naval forces are less flexible and Panama economy has been on a steady decline ever since. Id like to see Adam talk about that.

[@lucascastillo9391]

But they also took part that they shouldn't have after the canal and they also lied a lot to Panam

[@lucascastillo9391]

And maybe adam won't talk about this but I will ignorant

[@Lxwnar]

My teacher showed this to the class. We were in 7th grade

[@tpsu129]

Adam, do one on Lincoln and the early months of the war.

[@tashikoweinstein435]

I am Colombian American and were still piss about this even 100+ years later!

[@maximus4765]

Teddy Roosevelt got shot and didn't give a damn, and kicked a guy's ass in a bar for talking smack. He was ancient during WW2 and volunteered to be out on the front lines as an old man. You will never convince me that he was not one of the coolest presidents ever. Never.