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By 1815 the Spanish Empire was in tatters.
到1815年，西班牙帝国坍塌
Shattered by its flirtation with Napoleon,
被拿破仑砸了个粉碎的西班牙
Spain was now stuck with revolutions
又被卷入了在阿根廷
in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
智利，哥伦比亚，墨西哥和秘鲁的革命之中
Jumping on Spain while the jumping was good
正所谓乘人之危
the US took Florida away from the Spanish
美国从西班牙手中夺走了佛罗里达州
thanks to the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819.
也多亏了1819年的亚当斯-奥尼斯条约
Colonial Maneuvers.
殖民运动
The Central and South American revolutionaries
中美和南美的革命者们

began fighting for their independence
开始与西班牙帝国对抗
from the reeling Spanish Empire.
为了独立而战
Despite American admiration for their courage
尽管钦佩他们的勇气
the US recognized these new Central
美国于1822年承认了这些新兴的
and South American democracies in 1822
中美和南美的民主势力
without promising any military support.
但是却没有承诺任何军事支持
The new democracies were very happy
这些新民主国家非常高兴
with America's show of support
看到美国的支持
but they really wanted promises
但是他们更希望美国
of military aid against Spain.
承诺军事上的援助以对抗西班牙
At first US President James Monroe
起初美国总统詹姆斯·门罗
and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams
和国务卿约翰·昆西·亚当斯
followed Washington's warning
遵从华盛顿的警告
to avoid foreign entanglements.
避免卷入外国事务
The revolutionary's admiration of the US was touching.
这种对革命者的敬仰令人动容
But really should the US risk a war
但是美国是否应该为了中南美国家
with Spain for Central and South American democracies
这些还不一定能够存活的民主力量
which might or might not survive.
冒险去与西班牙开战呢?
It seemed safest to let Spain
看起来最安全的做法就是让西班牙
and her rebellious colonies fight it out
和她那些反叛的殖民地们私下解决
provided that no other European powers
假设没有其他欧洲势力
jumped in on Spain's side.
愿意帮助西班牙的话
In 1823 Russia and France pledged to help Spain
1823年，苏联和法国答应帮助西班牙
recover its former empire.
恢复前王朝
Uh-oh. They proposed further that Great Britain,
大事不妙，他们还提议让英国
their fellow ally,
他们的盟友
join them in this worthy goal.
加入这个伟大的计划
A coalition of Spain, France, Russia and Britain
如果让西班牙，法国，苏联和英国联手
launching a crusade against democracy
一起向这些民主势力
would certainly crush these
发动一场讨伐的话
Central and South American democracies.
这些中南美势力一定会被粉碎
The question was would it stop there
问题是这个讨伐是到此为止
or would the coalition next take on the homeland
还是他们会继续联合打击
of modern democracy itself; the United States?
现代民主的发源地: 美国本身?
Monroe had been Secretary of State
门罗在1812年战争时期
during the War of 1812.
担任过国务卿
He knew the risks of war quite well.
他深知其中包含的风险
The war with Britain had ended in a draw.
与英国的战争打成平局
If Britain accepted membership in a coalition
如果英国加入了联盟
with Spain, France and Russia
与西班牙，法国和俄国一起
to wipe out democracy in South America
扼杀南美的民主运动
things would not look good.
那么形势就不乐观了
Fortunately for the United States
幸好对于美国来说
the British hated France more than
英国对于法国的憎恨
they loved the concept of monarchy.
要远大于他们对君主制的热爱
The British had not forgotten the War of 1812
英国人不像美国人一样
anymore than the Americans had.
一直记着1812年的战争
Russia was too remote to present any real threat,
而苏联又距离太远不足以构成威胁
Spain was too weak.
西班牙非常脆弱
But France posed a definite threat.
可是法国却是心头大患
To the British the idea of French troops
对于英国来说，如果法国军队
back in the New World was unthinkable.
重新回到新世界的画面是不堪设想的
A new French Empire in Southern and Central America
如果法国在中美和南美建立
would be disastrous for British military,
新帝国，对于英国的
politically and economically.
军事，政治和经济都是一场灾难
Instead Britain proposed an alliance
因此，英国提出了要和
with the United States,
美国结成联盟
a joint ultimatum to keep France and Spain
发出最后通牒，警告法国和西班牙
from intervening in American politics anywhere.
不要干预美国的政治

视频及简介

课程介绍:
本课程对罗马帝国和前苏联的兴衰进行回顾，探讨它们历史变迁的内在规律，并将现代的超级大国——美国与它们进行比较，从而作出对未来可能的一些预测。

原声视频：