Crown Prince Heinrich and U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in New York, February 25, 1902

By the turn of the century, many Americans viewed Germany as an aggressive and domineering presence. The situation was attributable in no small measure to Kaiser Wilhelm’s foreign policy, which, among other things, had led Germany into a confrontation with the U.S. over the Philippines in 1898. Four years later, as part of a campaign to improve Germany’s image abroad, Wilhelm II sent his brother, Crown Prince Heinrich, on a “goodwill tour” of the United States. During the tour, Heinrich met with President Theodore Roosevelt in New York. Unfortunately, his efforts did little to improve Germany’s public image among Americans.