Preview

How Did George Washington Shaped The American Foreign Policy

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1896 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Did George Washington Shaped The American Foreign Policy
American Foreign Policy George Washington stated, “Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances, with any portion of the foreign world”( McClenaghan 481). Those words said by George Washington shaped the American foreign policy for more than a century. The main purpose of the American foreign policy is to protect the security of the United States from issues that may arise with other countries. There are three main goals the American foreign policy seek to accomplish. The first goal is to protect the lives of United States citizens living in America and when they travel abroad. The second goal is to ensure that America maintains access to major resources and markets across the world. The last goal is to ensure a balance of …show more content…
The German U-boats were sinking American ships in the North Atlantic which forced the United States out of isolation (McClenaghan 484). Overall, I believe that World War 1 was a success due to the defeat of Germany and the profit of selling military weapons to allies. The consequences of World War 1 contribute to many president's decisions to disarm the world and avoid war at all costs. President Wilson designed an international organization called the League of Nations in hopes of ensuring world peace (“Articles MAIR”). However, the League of Nations failed to prevent World War …show more content…
President Harry Truman declared that, “It must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures” (McClenaghan 486). Truman requested $400 million from Congress to protect both Greece and Turkey from communism (“Truman Doctrine Is”). I think the Truman Doctrine was an intelligent decision the Soviet Union was the center of all communist activity and nations needed to be protected from communist aggression. Two major confrontations between the United States and the Soviet Union were the Berlin blockade and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Berlin blockade was an attempt in 1948 made by the Soviets to limit the ability of France, Great Britain, and the United States to access their sectors of Berlin. The United States used nearly 700 aircrafts were used to deliver thousands supplies everyday to West Berlin (“Berlin Blockade”). On May 12, 1949, the Soviets opened the borders and concluded that the blockade was a fail. I believe that the United States made the right decision in helping West Berlin through this difficult time. In 1962, the world patiently waited 13 days in hopes of a peaceful resolution to the Cuban missile crisis. In October, United States secretly took aerial photographs that revealed several Soviet missiles that

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Keeley Stout Professor Smoot April 29, 2016 HIS 109 2-3:15 During the Cold War, the Truman Doctrine became the United State foreign policy. It promised aid to countries fighting against communist regimes. The Vietnam Conflict rose out of a commitment to nation building and a desire to contain communism. All the presidents from Truman to Nixon felt as if communism threatened American interests.…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Furthermore, the Soviets were not demanding control of the Dardanelles, but merely assurances that this premeditated waterway would not be used by Russia's enemies had used it during World War II. And whether U.S. backing would consequence in democratic organization in Greece or Turkey was unclear. Undeniably, equal nations recognized authoritarian right-wing government in the years subsequent the Truman Doctrine. Yet, the Truman Doctrine successfully influenced numerous that the United States was locked in a life-or-death struggle with the Soviet Union, and it set the guidelines for over 40…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    II. "I have no other view than to promote the public good, and am unambitious of honors not founded in the approbation of my Country."…

    • 1288 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As the first president of the United States, George Washington was greatly influential in shaping the government to be the one we have today. Prior to his political career, Washington began as a soldier in the French and Indian War, where he was rewarded with the rank of colonel for leading a poorly trained army of 150 men to defeat a French force and kill a French minister. However, Washington resented the Royal government’s lack of respect for colonial leaders and resigned. After his resignation, Washington displayed strong leadership skills as the justice of peace in Fairfax County, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, and as a vestryman. During the Revolutionary War, Washington was appointed commander of all the colonial forces after the battles of Lexington and Concord. His victories maintained the patriotic morale of the…

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This was set off by the Truman Doctrine - the first formal policy of containment. As the Soviet Union continued their geopolitical expansion, the Truman Doctrine acted as the foundation for the decisions made by the U.S in the following years. As Foner notes, “it set a precedent for American assistance to anti communist regimes throughout the world, no matter how undemocratic, and for the creation of a set of global military alliances directed against the Soviet Union” (Foner 711). With this, Harry Truman showed that the United States was ready to use their policy of containment, to push back communist…

    • 860 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    <br>A good example of America's pursuit for their own advantage in foreign affairs was the Open Door policy. China was expected to become a sphere of influence for European nations. The United States had a small percent of trade with China and was hungry for more. They issued the Open Door policy with the goal of preserving equal trading opportunities in China for all foreign nations. The United States was obviously only concerned for their own self-interest rather than the interest other countries trading with China.…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    How much do you know about George Washington affect on U.S. history? My essay is going to be about how George Washington affected the history of the US.…

    • 190 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Marshall Aid

    • 878 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Truman Doctrine was seen as a successful policy for containing communism because it was America’s first public criticism of Russia, and it was their first real hostile act towards the Soviets. Just before the Truman Doctrine, Britain had announced that they couldn’t afford to look after Greece and Turkey anymore, because of this America agreed to look after the two countries. Truman knew it was vital that the USSR did not take these two countries over as they would strengthen the threat of communism, and increase the spread of communism over Europe. The Truman Doctrine’s main aim was to stop the spread of communism and this is what it achieved. The Soviets couldn’t take over…

    • 878 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Our first president, George Washington, had wanted to stay neutral with other nations. George Washington had created the Proclamation of Neutrality to this and “adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent Powers (doc.1);” Washington did not want to get into conflict with the belligerent Powers because he knew that if he did, then America would go through another war that could affect the progress of the new country’s development. In George Washington’s Farewell Speech, he had said that “ it is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world (doc.2).” Washington said this because his goal was to…

    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With the Truman Doctrine, President Harry S. Truman established that the United States would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces. It committed the United States to actively offer assistance to preserve the political integrity of democratic nations when such an offer was deemed to be in the best interest of the United States.He felt deeply about the responsibility that the United States had in aiding other countries against communism, stating,“I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way. I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid, which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes."…

    • 1071 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    “I believe to we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way”-Truman For Containment (Truman 36). While all the Cold War presidents had their issues, Truman and Eisenhower favored containment to attempt the stop of communism and Kennedy favored flexible response as an attempt. “I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and order political processes” (Truman 37). This explained Truman as well for using containment. The Cold War is high United States and Soviet Union tension (Ayers 817). This war was an example of brinkmanship, which is a war, but a war without violence (Ayers 850). Pretty much a verbal…

    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are many fascinating people who played a vital role in US history. A name that will always remain bright among these people is George Washington. He was born in Virginia in 1732. George Washington was the first president of the United States. Before he became a president, he had served as commander-in-chief during the Revolutionary War. His outstanding is not only because he was the first president of the United States, but also due to his leadership qualities he was admired for. Washington was able to achieve some of his goals because of the policies and beliefs he followed in his life.…

    • 579 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    It is February 1787, a very chilly afternoon in Mount Vernon, Virginia. George Washington was outside his cabin chopping cherry trees with his hatchet, as a hobby. He took the wood and cherries home to his wife and two adopted kids. Sadly, he couldn't fully enjoy the cherries as any person would because he had dentures. His dentures weren't made of wood, as the popular rumor believed. They were instead more uncomfortable than wood. They were made of cow's teeth, human teeth, and elephant ivory set in a lead base with springs so he could open and close his mouth. The dentures fitted poorly and distorted the shape of his mouth. Being land rich, he used the wood for warmth and to build his own city in Pennsylvania, which he named Cherry Hill.…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cold War Dbq

    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages

    After the US supported Bay of Pigs mission attempted and failed to invade and change the political regime in Cuba, the Soviet Union began secretly shipping troops, missiles, and nuclear warheads to their new political allies. In the months that would follow US spy planes would begin to collect evidence of nuclear missile sites being swiftly set up Cuba. As depicted in Document D the United States responded to this threat by setting up a quarantine around Cuba right as the nuclear missiles became operational. In response to the quarantine the Soviet Union began to remove their missiles from Cuba while the United States began doing the same in Turkey. Through the success of the the quarantine and the United States hushed agreement with the Soviet Union about missile removal in Cuba and Turkey the US was able to contain communism in…

    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    United States foreign policy has always been characterized by a commitment to free trade, protection of American interests, and a concern for human rights. Our founding fathers, specifically George Washington, are responsible for much of the influence regarding foreign policy after their time period and up to the present day. Washington, in his Farewell Address, warned the country to stay out of permanent foreign entanglements and to stay neutral. The United States stayed faithful to Washington’s warnings for about 125 years. But, when the age of Imperialism hit, the country was forced to intervene to prevent other countries from rising up and becoming world powers. The atrocities of imperialism caused something that America will always regret; The First World War. After the war, the United States’ foreign policy changed from all out intervention to almost complete isolation, similar to what George Washington suggested. After the Second World War, American foreign policy back once again to intervention to try and make the world a better and more peaceful place. In comparison, each foreign policy have nearly no similarities, but a wealth of differences.…

    • 1973 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays