Preview

World War 1 Isolationism Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
617 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
World War 1 Isolationism Essay
From isolationism to interventionism, the US foreign policy altered drastically during the interwar period. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the resurgence of militarism and fascism in Italy, Germany, and Japan, characterized by a series of events such as Nazi’s military expansion in Europe and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor ended the American isolationism and inaugurated the era of interventionism. World War I had devastating impacts globally. The aftermath of the war included enormous military casualties, civilians losses and economic burden on the major belligerents. American loans to the Allies was never fully repaid when Britain and France were unable to collect reparation payments from German satisfactorily. In addition, many Americans were disillusioned that the original intention of the war — “make the world safe for democracy,” was not achieved. The disappointment of being involved into the war motivated America to adopt an isolationist policy during the 1930s. The country rejected the …show more content…
As those Fascism countries posed increasing threats to democracies around the world, American still opted for neutrality and peaceful relationship rather than war. Kellogg–Briand Pact was created by American politicians in 1928 which renunciated war as an instrument of foreign policy and supposedly protect America from the threat of war. Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, Hitler’s reoccupation of Rhineland in 1936, Japanese militarists’ attacks on northern China foreshadowed the second world war. However, the isolationists argued that the United States should avoid political and military commitments to other nations. A series of three Neutrality Acts were passed by Congress between 1935 and 1937 to ban loans and the sale of arms to nations at

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    On April 6 of 1917 America officially entered WWI as an ally power after much vouching of their neutrality. Up to that point many government officials preached to America the great strategy of neutrality especially the president of the time Wilson. At the beginning of WWI in 1914 America did stick to practiced isolationists point of view but as the war progressed and German aggression increased the American extent of neutrality decreased leading to their eventual entrance into the war. Germany blamed much of Britain’s goings on the United States, and the United States tolerated these ‘retaliations’ for a while but eventually they had to pick a side and the growing tensions between themselves and Germany made it quite an easy decision.…

    • 1169 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    1. One reason why many Americans wanted to return to a policy of isolationism after World War 1 is that they didn’t want to involve in any more foreign wars.…

    • 282 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Since the first World War, the Americans became aware of the “merchants of death” and became more determined than ever to avoid foreign wars. Moreover, they were in middle of the reconstruction from the Great Depression and the problems abroad was over the nation’s capacity. As American isolationism expanded, it influenced President Roosevelt’s foreign policy toward neutrality to keep the United States out of future wars. However, when World War II erupted in war-mad Europe, many Americans insisted on the morality of U.S. neutrality and attempted to support their friend, Great Britain, in a nominal to protect the democracies of the world. Therefore, the isolationists’ charge of Franklin Roosevelt with deception in his policies are valid to some extent since the “neutral” acts were intended to support the Allies.…

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    1- After the effects of World War I Americans were keen on the idea of isolationism. They wanted to focus on improving their economy rather than helping another country across the ocean. The new president Warren G. Harding had promised Americans their "return to normalcy" . They wanted their economy to stabilize and thrive, spending money on wars that weren't their own wouldn't favor them.…

    • 760 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The United States did not want to be involved in a second world war. They did everything they could including signing the Kellogg-Briand Pact along with sixty-two other countries, passing a series of Neutrality Acts, and isolating themselves from other countries. As America continued to grow and become totally isolated, they ran into conflict. The isolationism put an effect on President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s foreign policy. To solve this, President Roosevelt strongly spoke out against isolationism.…

    • 202 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    David Reynolds Analysis

    • 1433 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Americans seemed minimally concerned of issues abroad while struggling to recover from the Great Depression. Reynolds indicates that the U.S. was not inclined to enter a war or involve itself in international matters, due to the lingering negative economic effects of the first World War and the isolationist disposition of the 1930s. This temperament remained until 1939 when Hitler began the war and Roosevelt was much more inclined to bring the United States’ national security into question. Reynolds argues that this was one of the prominent ideas Roosevelt used to prepare Americans against potential German aggression. The shift of vigilance occurred during one of the fireside chats in late December of 1940 where Roosevelt presented his concern of America’s security to citizens. To drive this home Roosevelt exclaimed Hitler’s intentions of world control and his belief there were two opposing world forces that could not be reconciled. This is how Roosevelt strategically influenced American support and was able to get legislation for lend-lease…

    • 1433 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    History 5.01

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages

    During the 1920s and 1930s the US had always been an isolationist country. The United States ended up sending help to the Allied forces because they were more democratic. The Axis forces I believe were more authoritarian. I think the United States felt they had to help the other countries because it would make them stronger allies and could benefit us.…

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    American democracy and of Manifest Destiny. World War I was America's first involvement in a European War and the United States played a critical role in winning that War. Had the Germany not insisted on unrestricted submarine warfare, in effect an attack on American shipping, it is unlikely that America would have entered the War. Many Americans during the 1920s came to feel that America's entry into the War was a mistake. There was considerable talk of war profiteering. Many were determined that America…

    • 1887 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    When WWII first began in 1939, the United States was hesitant to get involved. During this time, many Americans were Isolationists, believing the United States should refrain from intervening with international conflicts. Isolationism led to the passing of the Neutrality Acts, which outlawed the sale or loan of arms to nations at war. However, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, it was clear the American Isolationist debate was over. Not long after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States was at war with the Axis Powers, made up of Germany, Italy, and Japan. To contribute to the war effort, Americans changed their lives economically, politically, and socially.…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Because of the extreme economic struggle of the Great Depression during the 1930s, the United States tried its hardest to stay out of the battles and tensions of World War II. Many Americans were very concerned about the internal issues happening rather than the rising dangers and crumbling democracies around them as the war unfolded. However, as the conditions continued to worsen and even the strongest of countries began to fall, attention finally turned towards the issue of foreign affairs The American foreign policy changed throughout the early to mid twentieth century as Americans acknowledged the rising threat of fascism in Europe and the endangerment of American democracy, ending the ideal of isolationism and began the era of interventionism.…

    • 653 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many believed that the U.S. had been tricked into joining the war for the wrong reasons, motivating them to avoid making the same mistakes twice, with World War II. After fighting in what seemed to be a monumental battle, Americans were disappointed to realize that “The War to End Wars”, as the American government advertised it, did not truly end wars. This disappointment of believing they had been tricked into a war helped motivate Americans to adopt the idea of an isolationist policy in the early 30s. After Britain and France were unable to collect reparation payments from Germany, they defaulted on their loans from America, pushing our once involved nation further into isolationism. The Hawley-Smoot tariff is the first true act of American isolationism, which raised the tariff 60% in hopes that America could get back the money it lent out from its own citizens. It also almost completely shut out foreign trade with nations, destroying the internal trade as…

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the 1930s, the American government disallowed the sales of weapons to outside nations who were at war by implementing the Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936 and 1937 (558). However, the President of the United States at that time, Franklin Roosevelt, supported the idea that America should assist nations to resist the Axis forces which consisted of Germany, Italy and Japan (558). As such, Roosevelt did succeed in persuading Congress to approve the Lend-Lease Agreement which allowed America to lend weaponry to the Allied forces (558). To ensure that America was not directly involved in the war, America placed a “strong military presence in the Pacific” to deter any forces from attacking American soil, which, however, turned out to be unsuccessful…

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why did it become the dominant feature of American foreign policy after World War II?…

    • 358 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    "To a greater or lesser extent, three factors were involved in explaining U.S response to Japanese and German aggression, economics, national security, and democratic values," these factors influenced Franklin Roosevelt foreign policies from 1937 to 1941. America's Involvement in World War two not only contributed in the eventual downfall of Adolph Hitler, but also came at the precise time and moment. Had the United States entered the war any earlier the consequences might have been worse.…

    • 519 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    There were many reasons for the Unites Sates’ shift to isolationism after the war. In the period following the war, isolationism could be broken down into political, economic and social isolationism. Politically, America did a lot to avoid entanglements with foreign countries. In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson traveled to Europe to deliver his “14 points.” These so called points were…

    • 1973 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays