Changes in American Foreign Policy from 1920 Through 1940 Essay Example
The United States' foreign policy between 1920 and 1940 was based on the idea of creating peace and protecting the country as well as the other nations from getting involve in another international conflict. Even though these were the principals of the foreign policy, it was constantly changing and establishing slightly different ideas and points of view on how the U.S' relationship with other countries should look like throughout that period. After World War I U.S was strongly discouraged by war and absolutely sure they don’t want to be involved in any European affairs anymore. Therefore they did not ratify the Versailles treaty and did not join the League of Nation in 1920. Warren G. Harding in his speech on October 1920 claimed that “League strikes a deadly blow at our constitutional integrity and surrenders to a dangerous extent our independence of action”.1 If U.S had joined the League of Nation the country would be obligated to make things and act in a way they don’t necessarily always want to. In 1921 Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes called for the Washington Naval Conference to “relieve humanity of the crushing burden created by competition in armament” as he said on November 12.2 The purpose of the Conference was to make a break in military efforts, decrease the production of warships and protect the relationship with China. In 1922 The Five-Power Naval Treaty was signed in which U.S, Great Britain, Japan, France and Italy agreed to limit the number and sizes of major warships. After that a four-power treaty with United States, Japan, Great Britain and France agreeing to respect each other in the Pacific and finally nine-power treaty was signed, endorsing Open Door policy in China and respect for their independence and integrity. Washington Naval Conference was a clear sign for the world that U.S foreign policy is to create peace, good relationships with other countries and control the forces that tended to lead to any kind of war in the