The evolution of the United States’ foreign relations between 1914 and 1945 can be described as a turbulent teenager coming into her own; a coming of age. In the early portions of the three decades, like most teenagers, the U.S. was solely focused on herself and on rare occasion looked outside her own door to see how the lives of her neighbors and family (Europe) were being impacted by events. There is a belief that so goes Wilson, so goes the United States foreign policy. This can likely be said of any sitting President. When Wilson was elected in 1912, he adopted man of his predecessors’ foreign policy. This includes the belief that the United States should act as a police force in Latin America, or the Roosevelt Corollary of 1904, which was expanded by Taft to include pushing for total American dominance in the Latin theater (Keene, pages 487-488). Like the teenager, America intervention was only used when something directly imposed itself on the United States or businesses therein. On June 28, 1914, Europe erupted into flames as war spread from Bosnia to every major nation on the European continent. With the many immigrants that now lived in the United States, it was impossible not to have some animosity and disagreement among the group as to who started the war. As a result of all this turmoil and disagreement, President Woodrow Wilson felt it wise to stay out of the war. President Wilson proclaimed the United States neutral. Wilson set forth the policy of preventing American businesses from loaning funds to any of the nations at war. This ban was lifted by Wilson in 1915 for fear that the U.S. would enter into a major recession if the Allies stopped buying American goods when they ran out of funds. In order to stay neutral... ... middle of paper ... ... made a full scale effort to go after al-Qaeda, even though President Clinton knew of the potential threat they posed. Like World War I, typical Americans wanted to isolate themselves from the world after the first Gulf War. Seldom has the United States taken the pre-emptive initiative and gone after a rogue nation. Usually only after that nation has made direct attacks against the United States would the U.S. intervene. In contrast to the events leading up to World War I and II, the United States now approaches nations directly or through the United Nations in an effort to stave off conflict. Diplomacy is typically the first thing a U.S. president will attempt and the use of force the last. Works Cited Keene, Jennifer D., Saul Cornell, and Edward T. O'Donnell. Visions of America: a History of the United States. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2010. Print.
Woodrow Wilson, our 23rd president, became involved in a war that he did not want any part of. Wilson wanted to remain neutral and have peace as in his first term of office. During World War I Wilson’s roles in the war became well known in all countries. Wilson wanted peace more than anything else. In seeking for peace Wilson asked Congress for the U.S. to enter World War I. which may not sound like a peace strategy but Wilson felt it was the only way to stop Germany and gain peace. Wilson wrote his speech for world peace, Fourteen Points, that he was probably most famous for. He attended and played an integral part in The Treaty of Versailles. He was the founder of the League of Nations, which he talked about in his Fourteen Points speech. .
In the book, America’s Great War: World War I and the American Experience, Robert H. Zieger discusses the events between 1914 through 1920 forever defined the United States in the Twentieth Century. When conflict broke out in Europe in 1914, the President, Woodrow Wilson, along with the American people wished to remain neutral. In the beginning of the Twentieth Century United States politics was still based on the “isolationism” ideals of the previous century. The United States did not wish to be involved in European politics or world matters. The U.S. goal was to expand trade and commerce throughout the world and protect the borders of North America.
Throughout the 20th century, successive presidents pursued foreign policy in different ways but with one objective and that is to make America the most powerful nation on earth. Despite the challenges of each administration during this century, presidents found a way to put American at the frontline as the undisputed super power. President Taft pursued an aggressive foreign policy by introducing dollar diplomacy which was meant to encourage U.S. investments in the Latin America and the Caribbean. He used government officials to promote this policy in hope that it will create markets for American products in the region. President Wilson made a promise to the American people that he will focus on domestic policy agenda and rarely will his administration
Boyer, Paul S. The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People. D.C. Heath and Company, Mass. © 1990
Throughout the years, the United States government had made drastic changes in its foreign policies. The few decades from 1880 to 1910, which saw five different presidents all with very distinct foreign policies, were no exception. As a country, the United States progressed from being a country only concerned with expanding its territory out west, to being a country on the verge of becoming involved in the First World War.
Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print.
...n and defeated, Wilson believed firmly that his vision of America leading a world community of nations would eventually be embraced by the American people. Twenty-five years later, the United Nations built its headquarters in New York, a tangible symbol of the bipartisan support that Wilsonian ideals had gained after a second world war. But Wilson's legacy was not confined to foreign policy. His progressive domestic programs helped stabilize and humanize a huge industrial system, and his success in making the presidency the intellectual and political leader of the American government enabled the United States to deal effectively with the challenges and threats of the modern world. But don't forget the credit of Roosevelt's "New Imperialism", it became the hallmark of American foreign policy in the new century, positioning America as the leader of the western alliance.
Henretta, James A., Rebecca Edwards, and Robert Self. America: A Concise History.( Boston: Bedford, St. Martin's, 2006),
Roark, James L., Michael P. Johnson, Patricia C. Cohen, Sarah Stage, and Susan M. Hartmann. The American Promise: A History of the United States. 5th ed. Vol. 2. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. Print.
Divine, Robert A. America past and Present. 10th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education/Longman, 2013. 245. Print.
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924) was the 28th President of the United States, in office from 1913 to 1921. After being victorious in World War I, Wilson outlined his vision of world peace through his “Fourteen Points” speech delivered to Congress in January 1918. It called for a "new diplomacy". No more secret treaties, like the ones that had pulled the world into war. Also all territories occupied during the war must be evacuated. Wilson wanted to stop imperialism in many of the countries and declaring them to immediate independence. He also proposed a general disarmament after the war. Other points included freedom of the seas at all times and free trade all over the world. Wilson stressed that the seas were neutral passageways for international business such as trade and that it is meant to be peaceful and scarce from threats. But Wilson's most important proposal, the fourteenth point, called for a league of nations open to all democratic states. This new world body would be in charge of disarmament and the dismantling of colonial possessions. Most impo...
Tindall, George B., and David E. Shi. America: A Narrative History. 7th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 2007.
3. Divine, Breen, Fredrickson, Williams, eds., America Past and Present Volume II: since 1865 sixth edition (New York: Longman 2002).
Roark, James L. The American Promise: A Compact History. 4th. ed. Volume 1: 1877. New York: BEDFORD/ST. MARTIN'S, 2010. Print.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was determined to protect the national security of the United States. At first, Roosevelt felt that it was in the best interest of the United States to avoid involvement in the war. However, he knew “sooner or later, the threat to the European balance of power would have forced the United States to intervene in order to stop Germany’s drive for world domination” (Kissinger 369-370). But this was not Roosevelt’s main problem; Roosevelt had to prove to the American people that unlike World War I, US involvement was necessary. He had to “[transform] the nation’s concept of national interest and [lead] ‘a staunchly isolationist people’ into yet another global war” (handout).