Isolationism In The 1930s

1838 Words4 Pages

1930’s Isolationism and the Reality of Global Connections
In the post-World War I era, Americans were unhappy with the events leading up to the country’s involvement in the war. Through neutrality legislation and a geographic insulation, the public was convinced that they could protect the United States from involving itself in foreign conflicts. By reviewing several political battles at home, using traditional and modern explanations, one can understand how the public felt and how sentiments changed at the end of the decade.
Many ideas and opinions led to the move toward isolationism in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Americans felt that Europeans tricked the United States into World War I. Some felt the old world had old ideas and were corrupt. …show more content…

Most Americans believed the country needed to focus on domestic problems, including joblessness, bank failing, farm foreclosures and the economy. The country had more than enough problems at home to keep the government busy with the distraction of foreign conflicts. Many felt that alliances inevitably caused war. Partly because of these isolationists’ notions, the United States rejected the League of Nations. By prohibiting war preparation and not signing alliances, the nation could, in fact, facilitated peace. For whatever reason, Americans wanted to remain separate from European affairs.
During his presidency in the 1930’s, Roosevelt was not concerned with foreign affairs. The President was concentrating on efforts to enhance the U. S. …show more content…

However, several factions in the United States (ex. German-Americans and Scandinavian-Americans opposed interventions) were still pushing for isolationism. Many Americans wanted to support England and France. The Americans ideas on Isolationism were evolving. Early on in the 1930’s, Americans were upset with intel concerning Fascist and Nazi aggression and criminal act. However, even in early 1939, a national poll still showed forty percent of American thought the nation should not sell arms to any belligerent country. Thirty percent thought the United States should sell arms to democratic countries only (Holbo, p. 26). “Leave us alone” was still the tone of the

Show More
Related

  • DBQ 4

    551 Words  | 2 Pages

    As the Reconstruction Era ended, the United States became the up and coming world power. The Spanish-American war was in full swing, and the First World War was well on its way. As a result of the open-door policy, England, Germany, France, Russia, and eventually Japan experienced rapid industrial growth; the United States decided to pursue a foreign policy because of both self- interest and idealism. According to the documents, Economic self- interest, rather than idealism was more significant in driving American foreign policy from 1895 to 1920 because the United States wanted to protect their foreign trade, property and their access to recourses. While the documents also show that Nationalistic thought (idealism) was also crucial in driving American foreign policy, economic Self- interest prevailed.

    Read More

  • US Isolationism During 1919-1941

    1240 Words  | 3 Pages

    from international affairs in the 1920s quieted the call for isolationism at home, such as its refusal to join the League of Nations or the International Court of Justice (in 1922 and 1927), failure to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and other isolationist policy like the restrictions on immigration and raised tariffs on European goods.

    Read More

  • America’s Great War: World War I and the American Experience by Robert H. Zieger

    1764 Words  | 4 Pages

    After the election of 1920 America would return to its isolationism roots and watch as the nations of Europe headed down a path for another world war. As Americans watched Communism rise in Russia they questioned for the first time the patronage of their fellow Americans. Economic and social reforms that started up during the war were set to a status-quo mentality. The actions set forward from the Treaty of Versailles and stance the U.S. Congress took on the League of Nations would eventually lead the world in the worst depression ever and ultimately to a second world war in a mere twenty years.

    Read More

  • Does Teddy Roosevelt Deserve to be on Mount Rushmore

    753 Words  | 2 Pages

    This nation’s 26th president, he is well known for many things. Some question whether or not what he accomplished during his presidency term is even worthy of having a face carved into Mount Rushmore. He was a renowned historian, author and naturalist/explorer. Once voted into office, not only was he popular with the people, but he was ready to start all of his new ideas. One of his biggest ones was his idea on foreign policies. Roosevelt firmly believed that the US was going to be a very powerful nation of the world. By doing so, the US needed to gain as much territories as possible. We were able to establish protectorates over spaces such as Guam, the Philippines, Guatemala and Puerto Rico. His edition to the Monroe Doctrine, named the Roosevelt Corollary, was to help with South American affairs. The Latin American country Venezuela, was suffering money issues with Germany and Britain. So to settle the dispute, the Roosevelt Corollary was set up to state that any place in the Western Hemisphere were having financial disputes, the US would be there to support them. They would act as a police man to watch over that area. Though it was maybe in his best intentions, Latin America as a whole grew to not like those terms as much. As well as the creation of the Great Whi...

    Read More

  • Michael C. C. Adams' Book, The Best War Ever: America and World War II

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    Michael C. C. Adams' book, The Best War Ever: America and World War II, attempts to dispel the numerous misconceptions of the Second World War. As the title suggests, Americans came out of the war with a positive view of the preceding five turbulent years. This myth was born from several factors. Due to the overseas setting of both theaters of the war, intense government propaganda, Hollywood's glamorization, and widespread economic prosperity, Americans were largely sheltered form the brutal truth of World War II. Even to this day, the generation of World War II is viewed as being superior in morality and unity. The popular illusion held that 'there were no ethnic or gender problems, families were happy and united, and children worked hard in school and read a great number of books.' (115)

    Read More

  • Isolationism Policy In The 1920's

    279 Words  | 1 Pages

    The two decades after the end of WWI witnessed significant changes in the economic, social as well as cultural life in America. In the 1920s, the memories of WWI and fear of another costly and deadly European conflict led to the development of Isolationism Policy. The United States adopted the foreign policy of isolationism became isolated due to its economic policies and politics. This policy was in response to the Japanese aggression in Chinese Manchuria. According to Blume (2010), the country involved without commitment as it gained advantages without obligations. The U.S could get involved in world affairs but could not act by interfering or having alliances with other nations. Thus, US became a sovereign free state which was at peace.

    Read More

  • Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    During his presidency Roosevelt had a tendency to carry the big stick then to speak softly. He got quite involved with the situation in Central and South America and also there was the controversy of the acquisition of the Philippines in the Pacific Islands. Roosevelt was also able to show the soft-spoken, sophisticated side of his diplomacy in dealing with major powers outside the Western Hemisphere. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his negotiations with Russia and Japan, hardly the actions of a war monger. Roosevelt was just an energetic person and he wanted to civilize what he thought of as uncivilized countries.

    Read More

  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Impact On American Society

    1672 Words  | 4 Pages

    His policies were successful in that they led to the end of the war with Germany and Japan. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was relatively unknown to politics until his campaign for presidency in 1932. Another way FDR helped establish the modern presidency and his place in it was by establishing the military and taking steps toward future world alliances. In 1938, FDR'set out to align the United States with the Western democracies, embarking on a sustained effort to educate his nation to his views and build up its military capacity' (Greenstein 20). This creation of the United States as a world power helped boost the need for a more modernized presidency.

    Read More

  • American Foreign Policy in the 1890's

    705 Words  | 2 Pages

    American foreign policy during the 1890s was based on many factors that each acted as an individual justification for our country’s behavior as a whole. Racism, nationalism, commercialism, and humanitarianism each had its own role in the actions America took against other nations.

    Read More

  • Presidents of the Progressive Era

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    The progressive era was a period of social activism and political reform in the United States. The political climate was ripe for reform and America was seeking leaders who could provide a new, more beneficial direction. Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were two of the most renowned presidents of this era. One kindred goal of both of these presidents was to monitor and rectify large trust and monopolies in the U.S. Despite the fact that Wilson and Roosevelt’s domestic policies were correlative of each other, their foreign policies were very different from one another. Roosevelt tended to become more involved with foreign events. On the other hand, Wilson favored remaining impartial in foreign affairs. Wilson didn’t want to become entangled in World War 1 until the United States had been directly stricken.

    Read More

  • US Entry into WWII

    979 Words  | 2 Pages

    Prior to the United States entering the war, the major problem in America was the Great Depression. As they watched the war spread, many maintained the “isolationist” mindset because of thoughts of World War I ("World War II."). Tragedy struck on December 7, 1941 when Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor. The attack on Pearl Harbor was the action that made the United States question their neutrality and was the last of the of the U.S’s isolation. Due to the tension between the United States and Japan preceding the war, the attack on Pearl Harbor was not much of a surprise ("World War II."). Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. Now with the United States joining Britain in the fight against the Axis Powers industries began to produce military goods ("World War II"). Businesses increased because of the need for more people to work in the factories, so unemployment, caused by the Great Depression, lowered. The increase in businesses put an end to the Great ...

    Read More

  • The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Theodore Roosevelt's Foreign Policy

    1438 Words  | 3 Pages

    The major strengths of Theodore Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy lied in his eager and energetic global action, his desire to involve the United States in global politics, as well as in his belief in his Big Stick diplomacy. Roosevelt’s naval intervention in Panama, which led to successful retaliation against Colombian government, allowed for the construction the Panama Canal previously stymied by a lack of cooperation on the part of Colombia. The Canal uncovered a new and valuable trade route, linking the Pacific to the Atlantic, and stimulating economic growth for both the United States as well as other countries.

    Read More

  • American Foreign Policy in World War II

    1612 Words  | 4 Pages

    As we approach the next Presidential election the topic of American foreign policy is once again in the spotlight. In this paper, I will examine four major objectives of U.S. foreign policy that have persisted throughout the twentieth century and will discuss the effect of each on our nation’s recent history, with particular focus on key leaders who espoused each objective at various times. In addition, I will relate the effects of American foreign policy objectives, with special attention to their impact on the American middle class. Most importantly, this paper will discuss America’s involvement in WWI, WWII, and the Cold War to the anticipated fulfillment of these objectives—democracy, manifest destiny, humanitarianism, and economic expansion.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of President Woodrow Wilson And Franklin D. Roosevelt

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    The issue both Presidents faced was whether or not to enter any of the world wars. Both president Woodrow Wilson and Roosevelt felt remaining neutral and not involving themselves in European affairs was the best solution. Wilson himself stated that “the United States must be neutral in fact as well as in name …” for entering the war was not something he or the American

    Read More

  • Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard To Find

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    During much of the 1930’s and 1940’s, the United States was a fairly isolated nation. While much of Europe and rest of the world were waging war against Germany, the United States kept a fairly pacifist stance and refrained from military involvement (World War II: Isolationist America). Many citizens in the United States feared an intrusion from outside forces, especially after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, which changed t...

    Read More

More about Isolationism In The 1930s

Open Document