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US Foreign Policy Shifts 1914-1937: Isolationism to Engagement

Explore the evolution of US foreign policy from 1914-1937, comparing isolationism to interventionism. Topics include the Treaty of Versailles, League of Nations rejection, economic policies like the Dawes Plan, global crises such as the Manchurian Crisis, and American response to fascism. The text covers major events influencing US foreign policy during this period, including the rise of dictators, the Great Depression's impact on totalitarian regimes, and the shift from isolationism to engagement amid growing global conflicts.

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US Foreign Policy Shifts 1914-1937: Isolationism to Engagement

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  1. How did US foreign policy change between the years 1914-1914? Learning Goal:

  2. Compare and contrast US foreign policy from 1914-1918 with US foreign policy from 1801 – 1812. Review Question

  3. Isolationismand the Road to World War II

  4. The Treaty of Versailles: Senate rejected it & the US did not join the League of Nations

  5. The Ineffectiveness of the League of Nations • No control of major • conflicts. • No progress in • disarmament. • No effective military • enforcement.

  6. Foreign Policy Tensions Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr. [R-MA] Interventionism Isolationist • Nativists • Anti-War movement • Conservative Republicans: Lodge & Taft • Cited Washington’s Ideas • Collective security • “Wilsonianism” • World Police • Business interests • Democrats

  7. Dawes Plan (1924)   a. U.S. bankers gave Germany loans; Germany paid Britain & France, who in turn paid back the U.S.      b. U.S. credit continued to help this finance issue until crash of 1929. Hoover declared debt moratoriumin 1931 and before long, all debtors defaulted (except Finland which paid its loan ending in 1976).    I. Peace attempts in the 1920s and the Great Depression

  8. Ratified by 62 nations: made war illegal except for defensive purposes. Major flaws: No enforcement mechanism; aggressors could use "defensive purposes" argument when attacking. Gave Americans a false sense of security in the 1930s. Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) --

  9. The Great Depression *Great Depression a major cause of totalitarianismin Japan and Germany

  10. Hyper-Inflation in Germany:1923

  11. Hyper-Inflation

  12. Major Dictators • Economic collapse opened door for extremists • Germany = Hitler (fascist) • Japan = militarists (fascist) • Italy = Mussolini (fascist) • Spain = Franco (fascist) • USSR = Stalin (communist)

  13. American Foreign policy in early 1930s

  14. 1931 -- Japan invades Manchuria League of Nations condemns action; no enforcement a. Japan violated Kellogg-Briand Pact       b. Hoover-Stimson Doctrine: President Hoover refused economic or political sanctions but did not recognize Japanese conquest       c. Japan withdraws from League of Nations Failure of collective security

  15. The Manchurian Crisis, 1931

  16. Japan Invades Manchuria, 1931

  17. Americans concerned with their own economic depression Sought to avoid involvement in Europe in the face of rising dictatorships Not immediately alarmed at totalitarianism. American sentiment cried for a constitutional amendment to forbid a declaration of war by Congress -- except in case of invasion -- unless there was first a favorable public referendum. -- Ludlow Amendment American Isolationism in the face of fascist aggression

  18. Many believed US entered WWI so munitions makers could profit       a. Nye Committee investigated this charge.       b. Munitions manufacturers dubbed "merchants of death" Committee claimed bankers wanted war to protect loans to Europe and Wilson had provoked Germany by sailing in to warring nation's waters. Today many believe the committee was flawed and excessively anti-business Resulted in the Neutrality Acts between 1935 & 1937 Nye Committee(headed by ND Sen. Gerald Nye)

  19. Read Smedley Butler

  20. When president proclaimed existence of a foreign war, certain restrictions would automatically go into effect: a. Prohibited sale of arms to belligerent nations b. Prohibited loans and credits to belligerent nations c. Forbade Americans to travel on vessels of nations at war (in contrast to WWI) d. Non-military goods must be purchased on a cash and carry basis -pay when goods are picked up e. Banned involvement in the Spanish Civil War Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937

  21. In effect, limited options of President in a crisis America declined to build up its armed forces where it could deter aggressors.     a. Navy declined in relative strength.         -- Believed huge navies caused wars.     b. Did not want to burden taxpayers during the depression Japan launches full-scale attack on southern China (1937)

  22. The 1937 Japanese Invasionof China & the Rape of Nanking

  23. Dec. 1937, Japanese bombed and sank a U.S. gunboat (the Panay) and three Standard Oil tankers on the Yangtze River. i. Two killed; 30 wounded       ii. Yantzee River was by treaty an international waterway (Open Door)      iii. Japan was testing U.S. resolve (like Hitler in the Rhineland in 1936) Panay Incident

  24. Roosevelt reacted angrily: planned to seize U.S.-held property in China. Japan apologized, paid U.S. an indemnity, and promised no further attacks. US public called for withdrawal of all US forces from China.      i. Most Americans satisfied and relieved at Japan’s apology Results  Japanese interpreted US tone as a license for further aggression against US interests.

  25. Condemned Japan and Italy for their aggressive actions. Urged democracies to "quarantine" the aggressors by economic embargoes. Criticized by isolationists fearing FDR might lead US into war. FDR retreated and sought less direct means to address totalitarianism. Roosevelt’s "Quarantine Speech" (1937)

  26. If those days are not to come to pass, if we are to have a world in which we can breathe freely and live in amity without fear-the peace-loving nations must make a concerted effort to uphold laws and principles on which alone peace can rest secure.The peace-loving nations must make a concerted effort in opposition to those violations of treaties and those ignorings of humane instincts which today are creating a state of international anarchy and instability from which there is no escape through mere isolation or neutrality.Those who cherish their freedom and recognize and respect the equal right of their neighbors to be free and live in peace, must work together for the triumph of law and moral principles in order that peace, justice and confidence may prevail in the world. There must be a return to a belief in the pledged word, in the value of a signed treaty. There must be recognition of the fact that national morality is as vital as private morality. President Roosevelt: 10/05/1937 "Quarantine" Speech

  27. The “Problem” of theSudetenland

  28. British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, adopted policy appeasement toward Germany; sought to avoid war.    i. Rejected joining alliance with France & Russia claiming it would destroy possibility of future negotiations.      ii. Appeasement: Giving in to an aggressor in order to preserve peace Hitler demands Sudetenland (German-speaking province in Czechoslovakia German aggression

  29. Appeasement: The Munich Agreement, 1938 British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain Now we have “peace in our time!” Herr Hitler is a man we can do business with.

  30. Munich Conference (Sept. 1938): Attended by Germany, France, Britain & Italy. ii. Terms: Czechoslovakia lost the Sudetenland (could have waged successful defense)  -- Hitler claimed he would not make any more territorial demands in Europe. Invasion of Poland starts WWII Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact--Aug. 23rd, 1939 -- Secret clause: Division of Poland between Hitler & Stalin Sept. 5, 1939: FDR officially proclaimed U.S. neutrality.

  31. The Nazi-SovietNon-Aggression Pact, 1939 Foreign Ministers von Ribbentrop & Molotov

  32. Poland Attacked: Sept. 1, 1939 Blitzkrieg [“Lightening War”]

  33. (response to German invasion of Poland) 1. Britain and France desperately needed U.S. airplanes and other weapons.     -- Neutrality Act of 1937 forbade sale of weapons to warring countries. 2. Sept. 5, 1939: FDR proclaimed U.S. neutrality (but not neutrality in thought).    -- 84% of public supported Britain and France 3. Sept. 21, FDR persuaded Congress to allow U.S. to aid European democracies in limited fashion. Neutrality Act of 1939

  34. Provisions of Neutrality Act of 1939 a. Sale of weapons to European democracies on a "cash-and-carry" basis. -- U.S. would avoid loans, war debts, and torpedoing of U.S. arms- carriers. b. FDR proclaimed danger zones which U.S. ships & citizens could not enter (contrast to Wilson’s WWI policy)

  35. Democracies benefited as they controlled the Atlantic     -- Aggressors could not send ships to buy U.S. munitions. U.S. economy improved as European demand for war goods helped bring the country out of the recession of 1937-1938.      -- Unemployment crisis solved. Results

  36. Germany invades Soviet Union in June, 1941

  37. Axis Powers in 1942

  38. FDR’s "Arsenal of Democracy" speech (Dec 29, 1939)      1. Proclaimed U.S. could not remain neutral: its independence had never been in such danger     2. Nazi war aim was world domination      3. Many feel this speech marked entrance of U.S. into the war. 4. The U.S. would become the "Great Warehouse" of the Allies U.S. response to the war in Europe

  39. U.S. response to fall of France and Battle of Britain 1. Fall of France forced a major change in strategy for U.S.-- now U.S. would probably have to fight in the war; not just be a "great warehouse“ 2. FDR called on America to build a huge air force and 2-ocean navy. 3. Congress appropriated $37 billion (more than total cost of WWI) and 5X larger than any New Deal annual budget. 4. Sept. 1940, Congress passed Selective Service and Training Act a. America’s first peace-time draft    -- Men 21 to 35 were registered and many were called for one year of military training. b. Act later expanded when U.S. entered the war.

  40. America First Committee     a. Slogan: "England will fight to the last American."      b. Advocated U.S. protection of its own shores if Hitler defeated Britain.      c. Charles Lindbergh most famous of isolationists. Senator Robert A. Taft: urged "Fortress America"; defense not intervention Isolationists:

  41. America-First Committee Charles Lindbergh

  42. Theodor Seuss Geisel • Born March 2, 1904 • As World War II began, Geisel turned to political cartoons, drawing over 400 in two years as editorial cartoonist for the left-leaning New York City daily newspaper, PM. • Geisel's political cartoons, later published in Dr. Seuss Goes to War, denounced Hitler and Mussolini and were highly critical of non-interventionists ("isolationists"), most notably Charles Lindbergh, who opposed US entry into the war.

  43. Drawbacks to Isolationism

  44. Sept. 2, 1940, FDR agreed to transfer to Britain 50 WWI-class destroyers Britain promised U.S. 8 valuable defensive base sites from Newfoundland to South America.    -- These bases would remain in U.S. control for 99 years. Agreement achieved by simple presidential agreement.    -- Critics charged FDR had circumvented Congress and was trying to get U.S. into the war. Destroyer-Bases Deal

  45. Now Britain Is All Alone!

  46. "Four Freedoms" speech (January 6, 1941) -- made to Congress Now elected, FDR did not have to worry as much about critics. FDR asked Congress for increased authority to help Britain. Four Freedoms:     a. Speech and expression   b. Religion     c. Freedom from Want     d. Freedom from fear Congress responded with Lend-Lease

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