United States Isolationism

1. United States Isolationism By: Heidi Schaffner

2. What is Isolationism? Isolationism is a foreign policy adopted by a nation in which the country refuses to enter into any alliances, foreign trade or economic commitments, or international agreements in hopes of focusing all of its resources into advancement within its own borders while remaining at peace with foreign countries by avoiding all entanglements of foreign agreements.

3. Entanglements • “Our policy is a world policy in so far as commerce is concerned. But I hold that we should not intervene in purely political questions outside of America. It is neither our interest nor our tradition. My policy and, I think I may say, the policy of our senate, is the policy of George Washington.” ~ Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, R-MA • A majority of senates, citizens, and government officials disagreed with the League of Nations proposition, new regulations were created and proposed by Henry Cabot Lodge to President Wilson • The proposed regulations were so in depth that they would have changed the whole structure of the LON. • “The United States is the world’s best hope, but if you fetter her in the interests through quarrels of other nations, if you tangle her in the intrigues of Europe, you will destroy her powerful good, and endanger her very existence.”~Henry Cabot Lodge • Isolationists believe that the United States needs to fix there our national problems before they help globally, and since they are the strongest nation they will be able to help other nations better alone then in the League of Nations.

4. Supporters Isolationists • “For nothing less depends upon this decision, nothing less than liberation and salvation of the world.” • “I do not know any other meaning for the word “advice” except “advice.” The council advises, and it cannot advise without the vote of the United States.” • “On March 1920 the United States failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles with a constitutional majority. This vote was to have considerable consequences for the whole history of the interwar period.” • “In the first place, the absence of the United States from the League of Nations was going to deprive the latter of a considerable part of its effectiveness.” • “The league proved to be a failure for a number of reasons. ….it never was a universal organization. ..America never joined the League, although President Wilson had been its main architect.” pg30 • “The United States is the World’s best hope, but if you fetter her in the interest through quarrels of other nations, if you tangle her in the intrigues of Europe, you will destroy her powerful good, and endanger her very existence.” It is obvious that Isolationists had a better fight to put forth then did the L.O.N supporters, such as Wilson. The treaties and L.O.N claimed that World War I was “the war to end all wars.” Unfortunately along with the failure of the L.O.N was that statement. It is said that if the United States had joined the L.O.N, then maybe the statement could have been true, and the outcome of the treaties would have been positive.

5. Isolationists • The Isolationists have stronger supporters than Reservationists. Isolationists believe that if the United States was to join the League of Nations then it would give away the countries freedom. “ For if we stumble and fall, freedom and civilization everywhere will go down in ruin.” Henry Cabot Lodge stated “She can be of the greatest service to the world’s peace and to the welfare of mankind.” Because of the United States not joining the League of Nations, many of the treaties created to obtain peace failed, which caused many countries to suffer. • Ex: “Austria’s military forces were limited by the treaty and she was also given an indemnity to pay.” (Treaty of St. Germain) • “The treat of Trianon, however, took from Hungary much territory where the overwhelming majority of the people were Magyars. Territory was lost to Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia and a large area called Transylvania to Rumania. The Treaty of Trianon was received with much bitterness in Hungary.” • “The League of Nations is now thought of as having to been an abject failure….The League, however, failed finally to maintain peace, and by the thirties the high hopes of its founders were disappointed.” • “It was never a Universal organization.” • The League eventually failed because it lacked some coercive power to make its decisions binding on all- there was not powerful means at its disposal by which recalcitrant states could be brought to heel.

6. In my own words… • The League of Nation Supporters or the Reservationists, thought if the United States joined the L.O.N then the world would have a chance to be at peace. The L.O.N believed that World War I was “the war to end all wars.” Since the U.S did not get involved in the L.O.N due to the lack of supporters, the treaties and L.O.N failed. Peace was not accomplished. • Isolationists believed that the involement in world peace would destroy the freedom and nationalism the United States took pride in. They believed that the United States was the strongest world power on their own and could create world peace without tye themselves to the problems in Europe. Isolationists found all of the downfalls in the L.O.N guidelines, and if they were changed to their specifications, then the entire there would be a whole new L.O.N.