004 Did America Become Isolationist Under Harding - Copy

8/13/2019 004 Did America Become Isolationist Under Harding - Copy

1/13

Did America become isolationist under Harding?Aim; To challenge the assumption that Hardings policy of normalcy resulted in America

becoming isolationist.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

President

Woodrow

Wilson

STARTER;

What does this cartoon suggest about

some Americans attitudes towards

Woodrow Wilson and his desire to for

America to join the League of Nations

An American Cartoon from 1919/20


2/13

After the First World War, the Democrats lost the 1920 election

partially because they tried to make the election a vote on

whether the US should be part of the LoN.

However many Americans thought that the US should resume its

place as largely isolationist (not concerning itself with foreign

affairs), many thought the US had been conned by Europe into

entering the war and resented that fact that it had happened and

100,000 Americans had died.

Harding, Coolidge and Hoover took advantage of this as part of

normalcy it created a desire to concentrate on American affairs

only. HardingThe League is now deceased We have torn up

Wilsonism by the roots

Why was America isolationist in the 1920s


3/13

This idea of isolationism was certainly popular with the

American people, many thought that the US should remain

uncorrupted from Old World problems as they had done for

much of the 19thCentury.

Following the First World War dangerous ideas such as

Communism had taken root in Europe, many American were

scared that this might spread to the US and were keen toavoid any unnecessary contact with Europe

However whether or not America became isolationist under

Harding is a topic open for debate. Such a large and

powerful country would it difficult to completely separate itself

from the outside world, especially if it wanted to expand trade

overseas.


4/13

League of Nations;

Hardings proclamation that theLeague is Dead upon winning the

election killed off any chance of Americajoining the League and discredited the

League from the start.

In fact America avoided any form of

collective security in the 1920s. Many

saw the US involvement in the First

World War as a large mistake.

The US refusal to enter the Leagueresulted in it being unable to decisively

act on issues across the worldas the

worlds largest power could just act

against its wishes.

Isolationist policies under Harding


5/13

TariffsAfter the First World War Europe desperately needed to rebuild.

One way of doing this would have been to trade with the US.

However the US was keen to protect the big business interests athome

If European goods flooded the US market then American

companies may suffer.

To stop this the US government places tariffs (fees) on all imports

making it difficult for the European countries to trade with the US

and make profit. The most famous of these was the Fordney

McCumber Tariff of 1922.This also meant it was difficult for the Europeans to pay off its war

debt to the US.


6/13

An anti-tariff American cartoon of the time, linking the tariff to isolationism.The French man is saying: 'But Monsieur, where does it end'.


7/13

War Debt

The US also insisted that the

European countries pay off all

of their War debt in full.

Until the mid 1920s they

were unwilling to negotiate

and were only concerned that

American investors receivedtheir money back


8/13

Immigration ( we will cover this in a separate lesson)

The limits on Immigration continued, many Americans were keen

to see less immigrants arrive in America

The government put in place measures to limit immigration

One example of this is;

1921: Emergency Quota Act

This stated that the number of immigrants from 'the eastern hemisphere'

could not be more than 3% of the number already in America in 1910. It set

the maximum number of immigrants in any year at 357,000

This policy had a drastic effect on reducing immigrants from

poorer parts of Europe while maintaining levels from richer

countries who had high levels of immigration prior to 1910.


9/13

NON ISOLATIONIST POLICIES UNDER HARDING

Washington Naval Conference

Not all of the Harding policies were completely isolationist.In November 1921 the US, the UK, Japan, France and Italy met in

Washington to discuss limiting the size of their Navies

All sides agreed to stop building any new battleships for 10 years, while each

side agreed to specific limits for the size of their navies

The agreement was important as it helped encourage a feeling ofdisarmament and prevent a repeat of the Naval war that had helped cause

the First World War.

The US did have its own motives however;It restricted Japanese expansion

Navies were expensive, the US wanted to save money on its Navy

Nevertheless it does show that the US did not completely cut itself off form

the world


10/13

Trade

Although the US was keen to reduce the amount of imports that it

received, it still wanted to increase the goods that it exported across the

globe.

During the First World War the US had taken over many of the markets that

had previously been controlled by the Europeans

The US was keen to keep this up and expand trade into new areas.

American business (such as Standard Oil) were encouraged by the

government to buy large parts of land in foreign countries. Americans who

worked on this land would then require protection from the Americangovernment, thus increasing American influence.

The US wanted to make money abroad to keep their own economy

growing, they needed more influence not less in foreign affairs to make this

happen.


11/13

HISTORICAL NOTE

Rather than isolationist Historians often refer to American foreign

policy during this period as being one of

Independent Internationalism

What do you think this phrase means? Discuss with the person

sitting next to you?

Essentially US foreign policy during this period can be best describedas the US involving itself in the world when it benefitted the US (eg

the Washington Naval Conference/Trade expansion) and keeping its

distance when no obvious benefit was on offer.


12/13

24 Mark Question: How far was American isolationist under

Harding? (Non Timed

6 paragraphs)

You need to produce a balanced answer,e.g. considering other factors than the one

identified in the question or an alternative argument.

Detailed factual knowledge needed to support argument.Ajudgement needs to be reached.

You need to produce 4-6 paragraphs (incl. intro and conclusion)

20-25 minutes in exam

Internal assessment:

Non-timed essays:6 paragraphs

Timed essays: 4 paragraphs

ESSAY TASK FOR HOME; DUE......................Any problems you must see me, I will be looking to assess your early progress from this essay


13/13

Reading (notes must be made)

http://www.johndclare.net/America3.htm

P33-42 The USA 19201929 Chapter 2,Foreign Policy.

P726-727, The Enduring Vision; Independent

Internationalism
http://www.johndclare.net/America3.htmhttp://www.johndclare.net/America3.htm

Documents

004 Did America Become Isolationist Under Harding - Copy