American Foreign Policy:

1920-1941

Foreign Policy TensionsForeign Policy Tensions

InterventioniInterventionismsm DisarmamentDisarmament

• Collective Collective securitysecurity

• ““WilsonianismWilsonianism””

• Business interestsBusiness interests

• IsolationismIsolationism

• NativistsNativists

• Anti-War Anti-War movementmovement

• Conservative Conservative RepublicansRepublicans

American IsolationismAmerican Isolationism5 Isolationists like Isolationists like

Senator Lodge, Senator Lodge, refused to allow the refused to allow the US to sign the US to sign the Versailles Treaty.Versailles Treaty.

5 Security treaty with Security treaty with France also rejected France also rejected by the Senate.by the Senate.

5 July, 1921 July, 1921 Congress Congress passed a resolution passed a resolution declaring WW I declaring WW I officially over!officially over!

Sen. Henry Cabot Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr. [R-MA]Lodge, Sr. [R-MA]

Washington Disarmament Washington Disarmament ConferenceConference(1921-1922)(1921-1922)

5 Long-standing Anglo-Japanese alliance (1902) obligated Long-standing Anglo-Japanese alliance (1902) obligated Britain to aid Japan in the event of a Japanese war with Britain to aid Japan in the event of a Japanese war with the United States.the United States.

5 Goals Goals naval disarmament and the political situation in naval disarmament and the political situation in the the Far East. Far East.

Five-Power Treaty Five-Power Treaty (1922)(1922)5 A battleship ratio was achieved through this ratio:A battleship ratio was achieved through this ratio:

US Britain Japan France US Britain Japan France ItalyItaly 5 5 3 1.67 5 5 3 1.67 1.671.67

5 Japan got a guarantee that the US and Britain Japan got a guarantee that the US and Britain would stop fortifying their Far East territories would stop fortifying their Far East territories [including the Philippines].[including the Philippines].

5 LoopholeLoophole no restrictions on small warships no restrictions on small warships

European Debts to the European Debts to the USUS

Dawes PlanDawes Plan (1924)(1924)

Clark Memorandum Clark Memorandum (1928)(1928)

5 Clark pledged that the Clark pledged that the US would not intervene US would not intervene in Latin American in Latin American affairs in order to affairs in order to protect US property protect US property rights.rights.

5 This was a complete This was a complete rebuke of the Roosevelt rebuke of the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine!Doctrine!Secretary of StateSecretary of State

J. Reuben ClarkJ. Reuben Clark

Kellogg-Briand Pact Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)(1928)

5 15 nations dedicated to outlawing aggression and 15 nations dedicated to outlawing aggression and war as tools of foreign policy.war as tools of foreign policy.

5 62 nations signed.62 nations signed.5 ProblemsProblems no means of actual enforcement and no means of actual enforcement and

gave gave Americans a false sense of security. Americans a false sense of security.

Japanese Attack Japanese Attack Manchuria Manchuria (1931)(1931)

5 League of Nations condemned the League of Nations condemned the action.action.

5 Japan leaves the League.Japan leaves the League.5 Hoover wanted no part in an American military action Hoover wanted no part in an American military action

in the Far East.in the Far East.

Hoover-Stimpson Hoover-Stimpson DoctrineDoctrine

(1932)(1932)5 US would not recognize any territorial US would not recognize any territorial

acquisitions that were achieved by force.acquisitions that were achieved by force.5 Japan was infuriated because the US hadJapan was infuriated because the US had

conquered new conquered new territories a few territories a few decades earlier.decades earlier.

5 Japan bombed Japan bombed Shanghai in Shanghai in 1932 1932 massive massive casualties.casualties.

FDRFDR’’s s ““Good NeighborGood Neighbor”” PolicyPolicy

5 Important to have all Important to have all nations in the Western nations in the Western Hemisphere united in Hemisphere united in lieu of foreign lieu of foreign aggressions.aggressions.

5 FDR FDR The good The good neighbor respects neighbor respects himself and the rights himself and the rights of othersof others..

5 Policy of non-Policy of non-intervention and intervention and cooperation.cooperation.

FDR Recognizes the FDR Recognizes the Soviet UnionSoviet Union

(late 1933)(late 1933)5 FDR felt that FDR felt that

recognizing recognizing Moscow might Moscow might bolster the US bolster the US against Japan.against Japan.

5 Maybe trade with Maybe trade with the USSR would the USSR would help the US help the US economy during economy during the Depression.the Depression.

Nye Committee HearingsNye Committee Hearings(1934-1936)(1934-1936)

5 The Nye Committee IThe Nye Committee Iinvestigated the charge investigated the charge that WW I was needless and that WW I was needless and the US entered so munitions the US entered so munitions owners could make big profits owners could make big profits [[““merchants of death.merchants of death.””]]

5 The Committee did charge The Committee did charge that bankers wanted war to that bankers wanted war to protect their loans & arms manufacturers to make protect their loans & arms manufacturers to make money.money.

5 Claimed that Wilson had provoked Germany by Claimed that Wilson had provoked Germany by sailing in to warring nationssailing in to warring nations’’ waters. waters.

5 Resulted in Congress passing several Neutrality Resulted in Congress passing several Neutrality Acts.Acts.

Senator Gerald P. Nye [R-ND]Senator Gerald P. Nye [R-ND]

Neutrality Acts: 1935, 1936, Neutrality Acts: 1935, 1936, 19371937

5 When the President proclaimed the existence of When the President proclaimed the existence of a foreign war, certain restrictions would a foreign war, certain restrictions would automatically go into effect:automatically go into effect:

Prohibited sales of arms to belligerent nations.Prohibited sales of arms to belligerent nations. Prohibited loans and credits to belligerent nations.Prohibited loans and credits to belligerent nations. Forbade Americans to travel on vessels of nations Forbade Americans to travel on vessels of nations

at war [in contrast to WW I].at war [in contrast to WW I]. Non-military goods must be purchased on a Non-military goods must be purchased on a ““cash-cash-

and-carryand-carry”” basis basis pay when goods are picked up. pay when goods are picked up. Banned involvement in the Spanish Civil War.Banned involvement in the Spanish Civil War.

5 This limited the options of the President in a This limited the options of the President in a crisis.crisis.

5 America in the 1930s declined to build up its America in the 1930s declined to build up its forces!forces!

US NeutralityUS Neutrality

Panay Incident (1937)Panay Incident (1937)5 December 12, 1937.December 12, 1937.5 Japan bombed Japan bombed USS USS

PanayPanay gunboat & three gunboat & threeStandard Oil tankers onStandard Oil tankers onthe Yangtze River.the Yangtze River.

5 The river was an The river was an international waterway.international waterway.

5 Japan was testing US resolve!Japan was testing US resolve!5 Japan apologized, paid US an indemnity, and Japan apologized, paid US an indemnity, and

promised no further attacks.promised no further attacks.5 Most Americans were satisfied with the apology.Most Americans were satisfied with the apology.5 ResultsResults Japanese interpreted US tone as a license Japanese interpreted US tone as a license

for for further aggression against US interests. further aggression against US interests.

Fascist AggressionFascist Aggression5 1935: Hitler denounced the Versailles Treaty &1935: Hitler denounced the Versailles Treaty &

the League of Nations [re-arming!] the League of Nations [re-arming!] Mussolini attacks Ethiopia. Mussolini attacks Ethiopia.

5 1936: German troops sent into the Rhineland.1936: German troops sent into the Rhineland. Fascist forces sent to fight with Franco in Fascist forces sent to fight with Franco in Spain.Spain.

5 1938: Austrian 1938: Austrian AnschlussAnschluss.. Rome-Berlin Tokyo Pact [AXIS] Rome-Berlin Tokyo Pact [AXIS] Munich Agreement Munich Agreement APPEASEMENT! APPEASEMENT!

5 1939: German troops march into the rest of1939: German troops march into the rest of Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia. Hitler-Stalin Non-Aggression Pact. Hitler-Stalin Non-Aggression Pact.

5 September 1, 1939: German troops march into September 1, 1939: German troops march into Poland Poland blitzkriegblitzkrieg WW II WW II begins!!! begins!!!

1939 Neutrality Act1939 Neutrality Act5 In response to GermanyIn response to Germany’’s invasion of Poland.s invasion of Poland.5 FDR persuades Congress in special session to FDR persuades Congress in special session to

allow the US to aid European democracies in a allow the US to aid European democracies in a limited way:limited way:

The US could sell weapons to the European The US could sell weapons to the European democracies on a democracies on a ““cash-and-carrycash-and-carry”” basis. basis.

FDR was authorized to proclaim danger zones FDR was authorized to proclaim danger zones which US ships and citizens could not enter.which US ships and citizens could not enter.

5 Results of the 1939 Neutrality Act:Results of the 1939 Neutrality Act: Aggressors could not send ships to buy US Aggressors could not send ships to buy US

munitions.munitions. The US economy improved as European demands The US economy improved as European demands

for war goods helped bring the country out of the for war goods helped bring the country out of the 1937-38 recession.1937-38 recession.

5 America becomes the America becomes the ““Arsenal of Democracy.Arsenal of Democracy.””