Reasons For US Neutrality In The US During The 1920s And 1930s

Explain the reasons for U.S. neutrality during the 1920s and 1930s. How did ideas about neutrality change during the period from the end of World War I to the passage of the Lend-Lease Act? Be sure to include any events, terms, or people that may support your response. – The purposes behind the US neutrality in the 1920s and the 1930s was on account of the US had dependably been an Isolationist nation, which means they endeavored to avoid remote issues. In the late 1920s and mid-1930s, a few books and articles guaranteed that arms makers had driven the United States into World War I for benefit. In 1934, the Senate made a council headed by Senator George Nye to research these cases. Nye proclaimed, "when the Senate examination is finished, we might see that war and readiness for war doesn't involve national respect and national barrier, however a matter of benefit for the few." The Nye Committee's examination did not turn up any proof of a genuine scheme.

In the early 1800's the United States took up the intentions of isolationism. Isolationism is the non involvement in world affairs, the United States used as a strategy of protection and defense. On December 2, 1823, James Monroe gave a speech on the Monroe Doctrine which settled that America would not allow European nations to invade any U. S. territory. The U.S. did not start off as a strong military force, that is why isolationism worked at the time. At the time it worked for the safety of the nation, but later it would only hurt them because they then became a target. Germany was the one that brought America out of their neutral state. During this time they did not even wish to expand beyond their own land. Their focus was on their western land.

Between the years of 1930 and 1941 american foreign policy changed how it worked and its goals. They changed because of the threats in the outside world and because of all the absolute need for us to get involved in the war. During this time the world war was restarting in Europe and was leaving no choice except for the United States to get involved in the war. People were dissolving treaties and fighting and the united states could not remain neutral if they hoped to avoid losing their allies. The united states foreign policy changed because of threats and because of the need in Europe.

The United States wanted to stay as far away from war as possible. It learned its lesson from World War I. When World War I erupted in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson pledged neutrality for the United States, a position that the clear majority of Americans favored. But can you truly isolate a country from war? With allies, and political ties, can it truly be done? No, it can’t. To prevent an arms race that could lead to another world war, America signed several disarmament treaties to limit the size of naval fleets among Britain, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States. It also wanted to avoid any involvement in European or Asian affairs. Isolationism was America’s way of trying to stay safe.

The United States was prompted to abandon their neutral policy due to a number of things and events. Most recall the sinking of the Lusitania, the propaganda, and the Zimmerman telegram to be the events that triggered the U.S. the most. Of course, there are most definitely more reasons that the U.S. decided to enter the war but these are most significant events that led up to the U.S. entering the war. The U.S. had tolerated a lot from Germany, but these events were the deal breakers. The government finally said enough is enough and declared war on Germany and joined the Allied side.

From its foundation, the U.S. favored neutrality and isolationism in global affairs. We were successful in upholding this policy in the many years prior to World War II, and even as war broke out in Europe and around the world, President Roosevelt insisted that the U.S. should stay out of the conflict. In a 1940 campaign speech regarding the war, Roosevelt is famous for saying, “I have said this before, but I shall say it again and again: your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars,” (history.co.uk). Strict Neutrality Acts were passed by Congress in affirmation of this policy, imposing a general embargo on warring

In George Washington's farewell speech he warned the American people to beware "the insidious wiles of foreign influence." Though it was never put into law, this statement has played a major role in the American foreign policy of isolationism. American isolationist sentiment stems from the fact that America is geographically isolated from the rest of the world. American isolationist sentiment was at its peak in the years following World War I. "In the war of 1914-1918 that had set the stage on which Hitler now strutted, no people had been more reluctant combatants, and few more disappointed with the result, than the Americans"(Kennedy, 385). After losing more than fifty thousand young troops in a war that was viewed to be unnecessary, the

A state of isolationism was a goal too great for America to handle. America and its leaders had sought to stay out of both World War I and World War II only to be pulled in by intense happenings that inflicted chaos on the nations people. World War II would be a time in American history that would bring many fresh war tactics and developments, that helped to pull a depraved nation from the depths of a depression as well as pledge the freedom and prosperity of its opposing nations. Dangerous discoveries will be made in the world would be left to be governed by two world powers.

According to Kaufman and Joyce (2010), preoccupation with the domestic issues never resulted in the long-term economic growth for the U.S. Isolationist policies impeded the U.S. territorial expansion in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries (Kaufman & Joyce 71). While some presidents indeed preferred isolationism like FDR during his first tenures as the U.S. President, he then abolished isolationist policies after the 1941 Pearl Harbor disaster. The U.S. witnessed that isolationist policies for the U.S. turned out to be extremely unproductive and even dangerous. Militarist Japan brutally attacked the U.S. fleet on Hawaii during the WWII, totally ignoring the U.S. neutral isolationist status in 1941. FDR had to confess

Yet another factor that led to this decision of Neutrality by President Roosevelt was the American Economy. The health of the American economy could not be jeopardized, whatever was happening elsewhere. It was Roosevelt’s view that the United States would fare well (economically speaking) whether Europe went to war or not. Gold was flowing in from Europe’s capitals, orders were mounting daily for equipment and supplies of all kinds, and America was building a battleship for Stalin. For most of the 1930’s the United States traded as openly with Germany and Japan, as it did with any other country. Japan relied on fuel oil and scrap iron until 1941. Germany was one of the United States’ most important markets during the 1930’s. American investments in Germany increased by forty percent

Since George Washington’s presidency, the United Stated has declared itself an “isolationist” nation, in which they avoided any sort of foreign affairs with other countries. But can America ever be an isolationist country with the many conflicts with its long time rivals in Europe? Before America had authority in the world, stronger nations such as Great Britain, France, and other European powers had already established and expanded their powers abroad. It was not until the late 1800’s and early 1900’s that the U.S. started to gain in strength. This was the period that in American history which they tremendously expanded their influence to other, smaller, parts in the Western Hemisphere. But America was already an imperialist power beforehand, just not internationally, as evident in the Manifest Destiny where America was “chosen” to expand westward. The Spanish-American war proved to be one of the early examples of American involvement in international affairs, which they partook in the liberation of the Caribbean, Philippines, and Guam. Also their involvement with China and the succeeded lands from Spain also sparked relations with the world in which regulations were enacted, such as the open door policy in China, which made it more accessible to trade and keep European powers in check. The U.S. involvements in WWI also enhanced its involvement in international affairs and would lead America to further develop.

Neutrality Acts (1935, 1937, 1939) – The desire for the United States to remain at peace carried into the 1930s, as political turmoil increased in Europe and Asia. Congress passed Neutrality Acts in 1935, 1937, and 1939. These acts were designed to keep the United States out of any turmoil bubbling on foreign soil. The American people wanted to avoid becoming entangled in another world war.

The United States government announced a policy of neutrality at the outbreak of the war in Europe because it did not want to risk what was at stake by entering the war. It was also believed that the fighting would be contained in Europe and would have no threat of violence for Americans. Since the imports and exports were so important for Americans they did not want to enter the war and complicate the trade. It was not until the threat to sink all ships did the United States government feel as though they needed to enter the war. It was very important for the United States to get involved to stop Germany from taking over Europe and creating a major threat for Americans.

These three important foreign policies that impacted US history from 1865 to 1940 were The treaty of Paris(1888), The Panama Canal, and The treaty of Versailles. The treaty of Paris(1888) was a treaty that puts an end to the Spanish American war, The Panama Canal made Pacific to Atlantic travel Quicker, Easier, and cheaper, and the Treaty of Versailles ended the Great war between the Allies and central powers. This treaty also punished Germany.

When World War 1 began in 1914, the United States was neutral and wanted to remain that way because their chief objective was to continue doing business with Great Britain, France and Russia (Keene, Cornell & O’Donnell, 2013). By remaining neutral, America would benefit from all sides. We know that this would cause hatred among other nations. However, what really caused the United States to part-take in the war was the “sinking of the Lusitania ship by a German submarine.” This was a British Passenger ship that was transitioning from New York to the British Islands and had crossed into the war-zone. This was not a mistake as what was described in that driver who took the wrong turn, ending the lives of Archduke Francis and his wife that started the initial war 1 (Keene, Cornell & O’Donnell, 2013, p. 595). Was that ship smuggling ammunition and other contraband on board the passenger ship? If this is true, we can see how the heart of man is very brutal; the love of money is the root to all evil. America had to find a way in protecting their loan to Britain. Overall, one can say, if Archduke had given Serbia its independence from Australia to a Slavic state, would there be a World War 1 (DeVry University, 2016)