Isolationism Dbq Essay

From 1919 to 1941 was the time span after World War I had ended and the second World War was just beginning. This interwar period disrupted the United State’s foreign policy. The term “isolationist” is often used to describe the policy used during this era. An isolationist is defined as a national policy of abstaining from political and economic relations with other countries. America tried their best to stick to this approach as the world started on the long path to the deadliest war in American history; however, it was never fully and completely an isolationist country. The presidents that served during this time had many different techniques in mind when it came to running the country that influenced America's isolation. Public opinion …show more content…
When Franklin D. Roosevelt came into office, he approached the Great Depression and coming of World War II with a similar perspective. Roosevelt wrote a letter to Maxim Litvinov in 1933 informing him that the United States was willing to establish normal diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. He hoped that “our nations henceforth may cooperate for their mutual benefit and for the preservation of the peace of the world.” (Doc D) Roosevelt strived, not to isolate the nation, but to keep and create harmony by staying neutral. Again in Roosevelt's speech in October 1937 he showed he wanted to remain neutral while reminding the American people that World War II was coming, and saying uninvolved would become increasingly more difficult as the “epidemic of world lawlessness” spread. (Doc H) Soon enough, in June 1940, an advertisement was released in the New York Times that supported intervention by saying, “If Hitler wins in Europe… the United States will find itself alone in a barbaric world.” A year and a half later the United States joined the Second World War and helped the Allies defeat the dictatorships that wanted to “wipe out democracy.” (Doc