Isolationism in 1920's America
This
article provides the definition and the reasons for the resumption
of Isolationism. There are facts on the Foreign policies of America
in the 1920's with the effects of Isolationism and reasons why the
doctrine was not fully completed. Despite the efforts of the
government America was far from Isolationist in the 1920's...
1920's
Isolationism in
America: Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting facts and information on the
American foreign policy of Isolationism in the 1920's
Facts about
America policy of Isolationism in the 1920's for kids
1920's
Isolationism Fact 1: WW1, the Great War, had ended in
victory for the allies. President Wilson had been
instrumental in drafting of post-WW1 settlement plan
which became known as
Wilson's 14 Points speech.
1920's
Isolationism Fact
2: President Wilson's Fourteen Points
had called for the creation of a “general association of nations”
which became known as the League of Nations.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 3: The purpose of the League of Nations was to
ensure that the League’s member nations would help preserve peace
and prevent future wars.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 4: The
1919
Treaty of Versailles made a mockery of Wilson's Fourteen Points
Plan and the United States Senate consequently opposed the adoption
of the Treaty of Versailles and declined membership in the League of
Nations.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 5: President Harding's victory speech, the first to
be broadcast on the radio, called for "a return to normalcy"
and declared the issue of America's involvement in the League of
Nations "deceased".
1920's
Isolationism Fact 6: The destruction and cost of WW1 had
left their mark on America and the majority of Americans
wanted to be kept out of any future involvement in
European politics and simply wanted to be left alone to
concentrate on building prosperity in the United States.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 7: The American people wholeheartedly
agreed with the idea of "a return to normalcy" and were
in favor of the return to the American foreign policy of
Isolationism.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 8: The American economy was entering a
boom period - see the
Economic Boom of the 1920's. Before WW1 America was
in debt to Europe. After WW1 the situation was reversed
and the Allies owed the US more than $10 billion for the
cost of armaments and food supplies.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 9: The resumption of the American
foreign policy of Isolationism in the 1920's appeared to
be a logical decision.
● The Atlantic and the Pacific
Oceans surrounded the USA formed a natural,
geographic barrier with the rest of the world
● Memories of the destruction
and loss caused by WW1 were fresh in the minds of
Americans
● Americans believed that
radical political movements and ideologies such as
socialism, communism, and anarchism were European in
origin and threatened political stability in the
United States. The events during the
Red Scare (1917 -
1920) had fostered the fear and suspicion of
foreigners
● Americans did not trust
Europeans after the Treaty of Versailles
1920's
Isolationism Fact
10: Foreign Policy: The theory of
following the path of Isolation was sound, but it was
impossible to fully achieve in a practical sense in
relation to US foreign policy.
● The United States had emerged from
WW1 as a world military, political and industrial
leader
● ● America was too powerful
unable to avoid political involvement with
international affairs. Although not members of
the League of Nations, America participated in
many conferences of the League of Nations
● ● America was economically
connected with other countries. It was vital for
the US economy for Europeans to buy American
exports
Continued...
Facts about
America policy of Isolationism in the 1920's for kids
Facts about
America policy of Isolationism in the 1920's for kids
The following fact
sheet continues with facts about Isolationism for kids.
Facts about
America policy of Isolationism in the 1920's for kids
1920's
Isolationism Fact
11: Domestic Policy on Immigration:
America was able to control its domestic policy and the
doctrine of Isolationism was evident in the measures
taken by the Federal Government to limit and control
immigration.
● The
1921 Emergency
Quota Act was
passed using a quota system to establish limits and
restricting the number of immigrants from a given
country
● The 1924 Border Patrol was
established to combat smuggling and illegal
immigration into America
● The 'Golden Door' to America was shut
with the 1924 Immigration Act that placed stringent
restrictions on the number of immigrants from a
given country
1920's
Isolationism Fact 12: The 1922 Fordney-McCumber Act was passed
introducing the highest tariffs in American history, this policy was
called
Protectionism. However the US law backfired. In response to
the Fordney-McCumber Tariff Act, European countries imposed a tax on
American goods making them too expensive to buy in Europe and
restricting trade which contributed to the
Great Depression of the
1930's.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 13: Europe claimed that America was hampering their
economic recovery and adding to their difficulties in clearing their
massive war debts. Europe believed that America should assume some
of the financial burdens as they had encountered less war casualties
than its allies. The US responded negatively to this request as,
unlike the Allies, they had not gained any new territories nor were
receiving the massive cash payments from Germany (Reparations) as
compensation for the destruction and losses of WW1.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 14: Germany and the Weimar Republic was on the brink
of financial collapse and was in danger of not being able to pay its
wartime reparations. The
Dawes Plan was introduced by American
diplomat and banker Charles G. Dawes in 1924. Dawes was the US budget director and
his plan was to give Germany longer to pay its heavy war reparations
and agreed to an American loan to Germany of 800 million gold marks.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 15: American intervention in South
America: American troops left Nicaragua in 1925 but US
troops returned in 1927 when a civil war broke out
in order to protect American business interests in the
country.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 16: The 1928 Clark Memorandum saw a shift
in US foreign policy when the State Department
repudiated the
Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine stating that the
Monroe Doctrine could not be used to justify American
intervention in the Western Hemisphere.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 17: Despite the terrible experiences of
WW1 and economic hardships, the major powers in Europe
were involved in a naval arms race. The United States
intervened by arranging the Washington Conference
between November 1921 and February 1922 to discuss
disarmament. The Washington Conference resulted in three
agreements (the Four-Power Treaty, the Five-Power Treaty
and the Nine-Power Treaty) in an effort to prevent
future wars.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 18: The success of the Washington
Conference led the United States and 14 other nations to
sign the 1928 Kellogg-Brand Pact agreeing to abandon war
and settle disagreements by peaceful diplomacy.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 19: The 1929 Young Plan was drafted in
order to reduce the total amount of reparations due from
Germany and extended the payment period until 1988. The
adoption of the plan was short lived due to the
1929 Wall Street Crash as any form of financial support for the
Weimar Republic was all but impossible as the US turned
inwards on itself and stepped up its policy of
Isolationism.
1920's
Isolationism Fact 20: The 1929 Wall Street Crash and the
policy of American Isolationism continued in the 1930s.
Facts about
America policy of Isolationism in the 1920's for kids
Facts
about
Isolationism in the
1920's for kids
For visitors interested in the history and foreign
policy of Isolationism in the 1920's refer to the following articles:
For additional facts
refer to
American Isolationism in the 1930's
Isolationism in the 1920's - President Warren Harding Video
The article on the Isolationism provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important
policies during his presidential term in office. The following
Warren Harding video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 29th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1921 to August 2, 1923.
Isolationism in the 1920's
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