ISOLATIONISMJenel Virden

ISOLATIONISM

• THOMAS PAINE• JOHN ADAMS• FRANCE 1778-1800• GEORGE WASHINGTON – “steer clear of

permanent alliances”• THOMAS JEFFERSON – “peace,

commerce and honest friendship with all, entangling alliances with none”

ISOLATIONISM

• JAMES MONROE – THE MONROE DOCTRINE

• “In wars of European powers in matters relating to themselves we have never taken part, nor does it comport with our policy to do so.”

• WHAT IS ISOLATIONISM?• HAS THE UNITED STATES EVER BEEN

ISOLATIONIST?

ISOLATIONISM

• OPPOSITION TO INTERVENTION IN WARS OUTSIDE THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE

• NO PERMANENT ALLIANCES• FREE AGENCY

ISOLATIONISM

• 19TH CENTURY• WAR OF 1812 – GREAT BRITAIN• 1846 – MEXICAN WAR• 1898 – WAR WITH SPAIN• EMPIRE BUILDING

ISOLATIONISM

• INTERWAR PERIOD• WILSON – “We need not and we should

not form alliances with any nation in the world.” (1914)

• AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE• LEAGUE OF NATIONS• LODGE, BORAH AND JOHNSON

ISOLATIONISM

• 1930s – HEIGHT OF ISOLATIONISM• JOHNSON ACT – PROHIBITS PRIVATE

LOANS TO NATIONS IN DEFAULT 1934• CONGRESS VOTES DOWN JOINING

WORLD COURT 1935• SENATE INVESTIGATION INTO THE

MUNITIONS INDUSTRY 1934-36• NEUTRALITY ACTS 1935-1937

NEUTRALITY ACTS

• BAN ON LOANS AND CREDIT• EMBARGO ON SHIPMENT OF ARMS• CASH AND CARRY• RESTRICTED TRAVEL• UNARMED MERCHANT SHIPS• NON-INTERVENTIONIST• TRY TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION

1938

Dr Seuss

ISOLATIONISM

• MILITARY CONSCRIPTION 1940• LEND LEASE 1941• MILITARY OCCUPATION GREENLAND

AND ICELAND 1940-41• FREEZE ASSETS 1941• ATLANTIC CHARTER 1941

America First RallyMadison Square Garden, New York

ISOLATIONISM

• AMERICA FIRST COMMITTEE• DECEMBER 7, 1941 – PEARL HARBOR

ATTACK• UNITED NATIONS 1945• NATO 1949• THE END OF ISOLATIONISM