Isolationism in the 1920s USHC 5.5

USHC 5.5 Analyze the United States’ rejection of internationalism, including postwar disillusionment, the Senate’s refusal to ratify the Versailles Treaty, the election of 1920, and the role of the United States in international affairs in the 1920s.

Treaty of Versailles According to the United States Constitution, foreign policy is the domain of the executive branch. But, the system of checks and balances requires that the Senate ratify all treaties. Despite President Wilson’s central role in the drafting of the Versailles Treaty and his desire for the United States to play a leading role in the League of Nations, the Senate refused to ratify the treaty.

Treaty at Home Some members of the Senate were concerned that the principle of collective security (was the central idea of the League) … Would require the United States become involved in future military action under the auspices of the League without the consent of the Senate In part, the rejection of the treaty was the result of political partisanship.

Treaty at Home Republican leadership in the Senate opposed ratification outright or had reservations about the treaty. Democrat Wilson refused to compromise with the Republican Senate. Instead, Wilson took his case to the American people on a cross-country speaking tour, attempting to secure the election of Democrats to the Senate in the upcoming elections.

Treaty at Home During this tour, Wilson suffered a stroke. Both physically and mentally debilitated, Wilson stubbornly refused to compromise. The United States Senate never ratified the Versailles Treaty. The United States later made a separate peace with Germany.

Election of 1920 The election of 1920 became a referendum on the League of Nations. The Democratic candidate (James M. Cox) supported Wilson’s international idealism while the Republican candidate (Warren G. Harding) advocated a return to ‘normalcy.’ The public had responded to Wilson’s idealistic call to “make the world safe for democracy.”

Election of 1920 But … the American people were disillusioned by the brutality of the war, the cost in human life, and the greed of the post-war Allies. The Republicans won in a landslide; the American people seemed to have rejected internationalism in favor of isolationism.

America in the World Although the United States had rejected collective security, it had not rejected economic involvement with the rest of the world. As a result of the war, the United States became: the world’s leading economic power the leading exporter of goods a major creditor nation the world’s financial capital America continued to be involved in Latin America and attempted to improve relations there through the ‘Good Neighbor Policy.’

League of Nations and U.S. The United States never joined the League U.S. did send observers to meetings of the League of Nations U.S. participated actively in several international conferences to limit the size of the world’s navies The United States also helped to make it possible for the Germans to continue to pay the war reparations through a loan program [Dawes and Young Plans]

The 1920s and 1930s The United States took a hands-off approach to events in Europe as dictators rose to power in Italy and Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. After the financial crash of 1929 signaled the start of the Great Depression, Americans were too concerned with their domestic economic problems to take much heed of the gathering storm in Europe.

Left for the Future In Congressional hearings early in the 1930s, testimony about how the United States became involved in the Great War led Congress to pass legislation to attempt to keep the United States out of any future war. The resulting Neutrality Acts would tie the hands of President Franklin Roosevelt and delay American involvement in World War II.