THE USA AND THE WORLD SINCE 1919

Introduction Today the USA is both a leading economic and diplomatic power US economic power asserted in the 20’s but its diplomatic influence has mainly grown after WWI. Indeed the USA has first been aside in the world diplomacy and it was on purpose, but It had to change 1-Isolationism first 2-The Cold War and the assertion of American diplomatic leadership 3-After 9-11, the US role in the world order has been changed

I/ Until WWII American isolationism prevailed A/ The US focused on America -MESSIANISM and MANIFEST DESTINY : James Monroe’s doctrine -So very early the USA tried to stay out from diplomacy when it was not directly concerned: ISOLATIONISM Exceptions:-1917: US intervention in WWI -WILSON’s 14 points ( see docs) Examples:-Immigration quotas 1924 and Sacco and Vanzetti May New Deal: self dependent way of solving the crisis : Cash and carry act

Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts, center, formed the primary opposition to the Treaty of Versailles supported by President Woodrow Wilson British poster 1921

B/ The US broke isolation during WWII 1)There was a need to help the ally -risk of losing markets and allied countries but a lot of reluctance -MARCH 41: LEND AND LEASE ACT -AUGUST 41: Charter of the Atlantic -DEC 7th-8th 41: Pearl Harbour and “VICTORY PROGRAM” 2) The US benefited from this intervention -65% gold stock and 50% world production -Yalta, Potsdam, Bretton Woods were all American initiatives -UNO’s headquarters in New York (June 1945 San Francisco conference)

II/ The Cold War and the assertion of the USA as a leading diplomatic and political power A/ A need to form an antagonistic bloc Kennan’s telegram ( see document) -Truman Doctrine -NATO, OEEC 48, Marshall Plan, Arm Race, balance of terror -McCarthyism: accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence 50-55

B/ A key role in international relationships 1)The US in a war by proxy -Ex: June 48-May 49 Berlin blockade and airlift -October 62 Cuban Crisis Hotline Détente 2) The USA was sometimes a threatening power -Vietnam -Reagan SDI/star war/”evil empire”: see doc 3) But it sometimes helps to appease international relations -SALT 1 in 72 -Nixon to China in 72, Ping Pong diplomacy -Carter’s weak diplomacy : see doc -Reagan and Bush discussing peace with Gorbatchev

B/ The impact of Attempts/ highjacked planes/ rogue states/ terrorism/ mass destruction weapons/Guantanamo/ Axis of evil/ Outpost of tyranny ( speech Bush) -Invasion of Irak in 2003 see document -Growth of anti Americanism (also by anti globalization activists) C/ Obama and a return to a multilateral co-operation transcript/story?id= Withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan -Plans to close Guantanamo in 2009 but the American Congress blocks funds to shift prisoners -US soft power (cultural imperialism?)

III/ The US in the new world order after the 1991 A/A new watchdog of the world -Very strong economic power: G8, G20, NAFTA -Was the end of the CW a real American Victory? -AUGUST 1990: first Gulf War, operation desert storm- end February 1991 (Bush’s speech see document) -US troops into NATO forces in Yugoslavia in , the in the KFOR in Kosovo in Clinton : he helps in rapprochement between ARAFAT and YITZHAK RABIN for a cease-fire in Palestine OSLO AGREEMENTS part of his “enlargement policy” non ratification of the Kyoto protocol to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases