Apush 8-9

Isolationism

Definition:

• The US foreign policy of not involving themsleves with other contries, especially in europe, with matters such as polticis, alliances, wars, ect. Prioritizes domestic concerns.

Context:

• US adopted this after WWI, to avoid another war and recover in the 1920s.

• Reflected by Neutrality Acts. Was dominant until pearl harbor in 1941. Stoped after WWII as US became a superpower. Did stuff like join NATO.

Good Neighbor Policy

Definition: FDR’s foreign policy to Latin American in the 1930s. (A rebuttal of Teddy Roosevelt’s “Big Stick” policy aka “Roosevelt Corollary” - readiness to use military force, imperialistic foreign policy, continueation of monroe doctrine.)

Goal:

• improve international relations

• unite the western hemisphere

Policies:

• withdrew American troops from foreign nations (especially latin america)

• promised the US wouldnt interve in inernal affairs of latin american countries

• Repealed the Platt Amendment (which made Cuba include in their 1901 constitution that the US has the right to intervene in Cuban Affairs, to protect US economic interests)

Context:

• The Spanish-American War i think?

• conflicts in Europe, so I wanted better relations w neighbors

Effects:

• was successful

• allowed US to have good trade with Latin America again (helped the staggering US economy)

Nye Committee (aka “Special Committee on Investigation of the Munitions Industry”

1934 Committee that investigated the US’s involvement in WWI.

• found huge profits from arms factories & bankers during WWI

• claimed it was a war of economics

• Caused public opinion → Congress passed neutrality acts to stay out of WWII

• pushed isolationism

Neutrality Acts

Context:

• The Nye Committee, isolationism

  • didnt want economic ties to lead to war involvement

1935- prohibited exports of arms to warring nations (arms embargo), and travel ban for Americans on ships from those nations

1936- extended/strengthened the first, prohibited loans/credits to any nation at war. Instated “cash-and-carry” policy. Didn’t cover civil wars (like in Spain ‘36--’39)

1937- Build on the first two (no expiration date anymore), particularly in Europe. Gave the president more authority, applied to civil wars too.

“Cash and Carry”

• Allowed the US to sell non-military goods to warring countires, as long as they paid in cash and transported the goods on their own ships.

• was a way for the US to support the Allies in WWII without formally entering the war

• Was how US could sell to nations at war during ‘37 neutrality act

• Shows FDR’s shift from isolationism to aiding allies in WWII

Appeasement

A foreign policy where a nation tries to “appease” an aggressive power to stop conflict.

• Example: Britain’s Prime minister Chamberlain and Nazi Germany in the 1930s, where he signed the Munich Agreement (gave the Sudetenland to Germany). France too.

• This didn’t work, and is heavily criticized, people felt it allowed WWII to happen.

• Being called an appeaser was bad

During cold war they were like fuck nah we not doing this shi again

Munich Agreement/Conference

1938

• a meeting between Britain, France, Germany, and Italy where the leaders agreed to allow Germany to annex the Sudetenland, a region of Czechoslovakia, in return for Hitler's pledge to make no further territorial demands in Europe

• seen as a turning point that allowed hilters ego to grow and keep attacking europe

• example of appeasement. didn’t work

America First Committee

• isolationist organization in US in the 1940s, opposed US joining WWII

• though US should focus on its own defense, though intervention would lead to more us suffering

context

• was a response to growing concerns of us involvement in war

• disbanded after US joined WWII, public opionion shifted dramatically towards supporting the war, isolationism seen as outdated or even unpatriotic.

Lend Lease Act

• showed the principles of the Atlantic Charter

• 1941 US program during WWII that allowed the US to “lend and lease” supplies to nations fighting against the Axis.

• basically ended neutrality, but allowed the US to help without officially entering the war

• allowed allies to win the war

Atlantic Charter

1941 US WWII policy statement that outlined US/UK’s goals for after the war, such as:

• mutual cooperation

• self-determination (→ decolonization efforts later)

• economic security

• was the foundation for futer international agreements

  • UN

• it also served as a motivator for resistance movements in occupied terreroteis during WWII

Pearl Harbor

• japan attacked naval base in hawaii on dec 7 1941- sunk the US pacific fleet

• this surprise attack led to the US officially joining the war

• ended neutrality and isolationism

• roosevenlt was like yea this sucks fuck the axis lets go

2nd Front

1941-’45

• Stalin wanted a “second front” on the WEST fighting the nazis to take pressure of the USSR on the eastern front

• This was a source of controversy for the allies-

  • stalin thought they were allowing russia to get attacked bc communist

• it ended up happening (called D-Day/Normandy invasion, june 1944), took pressure off russia and divided germans

Holocaust

• eventually resulted in the nuremberg trials that prosecuted nazis

• postwar reaction to holocaust emphasized commitment to human rights etc

FEPC (Fair Employment Practices Commission)

• 1941

context: threatened black march on washingtong to demand equal job oppurtunities and war/military jobs

FDR’s admin . issued an executive order that prohibited discrimination in defense industries based on race, color, creed, or national origin, and the FEPC was created to enforce it

• was successful to some degree, but discrimination continued

Containment

• communist bad

• gotta stop it from spreading

• support nations resistig it

• appeasement bad

context:

• after WWII us and SU were big superpowers and opposing political ideologies, concerned communism was spreading

examples:

• Truman Doctrine- 1947 (officially gave military/poltical/ecoonomic aid t nations reisting communism)

• berlin airlift

• Korean/vietnam war

George Kennan

• yay containment

• soviets inherintly expansionist

• thought soviet unions expantions should be countered w polticis/economics not directly thru miliary

Truman Doctrine

1947

Stated US would support any nation fighting communism

Marshall Plan

1947- US secretary of state marshall’s plan:

• massive + systematic ecconomic aid to europe to recover from WWII and help prevent the spread of communism

CIA (Central intelligence agency)

established 1947

bunch of spies to fight communism

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