Making a Superpower - Lecture 3b

World War 1 - 1914 to 1919

During WW1, the U.S.A were called to remain neutral as advisors urged for a non-interventionist approach, wanting to keep U.S military and resources at bay. However, the non-interventionist approach started to decline as the U.S lent money and resources to France and the U.K, creating allies with them both.

The reason for the U.S to enter war in 1917 was because of Germany’s and Mexico’s attempt at allyship with each other, and Germany’s attacks on U.S merchant ships via submarines.

Although the League of Nations (first worldwide alliance to prevent any future wars) did not see U.S’s membership, despite being created by Woodrow Wilson, former president of the United States, when the League of Nations transferred into the United Nations, the U.S joined. The U.S’s overall strength increased as they came in later to the war, but then retreated that power to conserve it.

Interwar Isolationism

From just before WW1 in the 1910’s to after the war in the 1920’s saw the U.S intervene in the Caribbean Islands region and start the occupation process in Haiti (1915 till 1934), the Dominican Republic (1916 till 1924), Cuba (1917 to 1919 then 1922 again), and Nicaragua (1926 till 1933). The aftermath of the intervention and occupation of South American territory led to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to establish a ‘Good Neighbour’ policy in which mainland U.S was to maintain diplomatic relations with South America, bringing back the non-interventionist approach.

During the 1930’s, the Great Depression hit in which the U.S became more isolationist and chose not to respond and react to any of the imperialism and fascism attempts happening Germany, Italy, and Japan.

World War 2 - 1939 to 1945

As a power, the U.S followed similar tactics to how it approached WW1 in WW2. Again, the U.S came in late with their strength increasing, however, this time round they did not retreat but rather went on with participating in the war, full steam ahead. Due to Japanese military attacks on U.S territories, the U.S joined the war on the side of its allies.

Designing a Superpower (State)

The United States had plans to make themselves one of the most powerful states for postwar time, starting this process during the war in 1943. Their aim was to control military bases around the outside of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans for strategic interest and geographical advantage.

→ Goal was to have power as far away from the U.S mainland as possible in order to protect the mainland and exert any power outwards.

Postwar time saw the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank be established by the U.S, in hopes to form alliances with the nations of the world. The U.S ensured they too were bound by the rules which increased their legitimacy as a state.

This also saw Germany and Japan conduct diplomatic relations with the U.S state, as they offered security to them (establishment of military bases) and promises of wealth production (loans, services).

Triggering a Cold War

However, these alliances that the U.S made had increased their power a state, challenging the power of the Soviet Union. The ideology of the Soviet Union was one that U.S officials believed in need of demolition and reformation. The U.S and the Soviet Union then became involved in what is known as a ‘Cold’ war, meaning, no active force or militia was used, rather strategic tactics, yet the U.S went overboard leading to and overestimation on how rapidly the expansion and aggression of the Soviet Union was. This is because unlike the U.S’s global reach, the Soviet Union could only maintain a regional one.

An Empire by Invitation

Overall, after World War 2 saw multiple independent states struggle with stability despite recent successes after becoming independent. As the U.S grew to power, other states voluntarily subordinated themselves to the U.S order, with the U.S granting them benefits and advantages for doing so. It is important to recognise that the U.S still held great power, even technologically and commercially, still seen as a state yet having modernised characteristics of an empire / imperialism.