The U.S and the World - Research Paper Example

iwhy does the United s move from relative isolation into an international role From the period of the Spanish American War through the end of World War two, why does the United States move from relative isolation into an international role and what are the consequences for U.S. society of that change? This paper will have the same guidelines as the first. [Note guidelines above] It will include the material from your first paper with the addition of the new evidence and time frame. You may change your thesis and add nuance. Your paper must still begin with a direct explicit thesis answering this two part question. Get directly to the point, prove the point critically from the evidence, and conclude your paper. This paper should be between 8-10 pages, the cumulative work from both papers.  One of the key focal points in the American history that aim to solve the enigma of the isolationist policy of American politics is indeed very interesting to study. The birth of a new nation undoubtedly sparked the interest of international nations as well. After the Spanish American war, the Americans wanted peace and stability of mind. Undoubtedly, the US could remain as an isolationist as it continued to expand outward. Even looking back at history, the country’s attempt to remain an isolationist during both World War II was not susceptible. The US verily had to enter both World Wars since it became a leader in the Western frontier. The United States returned to isolationist foreign policy since domestic problems plagued the country. Furthermore, Europe was in chaos itself and the US could not afford to indulge itself in such petty issues. However, one can argue that the isolationist policy did have some ramifications towards American diplomacy. The United States embodied the foreign policy of isolationism into an international role because it wanted to strengthen its capitalistic economy, address reform, acknowledge immigration and continue to pursue its beautiful American dream even though it lost threshold in foreign affairs. The colonies themselves wanted to be domestically involved as many had entered American in search of new provisions. The roots of isolationism were well established years before independence [2]. A brilliant testament towards this theory can be clearly seen through the decision of the Continental Congress to reject help from France during the War of 1812 [4]. The notion of America to remain independent was because of the exerted influence by the forefathers and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. During the 1800s, the United States expanded its horizon in North America and commenced to build an empire in the Caribbean and the Pacific with its traditional isolationistic policy [4]. It fought the Mexican War and the Spanish-American War without assistance from any other nations. Thus, the isolationism theory that oozed out of American diplomacy can be traced as far as the colonial era [ii]. The Monroe doctrine was one of the most pivotal documents that embodied the non- interventionist policy that dominated American affairs. President James Monroe himself, proves his point as he states, “In the wars of the European powers, in matters relating to themselves, we have never taken part, nor does it comport with our policy, so to do. It is only when our rights are invaded, or seriously menaced that we resent injuries, or make preparations for our defense.”[3] The Roaring 1920’s brought fresh changes to American society that would serve as focal point for years to come. Post World War I, a shift to consumers began. Magazines were printed to appeal to society and the rise of newspaper emerged. In essence, America’s economy shifted to consumerism with the rise of advertising [11iii]. In addition, new technology became widespread and gave the birth of the first automobile. The model t-ford automobile was one of the key innovations that became a centric masterpiece in American history. In addition, automotive companies attracted the mass population [4]. This was greatly due to the mass migration of Americans from rural to urban areas. Thus, a revolution of the “industrial era” began as railroads were created, factories were built along with women employment[11]. For the first time in history, women were hired, which signified a mini reform movement. The utilization of conveyor belts was also greatly mastered and the concept of the “assembly line” became a key element as car production became efficient. The roaring 20’s also give the rise to employment laws and regulations, which consisted of minimum wage, 8 hour work shifts, and 5 days of regular work [11]. Ford was the first company to introduce this idea behind a clever strategy of consumer spending. If it enabled its workers to have spare time, they would spend it in leisure which would boost the nation’s economy. The 1920’s also was marked by the Great Depression that occurred post World War I [8]. Another key factor that contributed to the American isolationistic policy is the fact that progressivism reform was the focal point of addressing to social ills in the American society [9]. At The dawn of the 30s, foreign policy was not a hot issue for the average American as the stock market. Each month was a struggle to survive and brought greater and greater hardships.  The decade of the 1900s was filled with problems and chaos that had plagued the needed to be addressed [9]. America during the 1900 was the epitome of chaos as millions of poor workers were frustrated with working conditions as corruption loomed in city government The progressive movement mark the initiation of “big government” involvement in which reform became a critical aspect to address these sorts of issues. Social and economic change was not only necessary but vital towards the success of America itself. While recession continued to haunt countries worldwide, the progressive movement and the new deal established a solid ground for fundamental change [6]. The progressive movement introduced new economic programs. The effort to improve society was a major push that was new to the nation as key issues such as reforming working conditions and assisting the mentally ill people challenged the whole notion of old traditions. Progressivism at its best aimed to remove corruption by imposing child labor laws, addressing lynching based on racism, and removing politicians that were involved in illegal business practices. At the local level, progressivism continued to display brilliant signs of reform as the construction of schools was pushed, political machines were dissolved, and politics was addressed in an efficient manner. Similarly, the new deal was a focal point of domestic reform. Roosevelt’s New Deal was considered of two phases that were planned to recovery and relief [1]. The first phase concentrated on to heal society from Great Depression through different channels [6]. Acts such as the Agricultural Adjust Administration clearly boosted agriculture reform. Bank reform occurred in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which installed a limit and tightened finance regulations[8]. The second phase of the New Deal 1935 and 1941 concentrated on recovery measures [1]. The implementation of the social security system tremendously secured the economic security and the individual warfare. The Fair Labor Standards Act that was passed in 1938 again emphasized as minimum living standards for workers that were associated with commerce. The minimum wage was raised from $0.25 to $0.40 along with 44 hours limit and established pay for overtime. The Department of Labor spearheaded this effort as the standards were raised. A major shift occurred during the 20th century as American agriculture and rural life went through major transformations. Both the New Deal and the progressive era influenced society to make drastic changes. Individuals from rural areas migrated to urban areas as the US workforce of 22 million suddenly became industrial workers. The transformation from agriculture to industrial age contributed and harnessed growth of the U.S economy. Although the New Deal did not eliminate the everlasting depression, it left a big imprint in the country as Supreme Court justice John Clarke states “The New Deal have put a new face upon the social and political life of our country.” Unquestionably, both these programs enabled the government to use the supreme force of the government. Both these programs under strong leadership thrived. The results can be seen as unemployment decreased from 25% to 10% during this era. In addition, bank closings were drastically reduced from 4000 to almost nothing due to FDIC. Undoubtedly, the hallmark of American focus was to address and issue these reforms in its domestic state. Hence, it seemed logical that America pursued its foreign policy of isolationism [2]. The Progressive Era, which lasted until the 1920’s, was a response to an industrial era and a shout for reform. Its effects touched virtually all Americans and transformed the role of government in American society. The Progressive Movement was successful as it was promoted by both parties in Congress. One of the prominent players in this reform was Theodore Roosevelt, who used his passive presence to dominate the political scene. In two terms of service, he solidified the navy, won the noble prize, aggressively pursued the building of the Panama Canal, and played a vital role in ending the Japanese-Russian war. He gained popularity amongst his supporters and tremendously helped the nation in the reform movement. A huge factor that contributed to the isolationism policy was also the fact that racism and prejudice plagued American society [4]. Racism and prejudice have been vital aspects that have been plagued the society of the United States of America since the birth of the new nation. The root causes of racism and anti-Semitism are derived from the ideology of the white man’s burden that continues to be the hallmark of white supremacy. In addition, one cannot diminish the fact that America was founded upon the idea of “melting pot.” Prejudice has been the norm and the dream of “free spirit” of liberty has been obliterated. The country has literally shed blood of innocent civilians to fight for few basic rights that are God-given. The rise of the Ku Klux Klan is urban areas in the 1915 was one of the most astonishing events that occurred in the American history post World War I. Kenneth Jackson, in his work discusses the many aspects regarding the second Klan [7]. Jackson insists that many Americans joined the second Klan genuinely joined with the intention of being a true patriot. However, many Americans were unaware of the extreme prejudices that were hidden [7]. Jackson reiterates the fact the Klan rose due to many factors. First and foremost was the fact that it possessed great numbers outside the South and half of the followers lived in the cities. The Klan in essence was so engrossed in its own agenda that it embedded prejudice and racism in their ideology. Often times, it crossed the legal boundaries and infringed on basic human rights as killings became common. Secondly, the Klan rose in an era where depression plagued society. The Klan was fed up with not only economic conditions but also due to the fear of the growth of communism [7]. Since the south at that time was majority, the Klan made it their priority to attack that particular region. Jackson argues that the Klan that rose in those cities had different agendas, which was to enforce a moral code according to their perspective. Interestingly enough, states such as Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma did not face as much hostility from the Klan as expected. According to many historians, Texas should have the main target for the Klan [7]. Hence, it became common that the appeal of the Klan spread to North and West. The Klan had so much influence that its members served in the congress. One can clearly argue the fact that the Klan rose because of the unemployment that plagued the American society at that time and frustrated the workforce that demanded to achieve their pinnacle version of the American dream. A third key element that induced the isolationistic policy was the fact that America has focused on this new idea of capitalism during the industrial era. One of the most significant factors that contributed to the development expansion of the United States was the fertile land that was available in the South. The large plantations in the south gave the rise to slave labor was the fertile farmland in the Midwest enabled United States to accomplish several things. First of all, the invention of Eli Whitney’s cotton gin initiated the rise to slave labor in the rich land that extended beyond from Carolina to Texas, which expanded the United States border. The fertile land gave boosted the American economy, which contributed to development of United States. The south had to dramatically shift their economy to tobacco and cotton to agriculture. In the north, corn supply was enhanced along with the focus on producing textiles [13]. Cities such as New York and Chicago became the top commerce cities that built its economic empire due to the industrial revolution [5]. The creation of Erie Canal became the hallmark of water commerce that enabled America to lower shipping costs of raw goods from nation to nation. In midst of all this, Chicago became America’s fresh water supply and became a fur trading port for all entrepreneurs [13]. A key element that should not be focused that dramatically eased the way for capitalism is the fact that public infrastructure dominated the scene during this era [6]. The systematic problem of moving raw materials around the nation was no doubt difficult to achieve. Hence, the development of creating train tracks was crucial towards creating an economy where goods can be moved domestically. The isolationistic policy that America pursued was not all beautiful. The consequences of pursuing these policies did come with a hefty price. One of the key consequences of America’s isolationistic policy was the fact that Americans did not pursue any imperialism that other nations continued to exploit. Great Britain, France, and Russia continued to implement a dominant scheme in which Africa and other nations were their source for conquest [8]. In midst of this, America was unable to find its “piece of the pie.” While other nations continued to grow stronger, America has no threshold in any of the continents. Another ramification of not being internationally involved is the fact that both World Wars could have prevented. The roots of World War I were clearly an extra influence of supere patriotism and nationalism that oozed out of every European country during the 1900’s. Without America’s involvement, European woes of extreme nationalism continued to grow, risking to burst without a warning. Both France and Germany’s desire to prove themselves as super power was a clear depiction of a bloody World War to follow [13]. Americans were grown weary with the course of world events, citizens were convinced the most important issues to be tackled were domestic. When the time came for America to engage itself in war, it was not ready due to lack of adequate organization that plagued society. When the Germany submarine attacked American ship, the US was reluctant to even enter the war. Suddenly, it had to industrialize in such a manner that factories produced weapons instead of clothes [13]. This dramatic change was inevitable but was necessary for the nation’s mobilization efforts. Another ramification that America faced due to its isolationistic policy is the fact that it lost its voice in the international sphere. During the first World War itself, the Congress rejected President’s Wilson’s agenda to sign the Treaty of Versailles in the League of Nations. Clearly, the American’s lack of involvement was a key flaw that allowed Europe to turn into a battleground. Without America’s negotiation power, it lost its voice on the international ground. The Treaty of Versailles was clearly a blow to Germany, who resented the constraints that were imposed against its will. The lack of American support portrayed that America was interested in foreign affairs but did not possess the courage to pledge to the League of Nations. Therefore, it was clear that America lost its stronghold in European affairs. The United States were unwilling to commit to the League, but in their own terms. Again, this was brilliantly depicted when fifteen nations under the US influence signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact. This Pact contained many flaws and showed that the United States lacked the common knowledge of international affairs. For instance, the US was not obligated to sign any of the treaties that existed and allowed European nations the right to self-defense [4]. In addition, it stated that if one nation violated the league rules, it would induce other countries from the league to enforce it. Many scholars insist that the Kellogg-Briand Pact was more of a sign of good intentions on the part of the US, rather than a strong effort from America to avoid future ramifications that would plague the international sphere [4]. Another consequence of the non-interventionism policy was the fact that it served as a catalyst for another war to spark. After the economic crash that haunted American society post 1929, the US economy was in midst of another economic collapse. In order to make matters worse, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts between 1936 and 1937 under President Roosevelt [1]. These act made matters worse as it delayed the entry of America in the second World War I. One of the sections in the Neutrality Acts specifically constrained America to either conduct trade or exchange weaponry with any nation which was engaged in a war. As the United States was busy in its own economic collapse, the dictators of Europe and Asia continue to launch their assaults in their conquest to expand their empire. Since Germany was restrained due to the Treaty of Versailles, its quest for retaliation was almost inevitable and chaotic. One can argue that the Treaty of Versailles enabled the foundation for the war-hungry Germany to embrace Hitler’s aspirations to wipe out the Jews and defeat Europe. In essence, the United States went along with external events without implementing its supremacy. The “icing on the cake” that proved that the isolationistic policy was detrimental towards American politics was due to the fact that it lead to the initiation of cold war and communism. These theories were developed prior to World War II with the rise of Stalin in Russia. Scholars can argue that America could have avoided this conflict, granted it was aware of this uprising that was slowly brewing. Without a doubt, the cold war was an ideological struggle between the Soviets and the United States of America. The Containment Doctrine undoubtedly as suggested by Kennan was an accurate assessment of the Soviets [12]. The theory was based upon the “domino effect,” in which if one nation fell under the cruel regime of communism, others would follow. Kennan’s perspective was to call for a policy that was designed to counter combat the Russians along with defending the interests that were only critical towards USA. In essence, Kennan wanted the army to only combat areas that were vital for the nation to defend against communism, such as Western Europe and Japan. Although one can safely conclude that the containment policy was somewhat of a success [12]. The strategy acknowledged that the Soviets will continue to expand. From Kennan’s perspective, it was a dangerous policy as it flared tensions between two superpowers. It also initiated the ruthless intention of the USA to build up arms and support dictatorships to fight anti-communism. Kennan’s strategy was overblown as the government took this as a chance to launch a full-scale war against communism [13]. The ultimate goal went from containment to overthrowing a regime. However, policy was a success as it did halt Soviet expansionism as democracy prevailed. The risks that were implemented with this policy were too high compared to the benefits and could have been potentially avoided. Truly, the isolationist policy did have some consequences, but was vital towards the success of creating a super power nation such as America itself. As George Washington stated in his farewell address, “The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible…Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities."[2] Undoubtedly, the American isolationistic policy of "Leave me alone” was the embodiment of the nation in midst of its quest to develop itself. ivWorks Cited [1] Theodore Roosevelt rejected the Monroe Doctrines policy of non-intervention in Latin American affairs. Nearly 3 decades. "1930s Isolationism [ushistory.org]." ushistory.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. http://www.ushistory.org/us/50a.asp [2] "Isolationism." United States American History. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. . [3] Perkins, Dexter. A history of the Monroe doctrine. Boston: Little, Brown, 1963. Print. [4] Abbott, Jacob. American history,. New York: Sheldon & Co.;, 186065. Print. [5] Chalberg, John. Isolationism: opposing viewpoints. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1995. Print. [6] "The Progressive Era, 1896-1916." Academic American History. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. Read More