Isolationism

by Streissguth, Tom; Friedenthal, Lora; Weber, Jennifer L.

• ISBN13: 9781604132243
• ISBN10: 1604132248
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-05-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

The roots of isolationism in the United States can be traced back to the American Revolution. As a young nation, the United States limited its involvement in world affairs, focusing mostly on trade issues. Only when America's vital interests were threatened did the United States react with military force. In the 19th century, it was possible to isolate the country from trouble abroad. The presence of two vast oceans and friendly countries to the north and south protected the United States from invasion. As the United States grew to superpower status after World War II, however, its interests expanded around the world, as did the allies and resources it had to protect. Although the ideal of a self-sufficient country remains, very few political leaders believe in isolationism, as this new title explains.

Author Biography

Tom Streissguth is a freelance writer and editor on a wide range of educational topics. He has authored nonfiction and reference works on American culture, politics, and history. Lora Friedenthal is a freelance editor and writer on educational topics. Jennifer L. Weber, Ph.D. is assistant professor of history at the University of Kansas. A specialist in Civil War studies, Dr. Weber received her master's and doctoral degrees in American history from Princeton University.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. vi
Reader's Guide to Isolationism	p. vii
Milestones in Isolationism (1920-Present)	p. viii
Preface	p. x
What Is Isolationism?	p. 1
Isolationism from A to Z
America First Committee (AFC)	p. 11
Appeasement Policy of	p. 13
Axis Powers	p. 14
Borah, William E. (1865-1940)	p. 16
Central Powers	p. 18
Coolidge, Calvin (1872-1933)	p. 20
Dawes Plan	p. 22
Democratic Party	p. 23
History Makers: Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)	p. 24
Emergency Quota Act (1921)	p. 25
Fourteen Points	p. 26
History Speaks: Wilson's Plan for International Cooperation	p. 28
France	p. 30
Great Britain	p. 32
Harding, Warren G. (1865-1923)	p. 34
Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945)	p. 35
Japan	p. 38
Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)	p. 40
Ku Klux Klan	p. 42
League of Nations	p. 43
Then & Now: Authority of the League vs. the UN	p. 45
Lend-Lease Act (1941)	p. 46
Lindbergh, Charles A. (1902-1974)	p. 48
Lodge, Henry Cabot (1850-1924)	p. 51
Monroe Doctrine	p. 53
History Speaks: Protecting the Hemisphere	p. 54
Mussolini, Benito (1883-1945)	p. 55
National Origins Act (1924)	p. 58
Nye, Gerald P. (1892-1971)	p. 60
Palmer Raids	p. 61
Pearl Harbor	p. 63
Then & Now: Pear! Harbor and 9/11	p. 65
Red Scare	p. 69
History Speaks: Justifying the Panic	p. 70
Republican Party	p. 71
Reservationists	p. 73
Russian Revolution and Civil War	p. 74
Smoot-Hawley Tariff Thomas, Norman (1884-1968)	p. 77
Treaty of Versailles (1919)	p. 78
History Speaks: Establishing the League	p. 82
War Reparations	p. 84
Washington's Farewell Address	p. 85
Wilson, Woodrow (1856-1924)	p. 86
World War I (1914-1918)	p. 90
World War II (1939-1945)	p. 94
Young Plan	p. 97
Viewpoints About Isolationism
Asking Congress for War, Woodrow Wilson, 1917	p. 99
From the Shantung Clause, 1919	p. 101
From the Peace for Our Time Speech, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, 1938	p. 102
Speaking Against Involvement, Charles A. Lindbergh, September 11, 1941	p. 103
From the Lend-Lease Act, 1941	p. 105
Glossary of Key Terms	p. 109
Selected Bibliography	p. 113
Index	p. 116
List of Illustrations
Photos
Signing of the U.S. Constitution	p. 1
William E. Borah	p. 17
Kaiser Wilhelm II	p. 19
Hitler speaks at Nazi Party rally	p. 36
Charles Lindbergh	p. 49
Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler, 1937	p. 56
Attack on Pearl Harbor	p. 64
The Winter Palace in Russia	p. 74
The Treaty of Versailles	p. 79
D-day invasion of Normandy	p. 96
Maps
World War I	p. 93
World War II	p. 95
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

The roots of isolationism in the United States can be traced back to the American Revolution. As a young nation, the United States limited its involvement in world affairs, focusing mostly on trade issues. Only when America's vital interests were threatened did the United States react with military force. In the 19th century, it was possible to isolate the country from trouble abroad. The presence of two vast oceans and friendly countries to the north and south protected the United States from invasion. As the United States grew to superpower status after World War II, however, its interests expanded around the world, as did the allies and resources it had to protect. Although the ideal of a self-sufficient country remains, very few political leaders believe in isolationism, as this new title explains.

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Excerpted from Isolationism by D. W. J. Books
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