America's Enterance into Ww2

American Isolationism:

The Effects of Isolationism on the United States' Participation in World War II

"The oldest lesson in history is the futility and, often, fatality of foreign interference to maintain in power a government unwanted or hated at home" (Whitcomb 81)

The United States has followed a tradition of isolationism since its independence in 1776. In an effort to establish a post-European society of their own, America felt it was critical to maintain their focus and resources on domestic, home front issues. At first this sentiment of isolationism stemmed from practical reasons. As a new country, resources were limited, the population was very small compared, and there were a lot of negative feelings towards Europe. Developing a new republic and exploring an unknown landscape required complete focus and devotion, eliminating any time or energy that could be focus upon foreign affairs. As a result, isolationism became deeply woven into the tapestry of American politics. It has become so deeply woven because it has proved successful for the United States over time. An isolationist stance has functioned well because of America's geography. With large neighbors to the north and south of us, Mexico and Canada, it is very easy to remain physically isolated from other nations and their entanglements.

Prior to World War I, America was able to keep expenditures of military cost low because the US was physically safe from foreign threats. Avoiding foreign threats and involvement in foreign affairs gave America the opportunity to grow and develop as nation. As a country of immigrants, national unity would take time to build and develop and a time relative peace and isolationism was able to provide the United States with that. In his farewell speech, George Washington made it a point in reinforcing the United States need to remain separate and removed from foreign concern by "stress[ing] the important of an independent course free of emotional attachments and wherever possible binding political commitments to other nations". (Herring 83).

It was this long standing regard for isolationism that prevented the United States from entering World War II sooner. Following World War I, the United States took an isolationist stance for itself in order to remain out of European political affairs. This isolationist stance was further enforced by the United States' decision not to join the League of Nations. After witnessing the devastating aftermath of World War I in Europe and the difficulties it faced in receiving war debt payments, the United Sates felt its best course of action was to circumvent foreign affairs all together and return to its isolationist's roots. In examining the French Revolution, World War I, and America between World War I and II, and by looking back on public and political opinion at time, I will show that America's longstanding isolationist stance played a significant role for America's delayed entry into World War II.

French Revolution

Coming off the Revolution and its newly won independence, America saw a similar battle taking place in France for their fight of freedom in 1789. France had offered a great amount of aid to the United States during the Revolution and that "crucial aid of the French soldiers and French navy were fresh in American memories" (Brown 95). However, while in full support of their cause, the United States was not in a position to offer aid as it "could ill afford to become entangled in Europe's power struggle". (Schweikart and Allen 141). Many Federalists at the time, including President Washington, wanted to avoid involvement in France's revolution at all costs as "...warfare swept across Europe, pitting France against every Monarch on the continent" (Schweikart and Allen 141). President Washington was so intent on remaining out of this European entanglement that be bypassed the Constitution and issued the Proclamation of Neutrality in April of 1793. This proclamation stated that the United States would remain neutral and not offer aid or harm to England or France. Washington's need to remain out of Europe's warfare had economic consequences as the United States had a deep rooted trade relationship with England, "90 percent of American imports emanated from Britain or her colonies...[and] three quarters of American exports went to Britain" (Schweikart and Allen 142). Despite this fact, President Washington wanted to remain neutral and not involve the United States in any battle. President Washington was so committed to neutrality that when "the British aggressively thwarted French-bound American commerce, neither American traders nor the U.S. Navy resisted" (Schweikart and Allen 142). Conversely, "French ships also attacked American merchants with England-bound cargoes" (Wiegand 102). Ultimately both Presidents Washington and Adams, whose terms ran simultaneously with the French Revolution sought to keep the United Sates out of the "European mess, the stronger the country would become, and thus the more able it would be to control its own destiny rather than rely on the fortunes of an alliance" (Wiegand 102).

World War 1

This theme of isolationism is revisited at the commencement of World War I. The whole nation was in a consensus in regards to the war, "The Washington government believed that vigilant neutrality was the path of national interest, honor, and virtue. The pubic...heartily agreed" (Marshall 106). President Woodrow Wilson led this vigilant stance on neutrality, "To the war in Europe he maintained a rigid impartiality, issuing ten proclamations of neutrality between August and November, 1914" (Marshall 145). At the start of World War I, when Germany attacked Belgium, President Wilson proclaimed to Americans that it was vital that we avoid the "deepest, most subtle, most essential breach of neutrality which may spring out of partisanship, out of passionately taking sides" (Schweikart and Allen 510). This statement was made amidst plans that the Central Powers, Germany and Austria-Hungary, had made to "cut off Britain's life line at sea to the United States" (Schweikart and Allen 510). President Wilson surprising stuck to the neutrality even after Germany sunk the Lusitania, a passenger ship that killed 128 Americans. The sinking of the Lusitania "brought the Great War home [to the US] to its people for the first time...[and] stunned the United States out of its complacency" (Herring 402). President Wilson's response to this act, an action that outraged many, was to deliver a stern scolding to Germany despite