The US and the Holocaust Project Group Isolationism - Essay Example

said Theodore Roosevelt. And “Manifest destiny” led America to feel that it was pre-destined to shoulder greater responsibility in the international arena. (Ketelbey ps 672-673)

and the Philippines were also annexed. The Philippines were given partial self-government in 1907, and in 1916 a promise of independence if they achieved a stable democratic government (Ketelbey p 673).

     Thus the US developed its own individual power and interests in strategic locations across the world. But to the ferment in Europe, she maintained a distance, tinged with moral disapproval. This attitude was not inconsistent with the role of mediator, which she played (e.g in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905; the holding of the Algericas Conference in 1906 to ease tensions between France and Germany.) This was to a great extent due to the initiative of Theodore Roosevelt.

     When Woodrow Wilson took over the president-ship, he continued to keep the US neutral, refusing to intervene in the crisis of 1914. When the war was declared, Wilson declared neutrality. In fact, in 1916, Wilson came back for another term on the electoral plank of having kept America ‘out of the war’. However, it soon dawned on the American people that the massive redistribution of world power would affect the country. And America had to join the war.

     As a matter of fact, the sequence of events that led America to openly declare hostilities against Germany speaks of extreme patience on the part of Wilson. America had a large number of people of German origin and did not wish to enter the war. In 1915, an American ship was sunk, Americans traveling in British ships were drowned, and then the Lusitania was torpedoed. Wilson sent a strong note to Germany citing a violation of international law. In 1916, an English ship, which had on board seventy-five American passengers was torpedoed; in 1917 there was an announcement of unrestricted submarine warfare — that all ships, neutral or otherwise — would be sunk. Just sometime before that, an alliance between Germany and Mexico was also unearthed, in which the former promised the latter help in regaining Texas, Mexico, and Arizona… On April 6th, 1917, the US declared war on Germany “to make the world safe for democracy.” (Ketelbey ps 428-429)

     After the end of the First War too, the US continued with its policy of Isolationism. There was a feeling that it had been unwittingly dragged into a situation, that was of no concern of its. The Great Depression was believed to have been caused by the War. Despite the information on the atrocities of the Holocaust, America chose to remain neutral and focus on domestic affairs.

     With the conclusion of the First World War, President Wilson took the lead in the formation of the League of Nations, though this was rejected by the Senate. Following Wilson, American presidents went ahead with formulating international policy, whereby it was okay to have strategic relationships with other countries, which benefited America.

“Plans for disarmament formed under Coolidge (1923-1929) and continued under Hoover (1929-1933) as he avoided war and sought to end the race of arms.  Through all the political turmoil of the twenties, the goal of the United States was to maintain power equal if not better than that of Europe, and to remain the strongest power in the Western Hemisphere.” (Keene) 

     Roosevelt put into effect the ‘Good Neighbor Policy’ after the Depression. The US maintained control in the Western Hemisphere without using overt force. From 1935 onwards several legislations were passed to keep America neutral. The idea was that the country should progress economically, but keep neutral politically.

      By November 1941, the U.S. by supporting the British and Allied forces was involved in an undeclared war with Germany.  On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor and a fleet of American ships. This led to an immediate declaration of war, and a complete reversal of the Isolationist Policy. It was no longer practical or safe to remain neutral.