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Did America become isolationist under Harding?Aim; To challenge the assumption that Hardings policy of normalcy resulted in America
becoming isolationist.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
President
Woodrow
Wilson
STARTER;
What does this cartoon suggest about
some Americans attitudes towards
Woodrow Wilson and his desire to for
America to join the League of Nations
An American Cartoon from 1919/20
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After the First World War, the Democrats lost the 1920 election
partially because they tried to make the election a vote on
whether the US should be part of the LoN.
However many Americans thought that the US should resume its
place as largely isolationist (not concerning itself with foreign
affairs), many thought the US had been conned by Europe into
entering the war and resented that fact that it had happened and
100,000 Americans had died.
Harding, Coolidge and Hoover took advantage of this as part of
normalcy it created a desire to concentrate on American affairs
only. HardingThe League is now deceased We have torn up
Wilsonism by the roots
Why was America isolationist in the 1920s
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This idea of isolationism was certainly popular with the
American people, many thought that the US should remain
uncorrupted from Old World problems as they had done for
much of the 19thCentury.
Following the First World War dangerous ideas such as
Communism had taken root in Europe, many American were
scared that this might spread to the US and were keen toavoid any unnecessary contact with Europe
However whether or not America became isolationist under
Harding is a topic open for debate. Such a large and
powerful country would it difficult to completely separate itself
from the outside world, especially if it wanted to expand trade
overseas.
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League of Nations;
Hardings proclamation that theLeague is Dead upon winning the
election killed off any chance of Americajoining the League and discredited the
League from the start.
In fact America avoided any form of
collective security in the 1920s. Many
saw the US involvement in the First
World War as a large mistake.
The US refusal to enter the Leagueresulted in it being unable to decisively
act on issues across the worldas the
worlds largest power could just act
against its wishes.
Isolationist policies under Harding
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TariffsAfter the First World War Europe desperately needed to rebuild.
One way of doing this would have been to trade with the US.
However the US was keen to protect the big business interests athome
If European goods flooded the US market then American
companies may suffer.
To stop this the US government places tariffs (fees) on all imports
making it difficult for the European countries to trade with the US
and make profit. The most famous of these was the Fordney
McCumber Tariff of 1922.This also meant it was difficult for the Europeans to pay off its war
debt to the US.
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An anti-tariff American cartoon of the time, linking the tariff to isolationism.The French man is saying: 'But Monsieur, where does it end'.
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War Debt
The US also insisted that the
European countries pay off all
of their War debt in full.
Until the mid 1920s they
were unwilling to negotiate
and were only concerned that
American investors receivedtheir money back
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Immigration ( we will cover this in a separate lesson)
The limits on Immigration continued, many Americans were keen
to see less immigrants arrive in America
The government put in place measures to limit immigration
One example of this is;
1921: Emergency Quota Act
This stated that the number of immigrants from 'the eastern hemisphere'
could not be more than 3% of the number already in America in 1910. It set
the maximum number of immigrants in any year at 357,000
This policy had a drastic effect on reducing immigrants from
poorer parts of Europe while maintaining levels from richer
countries who had high levels of immigration prior to 1910.
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NON ISOLATIONIST POLICIES UNDER HARDING
Washington Naval Conference
Not all of the Harding policies were completely isolationist.In November 1921 the US, the UK, Japan, France and Italy met in
Washington to discuss limiting the size of their Navies
All sides agreed to stop building any new battleships for 10 years, while each
side agreed to specific limits for the size of their navies
The agreement was important as it helped encourage a feeling ofdisarmament and prevent a repeat of the Naval war that had helped cause
the First World War.
The US did have its own motives however;It restricted Japanese expansion
Navies were expensive, the US wanted to save money on its Navy
Nevertheless it does show that the US did not completely cut itself off form
the world
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Trade
Although the US was keen to reduce the amount of imports that it
received, it still wanted to increase the goods that it exported across the
globe.
During the First World War the US had taken over many of the markets that
had previously been controlled by the Europeans
The US was keen to keep this up and expand trade into new areas.
American business (such as Standard Oil) were encouraged by the
government to buy large parts of land in foreign countries. Americans who
worked on this land would then require protection from the Americangovernment, thus increasing American influence.
The US wanted to make money abroad to keep their own economy
growing, they needed more influence not less in foreign affairs to make this
happen.
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HISTORICAL NOTE
Rather than isolationist Historians often refer to American foreign
policy during this period as being one of
Independent Internationalism
What do you think this phrase means? Discuss with the person
sitting next to you?
Essentially US foreign policy during this period can be best describedas the US involving itself in the world when it benefitted the US (eg
the Washington Naval Conference/Trade expansion) and keeping its
distance when no obvious benefit was on offer.
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24 Mark Question: How far was American isolationist under
Harding? (Non Timed
6 paragraphs)
You need to produce a balanced answer,e.g. considering other factors than the one
identified in the question or an alternative argument.
Detailed factual knowledge needed to support argument.Ajudgement needs to be reached.
You need to produce 4-6 paragraphs (incl. intro and conclusion)
20-25 minutes in exam
Internal assessment:
Non-timed essays:6 paragraphs
Timed essays: 4 paragraphs
ESSAY TASK FOR HOME; DUE......................Any problems you must see me, I will be looking to assess your early progress from this essay
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Reading (notes must be made)
http://www.johndclare.net/America3.htm
P33-42 The USA 19201929 Chapter 2,Foreign Policy.
P726-727, The Enduring Vision; Independent
Internationalism
http://www.johndclare.net/America3.htmhttp://www.johndclare.net/America3.htm