Why Did America Become Isolationist

364 Words2 Pages
Why was America isolationist in 1919? After the devastating affect of WW1 America was a bit weary of weather it would have to spare anymore men or resources to any European crisis, 57,000 Americans lost there lives The sinking of the passenger liner Lusitania in 1915 by a German submarine was a factor in the US decision to enter World War 1.However, the effect was very long term. If any one sinking was crucial, it was probably the Vigilancia, an American merchantman topredoed without warning on 18 March 1917, with the loss of 15 American lives. Two other American vessels had been sunk by u-boats that same day. Three days later, President Wilson called Congress into session for April 2, when he requested a declaration of war against Germany. From 1919-1941 the US advocated its isolationism. However, as such a large and economically influential nation it could not be truly isolationist and did take part in some international affairs during the period. The extent to which the nation was isolationist varied throughout the period. One can clearly state that in 1919 support for isolationism was extremely strong, the US government presented itself as isolationist during this period and was limited in the extent of its intervention in foreign affairs. Public acts of withdraw from international affairs in the 1920s quieted the call for isolationism at home, such as its refusal to join the League of Nations or the International Court of Justice (in 1922 and 1927), failure to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and other isolationist policy like the restrictions on immigration and raised tariffs on European goods. Although the United States appeared isolationist in the 1920s it cannot be called truly isolationist. Although it did not join the League of Nations it worked closely with them especially over humanitarian issues. It also instigated and signed the
Open Document