Compare America From Isolationism To A Global Superpower
America, from Isolationism to a Global Superpower
American History Since 1865
HIS204
America, from Isolationism to a Global Superpower
The debate between "isolationists" and "interventionists" or whether the United States should be involved in the conflict in Europe ended when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor (Bowles, 2011). This has become a highly political topic even today as to whether America should involve itself, just as the isolationists felt prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After World War II the countries that were involved were devastated, but fortunately the United States had little to no devastation. Because of this the United States gained a new type of respect from Europe and became a type of protective …show more content…
"police" over the world. Since the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United State’s intervention America has evolved into a global superpower due to the technological, weaponry and industrial advances that occurred during World War II.
The Great Depression and World War II utterly redefined the role of government in
American society and catapulted the United States from an isolated, peripheral state into a super power (Kennedy, n.d.). If the question were asked which country most benefited from
WWII the answer would be the United States. The death toll was proportionate to the population unlike the Soviet Union and Great Britain. The United States industrial economy also flourished due to the production of armaments and other supplies for itself and its allies. The depression was banished by the war and the American economy reached unprecedented heights of prosperity. The civilian economies of both the Soviet Union and Great Britain shrank by nearly one-third during war time ("Isolationists," 1996). America was at an advantage technologically and geographically. The two ocean insulations between the New World and the
Old World continued to shield the United States thru WWII.
Historians sometimes lump World War I and World War II together as a single 30-year conflict caused by Germany 's bid for mastery of Europe (Mandlebaum, 1995, p. A.37). Some would consider World War II as the first state of a 50-year war against totalitarianism that began in December, 1941, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and ended in December, 1991 with the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Could excessive isolationism and nationalism be the underlying causes of both world wars? Although, it is known the Pearl Harbor attack dramatically extinguished isolationism, the sentiment had already been remarkably diminished but its possible revival worried American leaders throughout the postwar period.
America in the
20th century had taken on a global responsibility by ending its isolation from the world and becoming too many a symbol of freedom (Bowles, 2011). But would the people of America all agree to this responsibility or did the “power” cause more unrest to a nation in the “healing” process of war?
Although President Wilson had the vision of the League of Nations being a vehicle to promote peaceful trade and cooperation and prevent future wars, he was unable to convince Congress of the need for it. During the 1920s and 1930s public and congressional actions attempted to keep the United States out of the world as much as possible ("Isolationists,"
1996). Then the United States was forced to get involved by the bombing on Pearl Harbor.
After WWII the United Nations was established by the visions of Franklin Roosevelt,
Winston Churchill, Harry Truman and his post-war cabinet.
President Roosevelt found himself in a similar position as former President Wilson and was haunted by his mistakes. He calculated that the United States wouldn’t need a large army by enhanced naval and air power. America’s contribution would be to be a supplier
of munitions to the allies. This was his attempt to appease an isolationistic nation. He, just as
Wilson had was trying to lead an isolationist, ambivalent nation that was opposed to empires and uninterested in Europe’s quarrels unless attacked directly (Barrett, 1995). Pearl Harbor put all these “opinions” to rest as it was time to protect the country we loved, no matter the cost. The bombing of Pearl Harbor that changed the world and destinies of the living. left 50 million dead and changed the resources of those not yet born.
America was different prior to the war. The majority of Americans lived on farms and what was happening in Europe seemed so far away. Prior to WWII travel abroad was limited to two classes of people, the rich and the immigrants who sacrificed to see their relatives again.
There was no network of interstates and domestic travel was confined. Before the war there were many white middle class who had never seen a black person (Hanscom, 1989). Society and the world as it was prior to WWII would never be the same. Another change of WWII was technology. One of the main technological advances although secret, was the Manhattan Project. The Manhattan Project was launched eight months after the United States entered WWII. It was an all-out, highly secret effort to build an atomic bomb and to build it before the Germans did. The task was to turn atomic fission into a weapon of unprecedented power. A group of physicists worked under top secret conditions and created nuclear chain reaction. Fortunately it was a highly controlled experiment or it would have had a catastrophic effect on the then, densely populated city of Chicago.
(http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=77). The United States with its own technological weaponry advances including the atomic bomb and America’s own long- range, ocean-spanning strategic bombers clearly signaled the end of the republic’s long era of
“free security.” The oceans between would no longer serve as protection between the U.S. and other nations. The United States had clearly established itself as a world power by the 1970’s. The U.S. had put men on the moon, built nuclear stockpiles and confronted its archrivals in eye to eye confrontations across the globe. The crisis created by this was a presidential one. Our nations
Chief executives have developed more and more power and have been engaged in conflicts that has placed them at the unrest and will of the American people. Some called it the rise of the
“Imperial Presidency” (Bowles, 2011). What was once emergency powers became authority and some of the presidents decisions were not looked upon well by the American people, thus causing political unrest within our society. The United States stands the forefront of technological innovations, democratic institutions, and militaristic interventions (Bowles, 2011). In many ways the United States has struggled to maintain its superpower status and influence on the world; the aftermath of the Vietnam War, regenerating a positive momentum, a disgraced presidential administration in the 1970s, an energy crisis, the hostage situation in Iran, a controversial President in Ronald Reagan, the new conflicts in Irag and Kuwait, but America overcame the adversary and maintained its exuberance with technology like the internet, criminal warfare, and once again faced another economic and internal crisis with 9/11. Indeed, just as the isolationists debated, one of the most highly political topics even today, is whether America should be or should remain involved in the protection of other nations. The debate between "isolationists” and "interventionists" whether the United States should be involved in the conflict in Europe ended when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. By being involved America became a superpower over other nations and many advances were made in the
United States economy, technology, politics and weaponry were made. Since the attack on Pearl
Harbor and the United State’s intervention, America has evolved into a global superpower due these advances aforementioned and the United States continued support to other nations to preserve and protect democracy.
.
.
References
Barrett, L. I. (1995, Jun 15, 1995). When the U.S. Came Of Age as a World Power. Newsday, B.06. http://dx.doi.org/278893827
Bowles, W. D. (2011). American History 1865 to present/End of Isolation. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUHIS204.11.2
Hanscom, L. (1989, Sep 1, 1989). REMEMBERING WWII The Day THE World Went TO War SEPTEMBER 1st, 193. Newsday. http://dx.doi.org/278157252Retrieved from:http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/278157252?accountid=32521
Kennedy, D. M. (n.d.). The Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945. Retrieved from http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/essays/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945
Mandlebaum, M. (1995, May 5, 1995). The End of WWII Wasn’t the Real End. Newsday, A.37. Retrieved from:http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/278872917?accountid=32521
The New Isolationists [Editorial]. (1996, 22 Aug 1996). Tulsa World, A.14. http://dx.doi.org/ISSN 87505959
American History Since 1865
HIS204
America, from Isolationism to a Global Superpower
The debate between "isolationists" and "interventionists" or whether the United States should be involved in the conflict in Europe ended when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor (Bowles, 2011). This has become a highly political topic even today as to whether America should involve itself, just as the isolationists felt prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After World War II the countries that were involved were devastated, but fortunately the United States had little to no devastation. Because of this the United States gained a new type of respect from Europe and became a type of protective …show more content…
"police" over the world. Since the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United State’s intervention America has evolved into a global superpower due to the technological, weaponry and industrial advances that occurred during World War II.
The Great Depression and World War II utterly redefined the role of government in
American society and catapulted the United States from an isolated, peripheral state into a super power (Kennedy, n.d.). If the question were asked which country most benefited from
WWII the answer would be the United States. The death toll was proportionate to the population unlike the Soviet Union and Great Britain. The United States industrial economy also flourished due to the production of armaments and other supplies for itself and its allies. The depression was banished by the war and the American economy reached unprecedented heights of prosperity. The civilian economies of both the Soviet Union and Great Britain shrank by nearly one-third during war time ("Isolationists," 1996). America was at an advantage technologically and geographically. The two ocean insulations between the New World and the
Old World continued to shield the United States thru WWII.
Historians sometimes lump World War I and World War II together as a single 30-year conflict caused by Germany 's bid for mastery of Europe (Mandlebaum, 1995, p. A.37). Some would consider World War II as the first state of a 50-year war against totalitarianism that began in December, 1941, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and ended in December, 1991 with the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Could excessive isolationism and nationalism be the underlying causes of both world wars? Although, it is known the Pearl Harbor attack dramatically extinguished isolationism, the sentiment had already been remarkably diminished but its possible revival worried American leaders throughout the postwar period.
America in the
20th century had taken on a global responsibility by ending its isolation from the world and becoming too many a symbol of freedom (Bowles, 2011). But would the people of America all agree to this responsibility or did the “power” cause more unrest to a nation in the “healing” process of war?
Although President Wilson had the vision of the League of Nations being a vehicle to promote peaceful trade and cooperation and prevent future wars, he was unable to convince Congress of the need for it. During the 1920s and 1930s public and congressional actions attempted to keep the United States out of the world as much as possible ("Isolationists,"
1996). Then the United States was forced to get involved by the bombing on Pearl Harbor.
After WWII the United Nations was established by the visions of Franklin Roosevelt,
Winston Churchill, Harry Truman and his post-war cabinet.
President Roosevelt found himself in a similar position as former President Wilson and was haunted by his mistakes. He calculated that the United States wouldn’t need a large army by enhanced naval and air power. America’s contribution would be to be a supplier
of munitions to the allies. This was his attempt to appease an isolationistic nation. He, just as
Wilson had was trying to lead an isolationist, ambivalent nation that was opposed to empires and uninterested in Europe’s quarrels unless attacked directly (Barrett, 1995). Pearl Harbor put all these “opinions” to rest as it was time to protect the country we loved, no matter the cost. The bombing of Pearl Harbor that changed the world and destinies of the living. left 50 million dead and changed the resources of those not yet born.
America was different prior to the war. The majority of Americans lived on farms and what was happening in Europe seemed so far away. Prior to WWII travel abroad was limited to two classes of people, the rich and the immigrants who sacrificed to see their relatives again.
There was no network of interstates and domestic travel was confined. Before the war there were many white middle class who had never seen a black person (Hanscom, 1989). Society and the world as it was prior to WWII would never be the same. Another change of WWII was technology. One of the main technological advances although secret, was the Manhattan Project. The Manhattan Project was launched eight months after the United States entered WWII. It was an all-out, highly secret effort to build an atomic bomb and to build it before the Germans did. The task was to turn atomic fission into a weapon of unprecedented power. A group of physicists worked under top secret conditions and created nuclear chain reaction. Fortunately it was a highly controlled experiment or it would have had a catastrophic effect on the then, densely populated city of Chicago.
(http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=77). The United States with its own technological weaponry advances including the atomic bomb and America’s own long- range, ocean-spanning strategic bombers clearly signaled the end of the republic’s long era of
“free security.” The oceans between would no longer serve as protection between the U.S. and other nations. The United States had clearly established itself as a world power by the 1970’s. The U.S. had put men on the moon, built nuclear stockpiles and confronted its archrivals in eye to eye confrontations across the globe. The crisis created by this was a presidential one. Our nations
Chief executives have developed more and more power and have been engaged in conflicts that has placed them at the unrest and will of the American people. Some called it the rise of the
“Imperial Presidency” (Bowles, 2011). What was once emergency powers became authority and some of the presidents decisions were not looked upon well by the American people, thus causing political unrest within our society. The United States stands the forefront of technological innovations, democratic institutions, and militaristic interventions (Bowles, 2011). In many ways the United States has struggled to maintain its superpower status and influence on the world; the aftermath of the Vietnam War, regenerating a positive momentum, a disgraced presidential administration in the 1970s, an energy crisis, the hostage situation in Iran, a controversial President in Ronald Reagan, the new conflicts in Irag and Kuwait, but America overcame the adversary and maintained its exuberance with technology like the internet, criminal warfare, and once again faced another economic and internal crisis with 9/11. Indeed, just as the isolationists debated, one of the most highly political topics even today, is whether America should be or should remain involved in the protection of other nations. The debate between "isolationists” and "interventionists" whether the United States should be involved in the conflict in Europe ended when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. By being involved America became a superpower over other nations and many advances were made in the
United States economy, technology, politics and weaponry were made. Since the attack on Pearl
Harbor and the United State’s intervention, America has evolved into a global superpower due these advances aforementioned and the United States continued support to other nations to preserve and protect democracy.
.
.
References
Barrett, L. I. (1995, Jun 15, 1995). When the U.S. Came Of Age as a World Power. Newsday, B.06. http://dx.doi.org/278893827
Bowles, W. D. (2011). American History 1865 to present/End of Isolation. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUHIS204.11.2
Hanscom, L. (1989, Sep 1, 1989). REMEMBERING WWII The Day THE World Went TO War SEPTEMBER 1st, 193. Newsday. http://dx.doi.org/278157252Retrieved from:http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/278157252?accountid=32521
Kennedy, D. M. (n.d.). The Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945. Retrieved from http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/essays/great-depression-and-world-war-ii-1929-1945
Mandlebaum, M. (1995, May 5, 1995). The End of WWII Wasn’t the Real End. Newsday, A.37. Retrieved from:http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/278872917?accountid=32521
The New Isolationists [Editorial]. (1996, 22 Aug 1996). Tulsa World, A.14. http://dx.doi.org/ISSN 87505959