US Foreign Policy 1937-1941 Dbq Analysis

Settling down after World War I, the U.S. enters the Great Depression as a result. World War I instilled great fear in the nation and pushed it into isolation—restricting its interaction with other nations. Progressing into the late 1930s, the world is faced with aggression from Germany and Japan that leads into World War II, which repels the U.S. deeper into isolationism. Despite this reaction, the U.S. slowly changes its foreign policy by inching into war efforts as a result of three factors. The U.S. foreign policy of 1937 to 1941 was influenced economically through war efforts to preserve the democracy in Europe and established distant state of isolation. Relatively, the democratic values play a crucial role in the U.S. as
foreign policies because it slowly pushes the U.S. out of total isolation to a more distant involvement. Although the U.S.’s economy was damaged greatly throughout the Great Depression and believed isolation would be the best solution—as shown in the London Conference where Franklin D. Roosevelt refused to be involved—the U.S. later realized that keeping economic ties with other nations would benefit its economy to a greater extent. This was proven through studies shown in An Economic History of the United States, which presents the increasing corporate profits from 1930 to 1941 when the U.S. became more involved with war time industrialization (Doc. 6). The Neutrality Act of 1939 (Cash and Carry) and the Lend and Lease plan reflected the new mentality of the U.S. foreign policy to become more involved with other nations, yet staying out of combat. A political cartoon from Brown Brothers reveals that the U.S. believed the military spending would lead to the eventual recovery of the U.S. economy (Doc. 4). This illustrates the gradual exit from total
foreign policy was the need for national security. When Roosevelt entered his third term (1941-1945) to aid the U.S. through the war, he executed his Quarantine Speech that explained the idea that being completely isolated while the world goes through “economic and political upheavals” would be impossible and it would be a necessity to increase its defense. Even before his third term, Roosevelt proposed to increase naval strength in fear of “unprepared[ness] to defend themselves when attacked,” (Doc. 1). Although “over 100 million people” opposed involvement in the war and “that [was] reason enough for us to stay out (Doc.7),” Roosevelt’s Quarantine Speech disproves that mentality. Influencing the nation, Roosevelt presented the Conscription Law to draft citizens in order to prepare itself for oncoming war. These factors support the U.S.’s greater involvement in the war, and put itself on the brink of combat, escaping from