Transcript 5.5 Rejection of Internationalismx

5.5: Analyze the United States
rejection of internationalism, including
postwar disillusionment, the Senate’s
refusal to ratify the Treaty of Versailles,
the election of 1920, and the role of
the United States in international
affairs in the 1920s.
Rejection of Internationalism
Treaty of Versailles
 Constitution gives foreign
policy powers to the President
but requires the Senate to ratify
all treaties
 President Wilson was
instrumental in drafting the
Treaty of Versailles because he
wanted the United States to
become the leader of the
League of Nations
 The Senate refused to ratify the
treaty
Rejection of Treaty of Versailles
 Senators were concerned with the principle of collective
security
 Central principle of the League of Nations
 Would require US to become involved in future military
actions through the League without declaration of war by
the Senate (against the Constitution)
Rejection of Treaty of Versailles
 Rejection was a result of political partisanship.
 Republicans opposed ratification outright
 Democrat Wilson refused to compromise with Republicans
 Wilson took his cause to the American people through a
goodwill tour, attempting to secure election of Democratic
Senators
 Wilson suffered a massive stroke during the tour that left
him physically and mentally debilitated
 Goodwill tour failed to garner support and the Treaty of
Versailles was never ratified
Election of 1920
 Became a referendum on the League of Nations
 Democrats (James M. Cox) supported Wilson’s call to
increase internationalism
 Republicans (Warren G. Harding) advocated a return to
“normalcy” by pursuing isolation once again
Results of the Election of 1920
 The American people supported WWI to “make the world
safe for democracy” but were disillusioned by the brutality
of the affair, the cost in human life and the post-war greed
of the allies
 Republicans won in a landslide and the American people
displayed their rejection of internationalism in favor
returning to a policy of isolationism
US Economic Power
 Although the US rejected collective security, it continued
to be the world’s economic leader
 Leading exporter of goods
 Major creditor nation
 World’s financial capital
 Attempted to improve relations in Latin America through
the Good Neighbor policy
1920s Diplomacy
 Participated in several international conferences to reduce
armaments and naval power
 Loaned money to European nations (including Germany)
through the Dawes and Young Plans
 Took a hands-off approach as dictators rose to power in
Germany and Italy
 Americans were too concerned with their own economic
problems to worry about European political affairs
 Congress passed the Neutrality Acts to ensure that the US
would not get involved in another World War again!