1933-1946 : The American hegemony
In a dozen years, the united States increased from isolationism to hegemony in spite of a strong short isolationism. In fact, isolationism is the political principe or practice of showing interest only in your own country and not being involved in internationals activities. It collapses in 1935. The end of the economic crisis together with the establishing of « New deal » mark a politic turning point of the United States. In fact, from 1941, they used more interventionism, that is to say is a policy by which the United State participates in the economy to promote several activities. There is also talk of interventionism when a state integrates an armed conflict, in order to remedy the situation. How did the USA become a superpower ? First let's talk about the situation in America during the period of isolationism. What's more we will discuss the fact that the United States has used more the interventionism from 1933 to 1946
A) Establishing of New deal
• Isolationism, is a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interets of other group especially the politicals affairs of other country. This definition is characteristic of the United States' situation. In this country, isolationism began in 1918 after the first World War. However, we will speak about from 1933. Because of the 29th crise, « New Deal » ,expression appeared for the first time by Franklin Roosevelt, in 1932 while his speech called « New Deal ». This expression designated all economic and social measures taken by the United States between 1933 and 1939. In fact in 1933, 25% of actives are unemployement and social welfare is
very poor. Americans live in destitute. So, with his election the 4th March 1933, Franklin Roosevelt start the « New Deal ».
• It indroduce novelty in the american economical system by the fact that this state act
directly in the economic to insure security. Time is not longer in internationnale cooperation: in 1933 The United States retired from the london economic conference that sought a solution to the crisis.
B) An isolationist opinion
• In 1936, there is a challenge to enter the war United States in 1917 by claiming that Wilson, former president of america, was pushed by the arms industry. Polls show that Americans want to stay out of the tensions are increasing in Europe and Asia.
• Absorbed by domestic problems until 1938 and concerned about the traditional American isolationism, Roosevelt could only mobilize his countrymen late against the world conflict. In 1940.
• He made a vote by Congress rearmament program and the conscription of all men between 21 to 35 years. Advocating active support of the United States in the fight for democracy, Roosevelt gets the congressional passage of the law Lend-Lease (11 March 1941). This allows America to supply arms to enemies of the Axis powers.
C) A commited President
• Roosevelt's foreign policy, which unlike Wilson, had no strong views,
was initially very cautious and limited in scope. It mainly consisted to remain neutral concerning the rising tensions in Europe : In 1934, Congress granted independence to the Philippines. In 1936, the United States declared themselves neutral about the Italian invasion of Ethiopia and the Spanish Civil War. During his second presidency (1937-1941), Roosevelt, who had, with the economic recovery, margins of larger maneuvers develop gradually to the belief that aggression of Germany and Japan made war inevitable and that the United States could not permanently avoid conflict: in 1938 he started a vast program of rearmament (Fleet in particular)
• But, Roosevelt understands that the world order is attacked by the aggressive policy of Mussolini and hilter. He is also concerned about Japanese expansion in China because it could threaten American’s interests in the Pacific. So he began in 1937 a policy change. He explained it through in speech called "quarantine's speech" in 5 october 1937.
• However the United States remained until 1941, not neutral, but non-belligerents, the American public was not ready for a war pacifist and largely favorable to the Munich Agreement in the manner of European companies . It suffered additionally pressures German pro lobbies (industrialist Henry Ford and journalist HL Mencken, for example) and isolationist (the association America First chaired by Charles Lindbergh).
II) The United States toward interventionism from 1941 to 1946
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A) The USA became the arsenal of democracy in 1940
• The political intervention is tendancy of the state to intervene politically or militarily in the affairs of another state.
• The United States has a progressive involvement in the conflict. Neutralities 's laws are less harsh in 1939. After the defeat of France, the Congress established in September 1940 the conscription. Roosevelt who was elected president for the third time, announced in December of the same year that the United States must be "the arsenal of democracy." He passed the law of "lend-lease" in 1941 of March. In August, he signed with Churchill the Atlantic Charter in order to do reign peace founded on the right.
• The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 leads entry of the war and formation of the Grand Alliance.
In fact, the economics sanctions taken by the United States since 1939 against japan aggravate tensions between the two country. That's why, on 7 of december 1941, Japanese planes attacked by surprise the American base at Pearl Harbor. So the next day, the congress's vote decided that the usa will enter in war.
• We can see a war effort by the establishment of a war economy, the Victory Program, and the mobilization of one million soldiers who land on two fronts. This effort is rewarded with Japan's surrender : 2 of September in 1945.
B) The United States provide the means to become a power
• Indeed, the USA become a superpower in several fields. Firstly the United States are the first economic superpower. They dominate the world economy with 65% of the stock of gold and 50% of global industrial production. They are the only one to have nuclear weapons. Especially with their prestige of liberators, they seem able to fulfill their manifest destiny: to bring liberal democracy to the world. In 1919, Roosevelt wants to organize collective security but this time he has the consent of the American public
• The United States wanted to peace. So they received on their soil the Bretton Woods conference wich organizes the global economy as well as San Fransisco's conference who creates "ONU" in June 1945. The headquarters of the latter is set in New York in 1946, symbolizing the American commitment. The United States are beginning to repatriate their troops and they think keeping good relations with the USSR despite ideological differences. But the great Alliance begins to crack in 1946.
After a return to isolationism in 1920 until 1941, in which rooselvelt sets up “new deal”, the twentieth century is the century in which the usa is politically and military involved in world affair. In fact , American are committed in 1945 to defend their allies through importants events in the world. So, their intervention enable to become a superpower. We can ask how the Cold War is a major turning point in tha american politic from 1947 to 1989.