Study GuideU.S. History II–From Isolation to World War II1.American Foreign Policy in the 20sAfterWorld War I, the U.S. Senate refused to ratify theTreaty of Versailles, which helped create aperiod ofisolationism. Americans wanted to avoid European conflicts, but complete withdrawal fromworld affairs was impossible because the U.S. now had territories from theCaribbean to the Pacificand had become theworld’s leading creditor nation.Despite public desire for isolation, the U.S. still engaged internationally: cooperating ontrade, drugcontrol, disarmament, and debt negotiations, and remaining heavily involved in theWesternHemisphere, particularlyCentral America.1.1Disarmament EffortsTwo main reasons drove U.S. calls for disarmament:1.Preventing another war by avoiding an arms race (especially theAnglo-German navalrivalry).2.LimitingJapanese military powerto protect American interests in Asia.Key treaties:•Washington Naval Conference (1921–22): U.S., Japan, Britain, France, Italy agreed tolimitnaval tonnageand pause building aircraft carriers and battleships for ten years.•Nine-Power Treaty: 9 nations, including the U.S. and Japan, pledged torespect China’sterritorial integrityand theOpen Door Policy.Later efforts were less successful:•1927 Geneva talksfailed on smaller ships.•1930 London Naval Conferencelimited cruisers and submarines, but France and Italy werenot formal signatories.•Japan still acted aggressively inManchuria (1931).Preview Mode
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