DOCSLIB.ORG

Wang 1 the Extent to Which U.S. Foreign Policy Was Guided By

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Wang 1 the Extent to Which U.S. Foreign Policy Was Guided By Wang !1 The Extent to which U.S. Foreign Policy was Guided by Moral Principles during World War II Jack W US History Green Mrs. Despo March 11, 2020 Wang !2 The Extent to which U.S Foreign Policy was Guided by Moral Principles during World War II After World War I, the United States opted to pursue various foreign policies, such as the Lend-Lease policy, the Neutrality Act in 1939, and the Cash and Carry. With the Neutrality Act policy, for instance, the government dodged transnational alliances as an approach to protect its own economic interests, especially after having gone through a draining Great Depression.1 The act declared "permanent neutrality" as the country’s foreign policy, which played an instrumental role in WWII politics. Under the act, the US declared a non-interventionist policy in both WWI and WWII. While the government had long embraced the non-interventionist approach that was established during George Washington’s regime, it issued an official declaration of war during WWII following a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. In principle, the United States went to an extent of applying assertive response, largely as a measure to protect its economy, security, and balance global power through carefully crafted politics. In this regard, to a large extent, the United States foreign policy was guided by moral principles that were politically, economically, and military motivated. The article, “America Enters the War,” illustrates various accounts of the significant extent to which the United States’ foreign policy applied prudence, national interests, anarchical theory, and balance of power as the basis of its moral principles.2 The US pursued this ethical principle with a unified belief that global politics is an arena of individual countries pursuing powers. As such, the permanent neutrality helped the United States maintain a balance of power in geopolitics during WWII. In return, the tool would help achieve peace among actors 1 "America Enters the War." In American History, ABC-CLIO, 2020. Accessed March 9, 2020. http:// americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Topics/Display/1187288?cid=41&sid=1187288. 2 America Enters the War Wang !3 competing for global powers. The retreat into what was termed as isolationism was a move that was fronted to protect the interests of the United States. As a foreign policy, the Neutrality Act helped the United States sign commercial treaties and expand trade beyond its borders. The act is an indication of the extent to which the country’s foreign policy was informed by moral principles during times of war. The aspect of isolationism was prefixed on the view that the Great Depression had left more than 25 percent of the country's citizens unemployed.3 As such, the focus was to advance local interests that were deemed important and avoid engaging in expensive wars that drained the country's resources. To this end, the United States adopted a foreign policy that was, to a large extent, guided by the moral principal of neutrality to protect its economic and political interests. ! Figure 1: President Franklin D. Roosevelt requesting Congress to declare war on December 8, 19414 3 America Enters the War 4 United States Government. - United States National Archives. “FDR’s “Day of Infamy” Speech Crafting a Call to Arms.” Accessed March 9, 2020. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2001/winter/ crafting-day-of-infamy-speech.html Wang !4 The Lend-Lease Act (1941), Excerpt, highlights another foreign policy that was extensively guided by moral principles. The policy advanced the political and economic interests of the United States.5 The policy largely applied an anarchical theory of international relations and balance of power as the basis of its moral principles. It extended credits, weapons, and supplies to the British government and countries allied to the United States, such as China. The United States considered China, a Japanese enemy, its ally because of the role it played fighting proxy wars on its behalf. On its part, the British government was struggling to overcome the aggression of Nazi Germany during WWII. With the Lend-Lease Act, the United States would grant aid to any allies that were vital to its security. While the country was not formally involved in WWII, its aid to the British government and China was an act of support to its allies. Japan, for instance, attacked Pearl Harbor as retaliation to what it viewed as arming of China. In this regard, Japan and Nazi Germany were considered a threat to the security of the United States. In these instances, the country applied the Lend-Lease program, which was, in principle, morally motivated by the desire of balancing global power to the favor of the US. 5 "Lend-Lease Act (1941), Excerpt." In American History, ABC-CLIO, 2020. Accessed March 9, 2020. http:// americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/254594. Wang !5 ! Figure 2: Army personnel from the Great Britain unpacking revolvers shipped from the United States under the Lend-Lease Program6 The 1937 Quarantine Speech by President Franklin D. Roosevelt is another illustration of how the country’s foreign policy was largely guided by moral principles during WWII. In the speech, Roosevelt highlighted the need for immediate "quarantine" in what the president termed as an epidemic war.7 The quarantine speech was an alternative foreign policy measure in response to the unstable political climate brought about by WWII. As a neutrality strategy and a non-intervention approach, the speech was indirectly pointing to the aggressive nature of certain countries, such as the Empire of Japan, Italy, and Nazi Germany. The speech was only meant to address the interests of the United States. For instance, the president acknowledged that the country had experienced a Great Depression in the late 1930s and the WWII situation in Europe 6 "In American History, ABC-CLIO, 2020. Image. Accessed March 9, 2020. http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/ Search/Display/1199639. 7 Glass, Andrew. “This Day in Politics: FDR calls for 'quarantine' of aggressor nations, Oct. 5, 1937.” Politico. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/05/fdr-quarantine-aggressor-nations-1937-855522 Wang !6 was undermining its trade opportunities in the region. As such, gaining financial stability was necessary through the “cash and carry” program.8 Through the program, which was appropriated in 1939, the United States used its permanent neutrality to advance its interests by selling oil and raw materials to belligerent countries in Europe. The United States was able to exercise this prerogative irrespective of the side that the belligerent countries were leaning towards. The move was accepted by different countries that provided tacit acceptance by availing means of passage. The passage was provided as long as the United States remained faithful to its statutes of neutrality. The quarantine speech applied a non-partisan moral principle to the country’s foreign policy. It was used to indirectly warn Japan, German, and Italy against their aggressions. ! Figure 3: A cartoon making fun of the 1937 Quarantine Speech by President Franklin D. Roosevelt9 8 America Enters the War 9 Dr. Seuss Wang !7 The article, “Cash and Carry in American History,” presents evidence of how the United States advanced a foreign policy program informed by moral principles to provide a balance for global political power. In so doing, the Cash and Carry policy allowed countries that were victims of aggression to procure arms to fight the Axis powers.10 While the United States remained neutral amid chaos after the onset of WWII, it promoted the Lend-Lease foreign policy as an initiative to promote the defense of the motherland.11 In this regard, foreign policy during WWII was meant to help the United States survive the anarchic structure of global war politics. The country supported the preemptive measures with the argument that there is no status-quo in archaic international systems as far as great powers are concerned. Global power was a continuous mission meant to alter the scales in the favor of the United States. As such, the country’s foreign principle of anarchy and balance of power was meant to promote its survival. The only way to ensure this was to exercise the American hegemon. For instance, the Cash and Carry policy was devised to circumvent the neutrality policy. The foreign policy is another indication of the significant extent to which the country’s foreign policy was guided by moral principles. The objective was to tilt global power dynamics during WWII in favor of the US. 10 Carroll, James T., and Tucker, Spencer C. "Cash and Carry." In American History, ABC-CLIO, 2020. Accessed March 9, 2020. http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1891384. 11 Neiberg, Michael S. "Lend-Lease Program." In American History , ABC-CLIO, 2020. Accessed March 9, 2020. http://americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/642660 Wang !8 ! Figure 4: A postcard supporting aid to allies through Cash and Carry foreign policy12 The Lend-Lease Program article presents a corrective measure of the Neutrality foreign policy act.13 For instance, the terms under which the Neutrality Act was devised presented opportunities for other countries, such as Japan, to transport materials across the Atlantic sea.14 During the onset of WWII, Japan exploited the United States neutrality stance to move across the Atlantic sea. But this window was closed after restrictions were put in place following the Axis powers regulations in 1941. The embargo resulted in an economic clash, a move that triggered Japan to attack Pearl Harbor. The United States responded in kind by declaring war on Japan, Italy, and Germany. The response is an illustration of anarchy, which is an international relation theory that prescribes that the world lacks a supreme authority to resolve disputes.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Consideration of the Yalta Conference As an Executive Agreement
    University of Nebraska at Omaha DigitalCommons@UNO Student Work 8-1-1973 The consideration of the Yalta Conference as an executive agreement John Brayman University of Nebraska at Omaha Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork Recommended Citation Brayman, John, "The consideration of the Yalta Conference as an executive agreement" (1973). Student Work. 372. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork/372 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Work by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE CONSIDERATION OF THE YALTA CONFERENCE AS AN EXECUTIVE AGREEMENT A Thesis Presented to the Department of History and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska at Omaha In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts John Brayman August, 1973 UMI Number: EP73010 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI EP73010 Published by ProQuest LLC (2015). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 THESIS ACCEPTANCE Accepted for fee facility of The Graduate College of fee University of Nebraska at Omaha, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts, Graduate Committee: Name Departmin Chairman THE CONSITERATION GP :THS YALTA CONFERENCE AS AN EXECUTIVE AGREEMENT : The story of the Yalta Conference is a complex and a difficult one.
    [Show full text]
  • Academic Search Complete
    Academic Search Complete Pavadinimas Prenumerata nuo Prenumerata iki Metai nuo Metai iki 1 Technology times 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20140601 20210327 2 Organization Development Review 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20190101 3 PRESENCE: Virtual & Augmented Reality 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20180101 4 Television Week 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20030310 20090601 5 Virginia Declaration of Rights and Cardinal Bellarmine 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 6 U.S. News & World Report: The Report 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20200124 7 Education Journal Review 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20180101 8 BioCycle CONNECT 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20200108 9 High Power Computing 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20191001 10 Economic Review (Uzbekistan) 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20130801 11 Civil Disobedience 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 12 Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 13 IUP Journal of Environmental & Healthcare Law 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 14 View of the Revolution (Through Indian Eyes) 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 15 Narrative of Her Life: Mary Jemison 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 16 Follette's Platform of 1924 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 17 Dred Scott, Plaintiff in Error, v. John F. A. Sanford 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 18 U.S. News - The Civic Report 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20180928 20200117 19 Supreme Court Cases: The Twenty-first Century (2000 - Present) 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 20 Geophysical Report 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 21 Adult Literacy 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 2000 22 Report on In-Class Variables: Fall 1987 & Fall 1992 2021-04-01 2021-12-31 2000 23 Report of investigation : the Aldrich Ames espionage case / Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence,2021-04-01 U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rise of Totalitarianism, the Start of World War II and the US Response
    The Rise of Totalitarianism, the Start of World War II and the US Response Overview Students will gain an understanding of the conditions that allowed totalitarian regimes to come to power throughout the world following World War I. Through a study of four nations (Russia, Italy, Germany, and Japan) students will gain insight into how the regimes came to power and how they maintained that power. Students will then be responsible for conveying what they have learned about their assigned regime by participating in a jigsaw activity. The lesson culminates with a debate between “isolationists” and “interventionists” analyzing the United States’ responses to the rise of Totalitarian regimes. Grade 11 NC Essential Standards for American History II • AH2.H.2.2: Evaluate key turning points since the end of Reconstruction in terms of their lasting impact • AH2.H.6.2: Explain the reasons for United States involvement in global wars and the influence each involvement had on international affairs • AH2.H.7.1: Explain the impact of wars on American politics since Reconstruction Materials • Election Ballots (attached) • “Rise of Totalitarianism Jigsaw” handout (attached) • “Rise of Totalitarianism in Russia, Italy, Germany, and Japan” handouts (attached) • “Rise of Totalitarianism” Viewing Guide (attached) • “Totalitarian Aggression and the Start of World War II” Power Point, available in PDF format at the Consortium’s Database of K-12 Resources o To view this PDF as a projectable presentation, save the file, click “View” in the top menu bar of the file, and select “Full Screen Mode” o To request an editable PPT version of this presentation, send a request to [email protected] • “Totalitarian Aggression and the Start of World War II” Guided Notes (attached) • Isolationists v.
    [Show full text]
  • Attack on Pearl Harbor
    Attack on Pearl Harbor From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Attack on Pearl Harbor Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II Photograph from a Japanese plane of Battleship Row at the beginning of the attack. The explosion in the center is a torpedo strike on the USS Oklahoma. Two attacking Japanese planes can be seen: one over the USS Neosho and one over the Naval Yard. Date December 7, 1941 Primarily Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Location Territory, U.S. Japanese major tactical victory U.S. declaration of war on the Result Empire of Japan. Germany and Italy declare war on the United States. Belligerents United States Empire of Japan Commanders and leaders Husband Kimmel Chuichi Nagumo Walter Short Isoroku Yamamoto Strength Mobile Unit: 8 battleships 6 aircraft carriers 8 cruisers 2 battleships 30 destroyers 2 heavy cruisers 4 submarines 1 light cruiser 1 USCG Cutter[nb 1] 9 destroyers 49 other ships[1] 8 tankers ~390 aircraft 23 fleet submarines 5 midget submarines 414 aircraft Casualties and losses 4 battleships sunk 3 battleships damaged 1 battleship grounded 4 midget submarines sunk 2 other ships sunk[nb 2] 1 midget submarine 3 cruisers damaged[nb 3] grounded 3 destroyers damaged 29 aircraft destroyed 3 other ships damaged 64 killed 188 aircraft destroyed 1 captured[6] 159[3] aircraft damaged 2,402 killed 1,247 wounded[4][5] Civilian casualties Between 48 - 68 killed[7][8] 35 wounded[4] [show] v t e Hawaiian Islands Campaign [show] v t e Pacific War The attack on Pearl Harbor[nb 4] was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941 (December 8 in Japan).
    [Show full text]
  • FDR and Pearl Harbor (Free Press, 2000), 258-260
    CONFRONT THE ISSUE Almost as soon as the attacks occurred, conspiracy theorists began claiming that President Roosevelt had FDR AND prior knowledge of the assault on Pearl Harbor. Others have claimed he tricked the Japanese into starting a war with the United States as a “back door” way to go to war with Japan’s ally, Nazi Germany. However, PEARL after nearly 65 years, no document or credible witness has been discovered that prove either claim. Most HARBOR scholars view Pearl Harbor as the consequence of missed clues, intelligence errors, and overconfidence. The causes behind the Japanese attack are complex and date back to the 1930s, when Japan undertook a military/colonial expansion in China—culminating in a full-scale invasion in 1937. America opposed this expansion and used a variety of methods to try to deter Japan. During the late 1930s, FDR began providing limited support to the Chinese government. In 1940, Roosevelt moved the Pacific fleet to the naval base at Pearl Harbor as a show of American power. He also attempted to address growing tensions with Japan through diplomacy. When Japan seized southern French Indo-China in July 1941, Roosevelt responded by freezing Japanese Scroll down to view assets in the United States and ending sales of oil to Japan. Japan’s military depended upon American oil. select documents Japan then had to decide between settling the crisis through diplomacy or by striking deep into Southeast from the FDR Library Asia to acquire alternative sources of oil, an action that was certain to meet American opposition. and excerpts from the historical debate.
    [Show full text]
  • World War II
    World War II 1. What position did George Marshall hold during World War II? A. Commanding General of the Pacific B. Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army C. Army Field Marshall of Bataan D. Supreme Officer of European Operations 2. Which of the following best explains why President Harry S. Truman decided to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II? A. He wanted the war to last as long as possible. B. He wanted to wait for the USSR to join the war. C. He wanted Germany to surrender unconditionally. D. He wanted to avoid an American invasion of Japan. 3. What impact did the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor have on World War II? A. Italy surrendered and united with the Allies. B. The Pacific Charter was organized against Japan. C. Japan surrendered to the Allies the following day. D. It pulled the United States into World War II. 4. The picture above is an iconic image from World War II and symbolizes which of the following? A. the women who ferried supplies into combat areas during the war B. the millions of women who joined the workforce in heavy industry C. the important work done by Red Cross nurses during World War II D. the women who joined the armed forces in combat roles Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, initially known as the Ardennes Offensive, began on December 16, 1944. Hitler believed that the coalition between Britain, France, and the United States in the western region of Europe was not very powerful and that a major defeat by the Germans would break up the Allied forces.
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis of American Propaganda in World War II and the Vietnam War Connor Foley
    Bridgewater State University Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University Honors Program Theses and Projects Undergraduate Honors Program 5-12-2015 An Analysis of American Propaganda in World War II and the Vietnam War Connor Foley Follow this and additional works at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/honors_proj Part of the Cultural History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Foley, Connor. (2015). An Analysis of American Propaganda in World War II and the Vietnam War. In BSU Honors Program Theses and Projects. Item 90. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/honors_proj/90 Copyright © 2015 Connor Foley This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. An Analysis of American Propaganda in World War II and the Vietnam War Connor Foley Submitted in Partial Completion of the Requirements for Commonwealth Honors in History Bridgewater State University May 12, 2015 Dr. Paul Rubinson, Thesis Director Dr. Leonid Heretz, Committee Member Dr. Thomas Nester, Committee Member Foley 1 Introduction The history of the United States is riddled with military engagements and warfare. From the inception of this country to the present day, the world knows the United States as a militaristic power. The 20th century was a particularly tumultuous time in which the United States participated in many military conflicts including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, and several other smaller or unofficial engagements. The use of propaganda acts as a common thread that ties all these military actions together. Countries rely on propaganda during wartime for a variety of reasons.
    [Show full text]
  • Between the Wars and World War Two Chapter Outline
    www.ck12.org CHAPTER 5 Between the Wars and World War Two Chapter Outline 5.1 WILSON DESIRES "A JUST PEACE" 5.2 RISE OF FASCISM AND TOTALITARIANISM IN EUROPE 5.3 ISOLATIONISM 5.4 ROOSEVELT’S RESPONSE TO A TROUBLED WORLD 5.5 ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR PROPELS THE UNITED STATES INTO WORLD WAR II 5.6 COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN WORLD WAR II AND MAJOR THEATERS OF WORLD WAR II 5.7 WARTIME STRATEGY 5.8 INDIVIDUAL SACRIFICES WERE MADE BY MANY 5.9 IMPORTANT INDIVIDUALS OF WORLD WAR II 5.10 JAPANESE AMERICANS OUTCASTED IN WAKE OF PEARL HARBOR 5.11 WOMEN ANSWER THE CALL AT HOME AND ABROAD 5.12 WORLD WAR II AND AFRICAN AMERICANS 5.13 WORLD WAR II AT HOME 5.14 MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DURING WWII 5.15 TENNESSEE’S IMPACT ON WORLD WAR II 5.16 MANHATTAN PROJECT 5.17 AMERICAN RESPONSE TO THE HOLOCAUST 5.18 YALTA AND POTSDAM CONFERENCES 5.19 FORMATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND CORDELL HULL 5.20 REFERENCES Students analyze the inter-war years and America’s participation in World War II. US.54 ... Examine the impact of American actions in foreign policy in the 1920’s, including the refusal to join the League of Nations, the Washington Disarmament Conference, and the Kellogg Brand Pact. (H, P) US.55 ... Gather relevant information from multiple sources to explain the reasons for and consequences of American actions in foreign policy during the 1930’s, including the Hoover Stimson Note, the Johnson Debt Default Act, and the Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1937, and 1939.
    [Show full text]
  • Famous Speeches: Franklin D. Roosevelt's Pearl Harbor Address by Original Speech from the Public Domain on 03.29.16 Word Count 578
    Famous Speeches: Franklin D. Roosevelt's Pearl Harbor Address By Original speech from the public domain on 03.29.16 Word Count 578 President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers his "Day of Infamy" speech to Congress on Dec. 8, 1941. Behind him are Vice President Henry Wallace (left) and Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn. To the right, in uniform in front of Rayburn, is Roosevelt's son James, who escorted his father to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Photo: U.S. National Archives/ Wikimedia Commons On Dec. 7, 1941, at around 1:30 p.m., Navy Secretary Frank Knox told President Franklin D. Roosevelt that Pearl Harbor, a U.S. military base in Hawaii, had been attacked and more than 2,400 Americans were killed. Previous to Pearl Harbor, a war with Japan seemed likely but the attack made it imminent. The next day, a somber Roosevelt delivered this speech to Congress and the nation. Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives: Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message.
    [Show full text]
  • Pearl Harbor and 9/11: a Comparison
    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 5-2008 Pearl Harbor and 9/11: A Comparison. Chad L. Nielsen East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Cultural History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Nielsen, Chad L., "Pearl Harbor and 9/11: A Comparison." (2008). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1928. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1928 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Pearl Harbor and 9/11 A Comparison _____________________ A Thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of History East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Masters of Art in History _____________________ by Chad L Nielsen May 2008 _____________________ Dr. Stephen Fritz, Chair Dr. Henry Antkiewicz Dr. Tom Lee Keywords: Pearl Harbor, September 11, 9/11, 911, World War II ABSTRACT Pearl Harbor and 9/11 A Comparison by Chad L Nielsen Pearl Harbor and 9/11 have been compared together since the 9/11 attacks. This thesis analyzes the two from the viewpoints of the politicians, the media, and finally the effects on culture. Sources were gathered from newspapers, books, journal articles, government resources, and internet web sites. Pearl Harbor and 9/11 are similar on the surface, but upon looking into further circumstances, dissimilarities are found between the two events.
    [Show full text]
  • World War II: America's Motivation and Impact How Did the United States’ Motivations for Entering World War II Impact Our Actions?
    TEACHING WITH PRIMARY SOURCES World War II: America's Motivation and Impact How did the United States’ motivations for entering World War II impact our actions? Following World War I, the United States hoped to avoid further entanglement with European politics that had drawn us into war. A strong isolationist sentiment developed that questioned the wisdom of our entry into The Great War as it was then known. However, the rise of military government in Germany, Italy and Japan and their invasions of neighboring countries became a major concern for United States leaders including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Germany Instigates World War I In Europe, Adolf Hitler led the rise of the Nazi Party, which claimed that Germany was treated unfairly in the peace treaty that ended WWI. He also sought to unite all German-speaking peoples, a policy that put him at odds with several neighbors like Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia. Great Britain and France tried to negotiate an end to German expansion, but the Soviet Union on Germany’s eastern front signed a non-aggression treaty with Hitler that opened the door to Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939. France and England came to the aid of the Poles and declared war on Germany. Hitler’s armies quickly overran Poland and then France, leaving Britain alone against German armies and air force. President Roosevelt wanted to come to the aid of our British allies, but public sentiment was not yet ready to send American soldiers to fight in another European war. Meanwhile, Germany and Italy became partners with Japan that had designs on domination of Eastern Asia.
    [Show full text]
  • General Management Plan, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites
    National Park Service Roosevelt-Vanderbilt U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Sites Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site General Management Plan 2010 Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site General Management Plan top cottage home of fdr vanderbilt mansion val-kill Department of the Interior National Park Service Northeast Region Boston, Massachusetts 2010 Contents 4 Message from the Superintendent Background 7 Introduction 10 Purpose of the General Management Plan 10 Overview of the National Historic Sites 23 Associated Resources Outside of Park Ownership 26 Related Programs, Plans, and Initiatives 28 Developing the Plan Foundation for the Plan 33 Purpose and Significance of the National Historic Sites 34 Interpretive Themes 40 The Need for the Plan The Plan 45 Goals for the National Historic Sites 46 Overview 46 Management Objectives and Potential Actions 65 Management Zoning 68 Cost Estimates 69 Ideas Considered but Not Advanced 71 Next Steps Appendices 73 Appendix A: Record of Decision 91 Appendix B: Legislation 113 Appendix C: Historical Overview 131 Appendix D: Glossary of Terms 140 Appendix E: Treatment, Use, and Condition of Primary Historic Buildings 144 Appendix F: Visitor Experience & Resource Protection (Carrying Capacity) 147 Appendix G: Section 106 Compliance Requirements for Future Undertakings 149 Appendix H: List of Preparers Maps 8 Hudson River Valley Context 9 Hyde Park Context 12 Historic Roosevelt Family Estate 14 FDR Home and Grounds 16 Val-Kill and Top Cottage 18 Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site 64 Management Zoning Message from the Superintendent On April 12, 1946, one year after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s death, his home in Hyde Park, New York, was opened to the public as a national his- toric site.
    [Show full text]