The U.S. and the World—Isolationism, Diplomacy, and Global Engagement in the 1920s

In this episode of Mr. Hutchings History, we explore U.S. foreign policy during the 1920s and early 1930s to address whether the United States truly pursued isolationism after World War I. From the rejection of the Treaty of Versailles and League of Nations to diplomatic initiatives like the Washington Naval Conference, the Kellogg-Briand Pact, and the Dawes Plan, we examine the complexities of America’s global involvement during this era. We analyze how economic diplomacy, as seen in the Dawes Plan, and legal principles, like the Stimson Doctrine, reflected America’s cautious engagement. The Clark Memorandum and the beginnings of the Good Neighbor Policy highlight a shift in U.S.-Latin American relations. Join us for a deep dive into the interwar years, where isolationism coexisted with selective global engagement, shaping America’s role on the world stage. #USIsolationism #WashingtonNavalConference #KelloggBriandPact #DawesPlan #GoodNeighborPolicy #InterwarDiplomacy #IBHistory #HistoryOfTheAmericas #USForeignPolicy Works Cited Beard, Charles A. The Idea of National Interest: An Analytical Study in American Foreign Policy. Macmillan, 1934. Cohen, Warren I. America in the Age of Soviet Power, 1945–1991. Cambridge UP, 1993. Kennan, George F. American Diplomacy, 1900-1950. University of Chicago Press, 1951. Leuchtenburg, William E. The Perils of Prosperity, 1914–1932. University of Chicago Press, 1958.