Dbq: President Roosevelt Foreign Policy

Starting when Japan invaded China in 1937, three factors largely affected President Roosevelt’s foreign policy from isolationism to neutrality. From 1937 to 1941, economics, national security, and democratic values greatly influenced Franklin Roosevelt’s response to Japanese and German aggression.

Prior to World War II, America was coming out of the Great Depression; a time when most Americans favored isolationism and suffered financially. Therefore, President Roosevelt wanted to aid struggling, secluded Americans during these adversities, all while dealing with Japan and Germany. On August 17, 1940, Wendell Willkie stated in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, “Also, our foreign trade would be profoundly affected. That trade is vital to our prosperity.” Roosevelt agreed that the United States’ foreign trade was at risk due to present German trade policies and the loss of a British fleet, and as a result of this risk, President Roosevelt began to pour money into arms spending. As seen in an illustration by the Brown Brothers, Uncle Sam, representing American leaders, is dumping money into a cannon, symbolic of arms spending, in order to recover. By doing this, jobs were created, such as building necessary products for the military. According to An Economic History of the United States adapted from Gilbert C, Fite and Jim E. Reese, World War II had a positive effect on American industries. The chart shows that from 1939 to 1941, the index of manufacturing output increased by 54%, corporate profits before taxes increased by 265%, corporate profits after taxes increased by 88%, and business failures decreased from 14,768 to 11,848. As one can see, Franklin Roosevelt arranged his foreign policy in order to boost the bad economy.

In his “America First” speech, Charles A. Lindbergh stated, “No one will attempt to fight us here if we arm ourselves as a great nation should be armed.” Although the majority of Americans were isolationists and wished to stay out of the conflict in Asia and Europe, leaders of the United States’ knew it was better to be prepared for a potential attack than to be ambushed. Thus, President Roosevelt began to increase the size of the United States’ army and navy, strengthening America’s national security. According to the Council on Foreign Relations in The United States in World Affairs, “The Commandant of the Third Naval District expressed ‘hearty accord’ with President Roosevelt’s proposal to increase the nation’s naval strength by a huge and extraordinary appropriation of public funds. ‘A navy second to none’ said he, was needed as a ‘contribution to world peace,’ and he denounced ‘all foolish nations which through mistake ideas of altruism were unprepared to defend themselves when attacked.’” Another way the United States’ enhanced its national security was through new acts. For instance, on March 11, 1941, Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act, which authorized President Franklin Roosevelt to sell, lend, or lease any military hardware to countries he considered vital to the nation’s security. By aiding these struggling countries, America was able to increase its national security.

In addition to economics and national