World War II's Foreign Policy In The 20th Century

The legacy of World War II is often perceived as one of the most impactful events of the 20th century. The war began in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland and seized control of the nation. Other nations took and formed sides, and World War II developed into a conflict between two sides, the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers. Ultimately, the Allied Powers were able to defeat the Axis Powers and brought about important changes, such as the improvement of human rights. However, World War II also brought about other less appalling changes. During the 20th century, conflicts, primarily World War II, caused the foreign policy of the world’s nations to focus on intervening, rather than isolation.
American foreign policies demonstrate one such change.

Prior to World War II, America’s foreign policy focused on isolationism after the Great Depression and losses from World War I devastated the nation. When the US stock market crashed in 1929, the rest of the world fell into a state of economic depression. In response, America limited matters in foreign affairs and focused on sustaining its own nation, rather than participating in a worldwide economic crisis. Meanwhile, the public’s interest in isolation peaked as numerous publications were released promoting isolationism. Even at the outset of World War II, America opted to stay neutral in the fight. However, the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan swayed American opinions towards participating in World War II (“American Isolationism”). Shortly after the attack, America declared war on Japan and its allies, the Axis Powers, and entered World War II on the side of Japan’s enemies, the Allied Powers. Eventually, they were able to defeat the Axis Powers. However, as World War II left many nations weakened and chaotic, the US and USSR emerged as the two superpowers of the world. Ensuing actions of both nations, as well as their mutual global power, pitted the nations and their political systems against each other and laid the groundwork for the Cold War to begin (“Cold War History”). To combat the USSR, the US government instilled a policy, Containment, in efforts of preventing the spread of Communism. Essentially, the policy entailed that the US would send aid, primarily money, to anti-communist forces. To the US’s dismay, World War II had enabled Communism to flourish and grow under the control of the USSR. Therefore, the US felt they needed to address the issue by intervening in numerous foreign affairs to suppress Communism, (Pierpaoli). For instance, in 1947 the US government established the Truman Doctrine in response to the threat of Communism in Greece and Turkey. US President Harry Truman states on the matter, “We must take immediate action and resolute action”(“Truman Doctrine”). Truman’s statement indicates the transformation of US foreign policy from isolationism to interventionism. Prior to the World War II, the US government isolated the nation from the rest of the world. However, after the World War II ended, they committed the US to supporting and intervening other nations’ political conflicts, as demonstrated by Truman’s statement. In addition to Containment, the US also combatted the USSR and Communism through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). NATO was founded by numerous Western nations (including the US), with the purpose of preventing Communist expansion. Specifically, member nations pledged to “encourage economic collaboration between any or all of the [member nations]” (“North Atlantic Treaty”). America’s participation in NATO suggests that they have become more interventionist in their foreign policies. Being a member entails that the US should involve themselves and collaborate with other nations, primarily other members of NATO. In contrast, their foreign policy prior to World War II involved a focus on self-sustainment and neutrality. The drastic difference in foreign policy implies a shift in nature, from isolation to intervention. Therefore, the nature of US foreign policies must have become more interventionist after World War II, as their foreign policies underwent a significant change. Ultimately, World War II prompted the foreign policy of the US to focus on intervention instead of isolationism.
Similarly, World War II also shifted the nature of the Soviet Union’s foreign policy from being isolationist to interventionist.

In the early 1900s, before the formation of the Soviet Union, Russia was a poverty-stricken, newly industrialized nation with an increasing working class comprised of poor citizens. Many other nations perceived Russia as an undeveloped, self-sustaining nation, with tensions with powerful nations, such as Britain and France. Famine, poverty, and poor working conditions were prevalent for the working class and prompted them to protest their government. However, such government responded with a massacre known as Bloody Sunday, provoking the nation to undergo a revolution, and later a civil war. In the end, Communists took control of the nation and established the Soviet Union (“Russian Revolution”). Shortly after, revolutionary Joseph Stalin was able to seize power and become dictator of the Soviet Union. Under his control, the USSR fought in World War II on the side of the Allied Powers and became a global superpower. However, as aforementioned, the US also rose to global power and the two nations soon found themselves in a conflict with one another. (“Soviet Union”). Nevertheless, World War II gave the USSR the ability to expand their control. One such place was Afghanistan, which the Soviet Union invaded in 1979. Prior to their invasion, the Soviet Union had already created political ties to Afghanistan’s communist government. However, the

government was unpopular and erupted numerous uprisings and government coups. Consequently, the USSR invaded to ensure that Communism would remain Afghanistan’s primary political system. (“Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan). The USSR’s invasion of Afghanistan demonstrates a transition towards interventionism in their foreign policy. Before World War II gave the USSR power and control, it was a poor, struggling country with weak relations to other nations. In order to sustain itself, it was forced to focus on its own needs. However, after World War II, the USSR intervened in the matters of other nations, demonstrating a change in foreign policy. The aftermath of World War II also caused USSR foreign affairs to intervene more through the Warsaw Security Pact. The Warsaw Pact was an alliance between the Soviet Union and the Eastern European nations (under the USSR’s control). Its primary purpose was to combat NATO, an organization comprised of the US and other Western nations. However, it also ensured that the member nations would aid each other in times of need or conflict. Article 2 of the Pact states, “The contracting parties declare their readiness to take part...in all international undertakings” (“Warsaw Security Pact”). As proven by such statement, the USSR has agreed to intervene more in foreign affairs whilst signing the Warsaw Pact. This exhibits a contrast in their foreign policy, as they were formerly an isolated nation prior to World War II. The aftermath of World War II caused them to engage in conflict with the US, prompting their foreign policies to become more interventionist in nature. Both the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union Invasion of the USSR demonstrate a shift in the USSR’s foreign policy caused by World War II.
Despite the many policies and organizations dedicated to international intervention, it is often argued that many nations’ foreign policy still remained focused on isolationism after World War II.

Admittedly, the US did place new domestic policies during the time period that partially isolated them from the rest of the world. In 1953, the US government signed the National Security Act, establishing the National Security Council. The council was comprised of important government officials, such as the President, and addressed domestic issues and national security threats. Focusing an abundance of attention on the nation’s own issues could potentially distract the nation from international affairs. (“National Security Act”). However, the National Security Council also discussed key foreign policies and negotiated with other foreign leaders. Although the US may have become somewhat isolated in consequence of a component of the policy, other portions force the US to intervene in foreign affairs. Certainly, the USSR also somewhat isolated themselves. The Soviet economy was state-owned, implying that it was also self-sufficient. In consequence, the USSR limited foreign traded with other nations (Maggs). However, the USSR still engaged in foreign interactions in other forms. The USSR invaded other nations when necessary and remained a key member of the Warsaw Pact. Therefore, although the economic aspects of USSR foreign policy have remained isolationist, the USSR is still called

to intervene in foreign affairs by the remaining components. Still, one cannot deny that the Space Race restrained the sharing of scientific knowledge. During the mid-1900s, the US and USSR engaged in a competition attempting to create a superior space program to one another, potentially restraining scientific discoveries from being shared and spread. In consequence, these scientific discoveries may have remained isolated to one nation (“Space Race”). However, both nations took numerous other actions demanding intervention in foreign affairs. Moreover, the isolation of scientific knowledge has not prohibited other US and USSR interventions in foreign affairs. In consequence, both nations’ foreign policies have become focused on intervention, even though the nations may have isolated scientific discoveries. Thus, World War II has ultimately caused these nations’ foreign policies to become isolationist in nature.
After World War II, many nations of the world focused their foreign policies from isolationism to interventionism. Before the war, many nations isolated themselves after a domestic crisis struck their nation. However, World War II enabled these nations to increase their intervention in foreign affairs. Specifically, the war weakened many nations and enabled the US and USSR to surface as the world’s global superpowers. In consequence, their power and influence prompted the nations to intervene more in foreign affairs. But ultimately, World War II empowered and motivated nations, particularly the US and USSR, to intervene more in foreign affairs.