Cold War Isolationism Essay

In a time when the United States started to the assistance of the Allies through the Cash and Carry Policy to the begging of the long and harsh Cold War, the United States attempted to practice isolationism. It is in this context that America's policy of isolationism would be put to the test and America ultimately would be tossed into another world conflict. The two significant causes that lead to the failure of American isolationism were pressure from abroad and popular opinion in favor of the war. One significant cause for America’s policy of isolationism failing was pressure from abroad.(A) Pressure from abroad ended American isolationism because America was angered by Japan's direct attack and the fear of the Allies losing the war.(R)

This is one reason why he gave his famous Infamy Speech in which he said, “The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation.”(Roosevelt 1941). Roosevelt saying that americans understood the implications is very true. According to a Life Magazine article published in 1940, 56.4 percent of people thought that Germany and Italy would win the war (Life Magazine, 1940). Another statistic from Life magazine shows that 66.9 percent of people polled thought that if Germany and Italy won the United States would be in danger (Life Magazine, 1940). These statistics show that the American people were afraid of the Axis powers and the danger the Axis army posed to the American people. The American people were not only scared, but ready to join the war. According to Time Magazine 70.7 percent of Americans wanted to start military training young men (Life Magazine, 1940). This shows that a majority of Americans were ready for the United States to take action and remove the Neutrality Acts. Furthermore, 54 percent of