How Did Ww1 Changed The Us Foreign Policy

Although there are many important events in the United States’ foreign policy, I have chosen three that I think are the most significant. Between the years of 1890 and 1922, I believe that World War I, the Panama Canal, and the open door in Asia had the most impact on the US foreign policy.

Without a doubt, World War I which began in 1914, changed the United States foreign policy, as the world was now split into two sides. The beginning of WWI can be traced back to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914. However, there were a number of factors contributed to the rivalry between the Great powers that allowed the encompassing war to break out. The Great Powers are known as the two sides in WWI which are the Allies and

Furthermore, the Central powers were the team of Austria-Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. In 1914, the British imposed a naval blockade on the Central Powers to cut off food and military equipment supply routes. The US trading with Britain and France skyrocketed and by 1917 the US banks had lent Billions of dollars to the Allies, compared to the 56 million that had been lent to Germany. This is what forced the US to be an ally, as the country would not be able to recover from a loss like that to the banks. Meanwhile, Germany employed U-boats, attacking American passenger and merchant ships. In addition, American was also to make money as weapons, grain, and manufactured goods were being sent to Great Britain and France. Woodrow Wilson created the Fourteen Points, which was his peace plan for WWI. He proposed the end of secret treaties and freedom of the seas. His most important point was a League of Nations, which guaranteed each country’s independence and

The Panama Canal is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The canal extends fifty-one miles, took eight years to construct, and over 60,000 workers. However, thousands died while working on the canal. The Panama Canal was linked to the idea of the rise of the US as a global power, with both commercial and military potential. For example, the United States was gaining control of both oceans, which is critical during a war. At the time, there were no helicopters and in order to get supplies to one’s military, you needed to travel the sea. Furthermore, in order to quickly trade goods with other countries, it was vital that the US had established an effective route, and the Panama Canal was just the answer. The Canal was a key component in the fight to make the United States the most powerful country in the world. Not to mention, the economic growth was substantial, with the new capability to trade between the two oceans. All in all, the loss of lives and countless hours of hard work has indefinitely paid off for the future of trade in the United