“Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rival ship, interest, humor, or caprice? It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world... we may safely trust to temporary alliances for extraordinary emergencies.” This quote from George Washington in his 1796 farewell address describes the opinion of the United States for a majority of its history. Americas public opinion and national policy had the purpose of minimizing the risk of entering another war. This was achieved by implementing many isolationist laws such as the Neutrality Laws. President Roosevelt began the process of reversing the isolationist policies in 1937. When World war one began in late 1939 the United States provided significant military aid to their allies, Britain, China, and France. However until the bombing of pearl harbor, America remained officially …show more content…
The attack on Pearl Harbor forced the United States into a state of immediate revenge, permanently erasing all ideas of isolationism from American thoughts on foreign policy forever. For the majority of American history all its citizens whether republic or democratic shared one belief, the aim of the United States was to keep America out of war unless America itself was attacked. Japan 's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 was just the initiative that America needed to officially abandon isolationism and enter the dreaded war. The attack left 2,403 dead, a crippled Pacific Fleet that included 8 damaged or destroyed battleships, and 188 destroyed planes. In one attack this Japanese action silenced the heated debate that had divided Americans ever since the German defeat of France left England alone in the fight against the Germans. Americans sought revenge for the terror that had befallen them. The attack on pearl harbor was what finally allowed America to abandon its isolationist beliefs and enter the