The Monroe Doctrine

Words: 862
Pages: 4
Open Document
In its preliminary history, The United States adhered to the policy of Isolationism established by the Monroe Doctrine, which proclaimed the Western and Eastern Hemispheres to be their own separate worlds and that one should not interfere in the affairs of the other. The conclusion of WWII and the early beginnings of the Cold War marked a new era of American foreign policy; the United States no longer utilized an isolationist approach to foreign affairs, and assumed the role of “world’s police,” charged with the responsibility of preserving and expanding the influence of democracy throughout the globe. American leadership, at this time, sought to achieve this through the assistance of overseas allies under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization …show more content…
Passed in 1823, the quintessential feature of this legislation identified the Eastern and Western Hemispheres as being their own separate worlds and condemned American involvement in Europe and vice versa. However, the rest of the world scoffed at the naivety of the United States, for it was decidedly impossible for the United States to enforce the Monroe Doctrine with what little power it actually had. Despite this, the Monroe Doctrine became a key aspect of the nation's foreign policy through the 1800s and mid 1900s. Even in the face of both World Wars, America had only thought to remain neutral, and isolated from overseas conflict. In fact, the US had only entered WWI in 1917 British intelligence intercepted the Zimmermann Telegram, which was a secret diplomatic proposal sent by the German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmerman. The Zimmermann Telegram implored Mexico to attack the United States. In exchange, the Mexicans would receive aid from Germany to reclaim the territories that were taken from them after the Mexican-American War. Obviously, American national security had been threatened directly, and action had to be taken. Similarly, the US entered WWII after the attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor in 1941 which resulted in roughly 3,000 American casualties, another clear breach of national …show more content…
Under Mao Zedong, China adopted its own Marxist government and joined in an alliance with the Soviets in 1950 under the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance. The American people were outraged with the failure in China, and became dissatisfied with their current leader. In the election of 1952, Dwight D. Eisenhower came to the forefront and berated the Democrats for being “soft on communism,” and pledged to bring a swift end to the War in Korea. Eisenhower’s prospective policies resounded with the American people. Consequently, Eisenhower was elected president, and was to serve his term beginning in 1953 as the first republican president in 20 years (since Hoover).
In the final analysis, the cessation of WWII and the emergence of the Cold War drove the US to adopt an interventionist policy in order to prevent the spread of communism which at length, completely shattered the precedent the Monroe Doctrine had
Show More

Related Documents: The Monroe Doctrine

Monroe Doctrine Dbq

The Monroe Doctrine held that no non-American or European nation should intervene or interfere with the Western Hemisphere. When looking at the Doctrine after its declaration, you see President Monroe had broken away from an imperial power and was against imperialism. Europe was in great mayhem at the time, and still in the midst of recovering from the Napoleonic Wars. (1) The debate of slavery was a vast issue for states and Congress. It reached a boiling point after Missouri’s request for admission…

Words 999 - Pages 4

Monroe Doctrine Dbq

The Monroe Doctrine was presented to the public by James Monroe, who was president at the time, during his annual State of the Union address to Congress in 1823. The Monroe Doctrine influenced American foreign policy in the early 19th century by outlining three major ideas that will influence American foreign policy for years to come: European countries can’t colonize in the Americas; the United States will treat any attempt at colonization as a threat to its security; and the United States will…

Words 230 - Pages 1

Monroe Doctrine Dbq

Sandy Gonzalez Mrs.Hollowell APUSH 1 5 Nov 2015 FR Essay The Monroe Doctrine was issued in 1823 by President James Monroe. This doctrine was an American foreign policy that prohibited Britain from interfering with American and other countries of the Western Hemisphere affairs. With this doctrine, Monroe was able to change American foreign policy, and this eventually led to the uprising of nationalism. Also, with this new policy it was able to lead to formations of new political parties. The Louisiana…

Words 513 - Pages 3

Monroe Doctrine Essay

Monroe Doctrine Introduction This Doctrine was an extraterritorial policy in the United States (US) that concerned the American continent’s supremacy in 1823. The Doctrine specified that further attempts by nations in Europe to take over land or meddle with North and South American states would be regarded as aggressive acts necessitating US involvement. The Doctrine, at the same time, stated that neither would the US meddle with then European colonies nor interfere with the European countries’…

Words 981 - Pages 4

Monroe Doctrine Dbq

defensive foreign policy that tried to prevent any entangling alliances and wars from other countries. Especially, those from Europe. Thus, the Monroe Doctrine was installed by James Monroe in 1823 to prevent those countries across the Atlantic from exerting their control in the south and then climbing up north to surround the country. The Monroe Doctrine influenced the country’s foreign policy by basing it more on selfish needs of the defense of America’s economic interests, nationalism, and as…

Words 436 - Pages 2

Effects Of The Monroe Doctrine

The fifth president of the United States was James Monroe’s whose message to Congress on December 2, 1823, contained the Monroe Doctrine, which warned European powers not to interfere in the matters of the Western Hemisphere. Then the speech was given a name: The Monroe Doctrine. It was written by John Quincy Adams, who was Monroe’s Secretary of State. The Monroe Doctrine had basically two major points. The first one being that the United States would not allow European countries to start new colonies…

Words 255 - Pages 2

A Rhetorical Analysis Of Monroe Doctrine By James Monroe

On December 2, 1823 James Monroe delivered his speech “Monroe Doctrine.” In this speech James Monroe targets the safety of the American citizens. During the speech James Monroe said “that we resent injuries, or make preparation for our defense” in other words, have peace or prepare for war. Many years later on November 21, 1897 Fitzhugh Lee reported on the concentration camps Cuba was forcing their local citizens in. The camps had horrible living conditions “Four hundred and sixty women and children…

Words 257 - Pages 2

Monroe Doctrine Research Paper

One of the numerous accomplishments by James Monroe during his presidency was the Monroe Doctrine. According to the Monroe Doctrine, written by President James Monroe and Secretary John Quincy Adams, the "...as a principle in which the rights and interests of the United States are involved, that the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers" (Para.…

Words 905 - Pages 4

Monroe Doctrine Research Paper

James Monroe created the Monroe Doctrine in 1823 to justify the United States political and military intervention in Latin America. The Monroe Doctrine stated that the United States would not tolerate any european country to colonize Latin America. In result to the Monroe Doctrine, the Roosevelt corollary was invented. Teddy Roosevelt created the Roosevelt corollary in 1904. It declared that if any problems were to arise, such as them violating the United States rights ,then the United States would…

Words 603 - Pages 3

Monroe Doctrine Research Paper

The Monroe Doctrine was an important policy in separating the affairs of America and the rest of the world. The Monroe Doctrine was a U.S. policy written by John Quincy Adams that stated that the United States will have no interference in European affairs of the Western Hemisphere, no overthrowing of new independent republics in hemisphere, and no new colonies in the hemisphere. The policy, Monroe Doctrine, was announced by President James Monroe in 1823. The creation of this policy was to state…

Words 321 - Pages 2