When James Monroe talked about isolating the United States from overseas conflicts in 1823, the world was a totally different place—Walt Disney wouldn't be born until 1901, and it would be a hundred years until the Disney Company was formed.
Dark times, friends. Dark times, indeed.
By the time World War II rolled around, not only was Mickey Mouse was a well-known character, but it was hard to stand around and insist on being isolated from the bad stuff. After all the U.S. had been part of the First World War only twenty years before.
FDR understood that avoiding the bloody battlefields was what the American people wanted, but he also knew that the world would continue to get smaller as technology advanced. "The Arsenal of Democracy" states that United States simply can not ignore a conflict where the very foundation of freedom is at stake all around the world.
Questions About Isolationism
- What was isolationism? What was it supposed to accomplish?
- When was the last time the United States remained isolated from a conflict overseas?
- In sentences 62-67, FDR talked about Ireland and the Azores Islands. How does he use those places to support his argument against isolationism?
- Do you think it's possible for the United States to remain isolated from overseas conflicts today? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Technological and scientific advancements in the 20th century made the policy of isolationism completely impossible during World War II.
Throughout history, the United States never truly isolated itself from any international conflicts, because the government always supported one side in some form.