FEATURES OF AMERICAN ISOLATIONISM IN THE 1930S – EARLY 1940S

DOI 10.17721/2521-1706.2023.16.9

Valeriy Pavlenko

Ph. D. (History), Associate Professor,

ORCID logo https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2546-5098

Viktoriia Skrypnyk

Мaster’s student, Educational program «History»,

ORCID logo https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9411-9786

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine

Abstract. The article examines the characteristics of American isolationism as a foreign policy doctrine of the United States in the 30s – early 40s of the XX century, reveals the essence of the term «isolationism» – its origin and application. A brief retrospective on the doctrine of isolationism is given, which is necessary to understand the reasons and specifics of its application in the 30s of the XX century.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the key milestones of isolationism in the 1930s, its advantages and disadvantages, and to highlight the contradictions between the officially proclaimed neutrality and the real foreign policy of the United States.

The research methodology is based on the historical-systemic method, the principle of historicism, and the problem-chronological approach.

The scientific novelty of the study lies in the attempt to analyze the peculiarities of isolationism as a foreign policy doctrine of the United States in the 30s and early 40s, examining the history of the formation of this doctrine, the reasons for its application in the period under study, the controversies surrounding its relevance and the results of its implementation. The application of such a comprehensive approach makes it possible to identify the key aspects and distinctive features of American foreign policy of this period and to determine the long-term impact of the doctrine of isolationism on both the international position of the United States and on further global affairs.

Conclusions. The doctrine of isolationism, which was used in the foreign policy of the United States in the 30s and early 40s of the XX century, did not meet the foreign policy challenges faced by the country at that time, so it was ineffective and failed to prevent the United States from entering World War II.

Key words: isolationism, USA, neutrality, World War II, U.S. foreign policy.

Submitted: 10.06.2023

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