To what extent did isolationism limit the effectiveness of the Geneva Essay

To what extent did isolationism limit the effectiveness of the Geneva Conferences in facilitating disarmament - Essay Example Many people believe that the US isolationism policies caused the failure of the 1932 Geneva disarmament conferences and the Second World War. This paper briefly analyses the consequences of US isolationism policies and its effects on global politics and the failures of the Geneva Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments in 1932, using secondary research data obtained mainly from internet. Section B: Summary of evidence 500-600 Geneva conference and its decisions were thus unacceptable to the Americans and they declared their isolationism policies based on the following assumptions; â€Å"U.S. unique with no interests threatened; U.S. superior to a corrupt world; U.S. impregnable to attack and "devil" theory of war†(U.S. Isolationism in the Republican Era of "Normalcy" 1921-1933) To satisfy France, the U.K. and U.S. signed the Anglo-American Guarantee on June 28, 1919, which proposed that in the case of a repeat of the German invasion, both the United States and the United Kingdom would immediately come to France’s aid. Unfortunately for France, the U.S. Senate did not ratify the document, and so both signers of the Guarantee withdrew their promises (IB History). At the World Disarmament Conference of 1932-1933, a number of important issues began to achieve something akin to consensus in the world community. There was recognition, for instance, that military aviation could not be limited unless civilian aviation (that could quickly convert to military uses) also was controlled. At the World Disarmament Conference in Geneva, the British — sensitive to their new vulnerabilities — tried unsuccessfully to prohibit strategic aerial bombardment (distinguishing â€Å"tactical† from â€Å"strategic† emerged as a contentious issue). The French proposed that all â€Å"strategic† aircraft, civilian and military, should be placed under control of the League of Nations, with nations allowed to retain only short -range â€Å"tactical† aircraft in their national air forces (Geneva Conference 1932-1934) Senator Swanson led the United States Delegation to the General Disarmament Conference in Geneva. He was noted for his strong stand in favour of a large U.S. Navy and for his prediction of a possible war with Japan. Germany, whose military power had been severely limited by the Treaty of Versailles, responded by claiming that if world disarmament to the German level was not accomplished, Germany had the right to rearm and achieve military equality(Disarmament Conference) The Members of the League undertake to respect and preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all Members of the League. In case of any such aggression or in case of any threat or danger of such aggression the Council shall advise upon the means by which this obligation shall be fulfilled (The League of Nations) The United States never joined the League of Na tions which weakened the League The Anglo-American guarantee never happened Germany was angry as it thought the Treaty of Versailles was unfair and harsh and so wanted the treaty revoked Italy was angry as it was on the winning side, however it did not receive much territory and so the Italians wanted to revise the treaty in favour of Italy Japan was only interested in issues concerning itself and not the issues concerned with the European aspects of the peace