American Foreign Policy

The early American government was concerned with securing its place in the world and did not want to risk that by getting involved in the conflicts of other nations. In order to avoid these conflicts, the early American government adopted a policy of isolationism. By attempting to stay neutral in international affairs, America was able to focus on its own prosperity. The Monroe Doctrine officially declared the American government’s intent to stay neutral in all European affairs, as long as they did not involve countries in the Western Hemisphere.

As America grew in size and influence, it began to exert that influence on the international stage. After two world wars, the U.S. was left as one of two major world powers. The other major world power was the Soviet Union, a communist government with ideals that conflicted with American values. This conflict led to a period of intense political and military tension, known as the Cold War. The Cold War and the Truman Doctrine were the primary influences on American foreign policy until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Post-Cold War America faces an entirely new and constantly shifting set of foreign policy challenges. Some of these challenges include combating terrorism, fixing trade imbalances, addressing human rights abuses, controlling weapons of mass destruction, determining the future of NATO, restraining drug trafficking, and improving the global environment.