The Road To Pearl Harbor, 1919-1941

Episode 9: The Great Depression And Foreign Affairs

February 12, 2002

The Depression is a traumatic national experience which shatters U.S. self-confidence and paralyzes foreign policy, thus leading to further isolationism. The world-wide depression gives rise to dictators, but the U.S. is so distracted with domestic problems that it ignores the threat. The London Naval Conference insults Japan and the Japanese invade Manchuria, as a preoccupied U.S. does nothing.