Page 343 - 1992 - XVIII Congresso Internazionale di Storia Militare

ALTUNATIN(; STltATEGIC CONCEPll )09
lnrernational politics, in rhis dtcade were concerned wirh endless discussions
about addilional disarmamem and renouncing war as an ioscrumem of national
policy. Bur chere was no wish co esrablish che instrumems co keep or co enforce
peaceful so.lucions ro confliccs. National reserve, based on rea! or alleged chreacs,
led co complete fa.ilures as was che case in Geneva or co concessions which annuUed
the core of che few disarmamem agreements as was rh e case wirh the London N a val
Conferences in 1930 and 1935·36.
This situation was che background for a rising mood of isolation.ism in the
American public and culminaced in the passing of che Neutral.iry Legislation by
Congress in 1935 and 1937. Presidents Herberc Hoover and Franklin Delano
Roosevelc, during his fuse tecm, had co strugglc co overcom«:' che consequence of
che Grcac Depression, which was a furcher reason why che Americans curned cbeir
backs on che outside developments. In meantime che imernacional siruation was
c ha ngi ng fase.
ln che Far Easc, Japan had seized Manchuria in 1931, and all d1e diploma tic
efforts by che League of Nacions and che Secrecary of Scare, He.nry L. Srimson co
cou.nrer rhis agg.ression fai1ed. Japan lefc che I.eague in 1933 and announced char
it did noc consider icself co be bound by me naval treacies after chey expired in
1936. 1n 1937 che Japanese invaded China.
lo Europe, che l calian diccaror Benito Mussolini in 1935 starred his war of
conquesc in Echiopia. And in Germany in 1933 Adolf Hicler became Chancellor,
denounced che creaty ofVersailles and bega n a rearmaroenc program after coming
co a naval agreement wich Great Bricain in 1935. In 1936 bo eh Europea n dicramrs
inrervened in che Civil War in Spain.
While these evencs fuse screngthened isolationism in che Uniced Sraces and
fo.rmed che imponam background which enabled the American Neutraliry Accs
to be passed, Presidem Roosevelc, elecred for a second. cerm, bega CL co change rh e
emphasis from che "Ne'W Dea!" policy co a global fore.ign policy in order: co check
tbese developme.nts ftom spreading further, as marked by his faroous " Quarantine
Speech" on 5ch Ocrober 1937. Bue norwichscanding a public uproar following che
sin.k.ing of che gunboac Panay nine weeks lacer by Japanese aiccrafr on che Yangtse,
chere was no change in the mood of Congress. So che Preside m ha d to ace behind
che scenes.
Re aUocared Larger appropciar.ions from 1935 onwards co che Army, sraning
wich che reorganizacion and modernization ser our by che recommendacions of che
Chief of Sraff from 1930 m 1935, General Douglas Mac.A.rchur, who emphasized
che need ro ha ve small bighly·mechanized ground forces an d hard·birring airforces
ready co ace in an emergency and co start more realistic planning for mobilizarion
in che case of war. Th.is planoing had ro consider not only me defense of che cOn·
rinenral Unired Stares and ics possessions bue also wirh che defense of rhe whole
Western Hemisphere.