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The Return to 'normalcy' - 1919-1932 > The Domestic and Foreign policies of Harding and Coolidge > Flashcards

The Domestic and Foreign policies of Harding and Coolidge Flashcards

1
Q

When was Warren Harding in power?
Describe his victory

A
  • 1921-1923
  • won a landslide victory
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2
Q

What party were the presidents in this period a part of?

A

republican

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3
Q

What was Harding’s campaign?

A
  • “return to normalcy” - against wilson
  • little government intervention
  • outsider opponent James M.Cox launched an energetic campaign - ignored by Harding
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4
Q

What were Harding’s acheivements?

A
  • N. of able appointments inc Andrew Mellon as Secretary of State for the Treasury, Herbert Hoover: Secretary of Commerce
  • Sheppard-Towner Maternity Aid Act provided federal aid to states to encourage them to build infant and maternity health centres
  • cuts to gov spending: E.g the Budget and Accounting Act made departments present budgets to president for approval
  • Gov spending, totalled $5000 mill in 1920, fallen to $3333 mill by 1922
  • limited federal gov intervention reflected mood of nation
  • achieved aim of return to normalcy - little gov int-
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5
Q

What were Harding’s failures?

A
  • described as one of weakest and least effective presidents
  • own personal rep tainted by extramarital affairs
  • achieved very little due to belief in normalcy
  • made some dubious appointments inc some of “Ohio gang”
  • 1923 - emerged that there had been extensive corruption during Harding’s administration
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6
Q

Give examples of corruption under Harding (apart from teapot dome)

A
  • Veteran’s Bureau had misappropriated or wasted $250 mill
  • Alien Property Custodian had accepted bribes
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7
Q

What was the Teapot dome scandal

A
  • During harding P
  • involved secret leasing of federal oil reserves by the Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall
  • 1922: Fall secretly granted to Harry Sinclair of the Mammoth Oil Company: exclusive rights to the Teapot Dome reserves
  • when public: Harding forced to cancel leases
  • Supreme Court ruled illegal Harding’s transfer of authority to Fall
  • little impact on popularity of Republican party
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8
Q

When was Calvin Coolidge in power?

A
  • 1923-1929
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9
Q

How did Coolidge’s come into power

A
  • Harding died 1923
  • Coolidge Vice-President: sworn in
  • won decisive victory in election following year
  • given credit for booming economy and isolationist policy
  • helped by split in Democratic Party
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10
Q

What did Coolidge believe in and continue in terms of policies?

A
  • believed in little gov intervention
  • His election victory of 1924 led to an extension of Republican pro-business policies, with low taxation, low interest rates and min gov spending
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11
Q

What were Coolidge’s positive qualitites?

A
  • made more speeches and met more people than any of predecessors
  • popular president: exuded confidence and appeared calm and unflappable
  • honest, incorruptible
  • did not smoke, drink or chase women
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12
Q

What were Coolidge’s negative qualities?

A
  • criticised for doing and saying little during term in office
  • low work rate
  • slept a lot and said very little - nickname “silent cal”
  • some believed he suffered severe depression in 1924 after death of son
  • seen has having superiority complex
  • did very little to address problems in USA
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13
Q

Foreign Policy in 1920s
What were the US aims in foreign policy?

A
  • wanted to avoid involvement of further conflict (After WW1)
  • Growing fear of spread of Communism after Bolshevik Revolution in Oct 1917 - seen as threat to US
  • USA wanted to maintain status quo in naval power and the Far East: had most powerful navy in world and wanted to stop any further naval arm race (esp with growth of Japan’s navy)
  • US wanted to protect their interests, esp in trade, in far East by maintaining status quo and “Open Door” policy - threatened by Japanese expansionist policies
  • determined to maintain Monroe Doctrine and its economic and political interest in LA
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14
Q

Who attended Washington Conference?

A
  • US, GB, Japan, Franc and Italy
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15
Q
  • US took initiative in promoting disarmament:

What were the reasons for Washington Conference?

A
  • wanted to prevent renewal of Anglo-Japanese Alliance in 1922: Britain keen to renew this to secure Japanese support for her interests in far east
  • USA wished to maintain status quo in china - particularly Open door policy - favoured US trading interests
  • in charge of FP: Charles Hughes - keen supporter of disarmament
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16
Q

What was the most important reason US wanted Washington Conference?

A
  • most imp reason: US fear of growing Japanese influence in far east:
  • had acquired German colonies in Pacific and posed potential threat to communication links between Hawaii and other US possessions in Guam and Philippines
  • Japan threatened China - which was increasingly vulnerable due to civil war
17
Q

What were the achievements of the Washington Conference?

A
  • brought stability and peace in the Pacific
  • made between four powers: USA, Britain, Japan and France, Italy signed in 1922
  • Each agreed to reduce tonnage of battleships for 10 years
  • persuaded Japan to accept less tonnage than britain and USA
  • signed Four Power Treaty in which they agreed to respect each country’s interest in Far East
  • Japan promised to remove its troops from Chinese province of Shantung and USA agreed not to strengthen military presence in Guam
18
Q

When was the Kellogg-Brand Pact?

A
  • 1928
19
Q

What was the Kellogg-Brand Pact?

A
  • international agreement set up by Frank B. Kellogg, US Secretary of State and Aristide briand, French Foreign Minister
  • signed by 15 countries which agreed not to wage war unless in self-defence + to seek peaceful means to resolve disputes
  • toothless: no sanctions to deal with countries that broke agreement
  • senate ratified with 85 votes to one
20
Q

Why was the pact signed?

A
  • 2 main reasons:
  • French keen on Alliance with USA
  • American used pact to placate french
  • strong movement for peace in USA with growing support for peace societies
21
Q

What was the US’s attitude to loans?

A
  • Prepared to lend money to countries after war to restore prosperity + prevent spread of communism
  • except USSR and China
  • Insisted all war debt be repaid
  • Used debt repayments as threat to Euro powers
  • esp when Britain tried to force up price of rubber by restricting supplies in British Empire
  • US retaliated by threatening harsher repayment terms
22
Q

What was the Dawes Plan?

A
  • US keen on stable Germany - prevent Com
  • 1924
  • Charles Dawes, American Banker, asked to investigate why Germany had defaulted on payments in 1923
  • The plan reduced German payments to $250 mill a year increasing over 5 years as German economy improved
  • Germany given immediate loan of 800 mill marks
23
Q

What was the Young Plan?

A
  • 1929
  • Drawn up by Owen Young
  • Scaled down reperation payments to $26 billion to over 59 years
24
Q

Overall what was the process of Germany paying back reparations?

A
  • US lend money to Germany
  • used to pay back Allies
  • Allies payed back USA
25
Q

How was involvement in Latin America during this period?

A
  • most part - return to isolationism
  • continued to pursue and protect interests in LA
  • increased involv in 1920s
  • due to Monroe Doctrine and Good Neighbour Policy
  • mostly economic
26
Q

What was the US economic involvement in Latin America?

A
  • investment in LA doubled 1924-1929 from $1.5 bil to $3 bil
  • inc automobile firms such as General Motars
  • 1923, General Electric set up the American and Foreign Power Company and controlled provision of electricity in 8 LA countries
  • US companies dominated radio and media
  • Kemmerer Plans helped to stabilised and develop economies of LA countries by offering advice on sound currency and central banks
27
Q

How did US involvement in LA cause problems?

A
  • Increased US involvement to protect investments
  • It would intervene to prevent US loans being spent by corrupt officials on luxaries
  • US reluctant to sanction military intervention because expensive and unpopular with taxpayers
28
Q

Settling Disputes:
US relation with Colombia?

A
  • gave $25 million in compensation for its support for independence of Panama in 1903
29
Q

Settling Disputes:
US relation with Mexico?

A
  • Ongoing dispute with Mexico after defaulted on its international debts in 1914
  • 1922: the Mexican Gov agreed to repay $500,000
  • 1923: the Bucareli Accords provided compensation for damage caused to foreign property during Mexican Revolution
30
Q

Settling Disputes:
US relations with Nicaragua

A
  • 1925, US troops withdrawn from Nicaragua to improve relations between countries
  • However, following year 5,000 troops sent back due to outbreak of Civil War
  • Henry Simson, organised the Peace Treaty of Tipitapa which led to election of Juan Bautista Sacasa in 1928

The Return to 'normalcy' - 1919-1932 (5 decks)

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