Can someone explain Americas policy of neutrality?
Not until after World War II did America become the “policeman of the world.” In his farewell address, first president George Washington advised the nation to avoid permanent alliances (like the one with France that helped win the Revolution) but rather go for temporary ones under the most drastic of circumstances. He said this considering that the United States was a new, weak nation. The situation is quite different today. The War of 1812 (when America retaliated against Britain because of the forced enlistment of its sailors) was an example of how the U.S. would defend its liberties abroad. The Monroe Doctrine made it an official policy to stay out of wars in the Old World. The deal was for Europe to stop colonizing further in the New World while the U.S. would stay out of affairs in the Old World (at the time, it was about Greece). The country was more interested in expanding (“sea to shining sea”) with Manifest Destiny in mind. America was busy stabilizing itself for most of the 1
