movingstarvoices.org – Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States, is often remembered for his calm and reserved leadership style, his fiscal conservatism, and his commitment to business-friendly policies during the “Roaring Twenties.” However, his foreign policy is equally important when analyzing his overall presidential legacy. While Coolidge is not always seen as an active or dramatic figure on the international stage, his foreign policy was defined by cautious diplomacy, a commitment to peace, and a focus on maintaining American neutrality in global affairs. His approach to foreign policy shaped the course of U.S. relations with other nations during the 1920s and left a lasting impact on the country’s role in the world.
Coolidge’s foreign policy was deeply influenced by his desire to focus on domestic economic prosperity and stability. In an era marked by the aftermath of World War I and a rapidly changing global order, Coolidge’s approach was one of restraint, prioritizing international peace while ensuring that the United States was not overly entangled in the complex geopolitical dynamics of Europe and Asia. This “isolationist” stance, combined with his pragmatism, would shape his dealings with other nations and set the stage for American foreign policy in the coming decades.
This article explores the major components of Calvin Coolidge’s foreign policy, examining how his decisions impacted the United States’ role in international relations and set the tone for future U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the interwar period.
The Aftermath of World War I: Coolidge’s Foreign Policy Context
When Coolidge assumed the presidency in 1923 following the death of President Warren G. Harding, the world was still grappling with the effects of World War I, which had ended only five years earlier. The war had drastically reshaped global power dynamics, and Europe, in particular, was struggling with economic devastation, political instability, and the task of rebuilding. The United States, by contrast, had emerged from the war in a relatively strong position economically and politically.
Coolidge, who had been vice president under Harding, inherited a country that had embraced a more isolationist stance following the war. Americans, exhausted by the horrors of the conflict, were largely uninterested in further foreign entanglements. Coolidge shared this sentiment, believing that the United States should avoid becoming embroiled in European conflicts or diplomatic alliances that might drag the nation into wars abroad. His foreign policy reflected a desire to maintain peace and stability while focusing on America’s own growth and prosperity.
This period of American foreign policy is often described as a phase of “isolationism” or “non-interventionism,” with the U.S. largely seeking to avoid being drawn into European affairs. However, while Coolidge’s policies were not as openly interventionist as those of later presidents, they were not entirely isolationist. Rather, Coolidge’s foreign policy was pragmatic, focusing on protecting American interests abroad without becoming overly entangled in foreign disputes.
The Washington Naval Conference: A Landmark in Disarmament
One of Coolidge’s most significant contributions to American foreign policy was his role in the Washington Naval Conference, which took place in 1921-1922. The conference, which was held in Washington, D.C., was an international effort to address the rising tensions in Asia and Europe related to naval arms races. In the years following World War I, many nations, particularly the United States, Britain, Japan, and France, had begun to build up their naval fleets in an effort to assert their dominance in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Coolidge, understanding the potential for conflict and the drain that such an arms race would have on national resources, played an instrumental role in steering the Washington Naval Conference toward a successful outcome. The conference resulted in a series of treaties aimed at limiting the naval capabilities of the major world powers, including the Five-Power Treaty, the Four-Power Treaty, and the Nine-Power Treaty.
Five-Power Treaty (1922)
The most important agreement stemming from the Washington Naval Conference was the Five-Power Treaty, which was signed by the United States, Britain, Japan, France, and Italy. This treaty set limits on the size of the navies of the signatory nations, establishing a ratio for capital ships (battleships and aircraft carriers) of 5:5:3:1.75:1.75 between the United States, Britain, Japan, and France and Italy, respectively. In effect, the treaty aimed to prevent an arms race by capping the naval capabilities of the world’s major powers.
The Five-Power Treaty was a significant diplomatic achievement for Coolidge and his administration, as it helped to ease tensions in the Pacific, where Japan’s growing military presence had been a source of concern for the United States and its allies. Coolidge’s decision to host and lead this conference reflected his belief in the importance of peace and disarmament, as well as his desire to maintain American leadership in promoting global stability.
Four-Power Treaty (1922)
In addition to the Five-Power Treaty, the Washington Naval Conference produced the Four-Power Treaty, which was signed by the United States, Britain, Japan, and France. This treaty focused on ensuring the stability of the Pacific region and preventing further territorial expansion. The four nations agreed to consult with each other if any one of them experienced a threat to their possessions or interests in the Pacific, helping to ensure that conflicts in the region were resolved diplomatically.
The Four-Power Treaty was another example of Coolidge’s commitment to international cooperation and the maintenance of peace. While it did not resolve all tensions in the Pacific, it served as a valuable diplomatic framework for managing disputes in a region that would become increasingly important in the years ahead.
Nine-Power Treaty (1922)
The Nine-Power Treaty, which included the original five powers of the Washington Naval Conference along with China, Belgium, Portugal, and the Netherlands, sought to maintain the territorial integrity of China and prevent further foreign intervention in Chinese affairs. The treaty affirmed the “Open Door” policy, which called for equal trade opportunities in China, and was a significant step toward ensuring stability in East Asia. Coolidge’s administration played a crucial role in reinforcing American interests in the region while promoting peace and diplomacy.
The Kellogg-Briand Pact: A Commitment to Peace
In 1928, under Coolidge’s leadership, the United States signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, an international agreement that sought to outlaw war as a means of resolving conflicts. The pact was named after U.S. Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand, who negotiated the agreement. The Kellogg-Briand Pact, also known as the Pact of Paris, was signed by 15 nations, including the United States, and ultimately grew to include 62 signatories.
While the pact’s idealistic goal of abolishing war was noble, it ultimately lacked enforcement mechanisms and failed to prevent the outbreak of future conflicts, including World War II. Nevertheless, the Kellogg-Briand Pact represented a significant effort to promote international peace and diplomacy, and it reflected Coolidge’s commitment to reducing the use of force in international relations.
The Kellogg-Briand Pact symbolized Coolidge’s broader foreign policy approach: an emphasis on diplomacy, peaceful resolutions to international conflicts, and a desire to avoid military entanglements. However, the pact’s lack of teeth and the eventual global tensions of the 1930s showed the limits of such idealistic diplomacy in preventing global conflict.
Latin America: A Policy of Non-Intervention
In Latin America, Coolidge’s foreign policy reflected the broader trend of U.S. disengagement from direct intervention in the region, although it continued to emphasize American economic interests. Coolidge adhered to the principles laid out by his predecessors in the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which justified American intervention in the Western Hemisphere. However, Coolidge’s approach was notably less aggressive than that of his predecessors. He sought to avoid military intervention and instead promoted economic cooperation and trade as the means to maintain stability in the region.
Coolidge’s administration focused on fostering good relations with Latin American countries, particularly in terms of trade and investment. Under his leadership, the U.S. continued to invest heavily in the region, seeking to promote American economic interests while respecting the sovereignty of Latin American nations.
The Coolidge Legacy in Foreign Policy
Calvin Coolidge’s foreign policy was defined by a commitment to peace, diplomacy, and non-intervention. While he worked to avoid entanglements in European and Asian conflicts, he also recognized the importance of maintaining American leadership in global diplomacy. The Washington Naval Conference and the Kellogg-Briand Pact were two key accomplishments of his administration, helping to set a tone of cooperation and disarmament in the years following World War I. While his policies of restraint and non-interventionism were shaped by the desire to avoid further wars, they were not without their critics, particularly as the world moved toward the Second World War.
Coolidge’s pragmatic approach to foreign policy—focused on maintaining peace through diplomacy, arms reduction, and limited military engagement—reflected the spirit of the 1920s. However, the limits of his foreign policy would become apparent in the years leading up to the next global conflict. Nevertheless, Coolidge’s leadership set an important precedent for future U.S. presidents, influencing the balance between interventionism and diplomacy in American foreign policy for decades to come.
In conclusion, Calvin Coolidge’s foreign policy was instrumental in shaping America’s international role during a time of relative peace and prosperity. His commitment to peace, disarmament, and economic cooperation helped to stabilize the global order and reflected his broader vision for a prosperous, self-sufficient America that avoided the entanglements of European and Asian conflicts. While his policies were not without limitations, they played an important role in defining the character of American diplomacy during the interwar period.