"If we are to maintain our neutrality, we must restrict the export of arms and ammunition to belligerent nations, and we must deny our citizens the right to travel on vessels of those nations. We must learn the lesson of 1917: that economic entanglements and the pursuit of profits by merchants of death inevitably draw a democracy into foreign conflicts that do not concern its national security."
—Adapted from congressional debates on neutrality legislation, 1935
Which of the following was a direct historical consequence of the sentiments expressed in the excerpt?
- The passage of a series of neutrality laws restricting financial loans and arms sales to belligerent nationsAnswer
- BThe establishment of a permanent military alliance with Western European nations to deter aggression
- CA complete cessation of all diplomatic relations and merchant trade with foreign countries
- DThe deployment of naval forces to enforce the Monroe Doctrine within European territorial waters
Answer
The passage of a series of neutrality laws restricting financial loans and arms sales to belligerent nations
The sentiments in the excerpt reflect the post-World War I desire to prevent the United States from becoming entangled in foreign wars. In response to these concerns and the findings of investigations like the Nye Committee, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937, which banned the sale of weapons and loans to belligerent nations.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Neutrality Acts and Interwar Foreign Policy