Pre-war United States v. Postwar United States

Prewar United States

Between World War I and World War II, the United States was largely isolationist. It did its best to avoid getting involved in conflicts beyond its borders, especially in Europe.

After World War II, the United States became more interventionist. Its policy of containment meant that it often interceded in the affairs of other nations, even if those affairs didn't directly affect the United States.

The United States before World War II was a major world power, although its influence in the world didn't quite match other world powers at the time, such as the British Empire.

The United States emerged from World War II as one of two superpowers. As a superpower, the United States could now project its power globally and in many places at once.

Before the Cold War, the United States stayed out of alliances during peacetime so that it wouldn't be dragged into huge European conflicts, such as the Napoleonic Wars (1803 – 1815).

In 1949, the United States and most of the countries of Western Europe formed NATO, an alliance whose intent was to stand up to a Soviet invasion of Europe.

Although it wasn't perfect, the United States before World War II was a liberal democracy where people could speak their minds and become activists for a variety of causes.

Although the United States was still mostly a liberal democracy, that wasn't true if someone was a communist, had communist leanings, or was even mistaken for a communist.

Post War United States