A New Approach to Foreign Policy

Why did the U.S. take such an active role in foreign affairs after World War II?

After World War II ended in 1945, with widespread devastation in Europe and Japan, the United States began to develop a new foreign policy—reflecting a novel approach to dealing with the defeated powers and promoting a new vision of “freedom” for the world. By the end of the decade, the U.S. had become the “leader of the free world.”

Watch this video to understand the factors that shaped how leaders in the U.S. responded to international economic, social, and political circumstances after the end of World War II.

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Take Notes

What were some of the new ideas, philosophies, and conditions that influenced how leaders in the U.S. responded to the situation in the postwar world? What problems were they trying to solve with their responses? (Click "Save" when you have finished. To see your saved or submitted work again, click "My Work" at the top of the page.)