__NOTOC__ The ''Quarantine Speech'' was given by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt on October 5, 1937, in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

(on the occasion of the dedication of the Outer Drive Bridge between north and south outer

Lake Shore Drive Lake Shore Drive (officially Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive, and called DuSable Lake Shore Drive, The Outer Drive, The Drive, or LSD) is a multilevel expressway that runs alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan, and adjacent to ...

), calling for an international "quarantine" against the "epidemic of world lawlessness" by aggressive nations as an alternative to the political climate of American neutrality and non-intervention that was prevalent at the time. The speech intensified America's isolationist mood, causing protest by non-interventionists and foes to intervene. No countries were directly mentioned in the speech, although it was interpreted as referring to the

Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent form ...

, the

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, and

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. Roosevelt suggested the use of economic pressure, a forceful response, but less direct than outright aggression. Public response to the speech was mixed. Famed cartoonist

Percy Crosby Percy Lee CrosbyPercy Lee Crosby
at FamilySearch.org. Retrieved on January 8, 2016 ...

, creator of

Skippy (comic strip) ''Skippy'' is an American comic strip written and drawn by Percy Crosby that was published from 1923 to 1945. A highly popular, acclaimed and influential feature about rambunctious fifth-grader Skippy Skinner, his friends and his enemies, it w ...

and very outspoken Roosevelt critic, bought a two-page advertisement in the ''New York Sun'' to attack it. In addition, it was heavily criticized by Hearst-owned newspapers and

Robert R. McCormick Robert Rutherford "Colonel" McCormick (July 30, 1880 – April 1, 1955) was an American lawyer, businessman and anti-war activist. A member of the McCormick family of Chicago, McCormick became a lawyer, Republican Chicago alderman, distinguish ...

of the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'', but several subsequent compendia of editorials showed overall approval in US media. Roosevelt realized the impact that those writing in favor of

isolationism Isolationism is a political philosophy advocating a national foreign policy that opposes involvement in the political affairs, and especially the wars, of other countries. Thus, isolationism fundamentally advocates neutrality and opposes entangl ...

had on the nation. He hoped that the storm isolationists created would fade away and allow the general public to become educated and even active in international policy. However, this was not the response that grew over time, in fact, it ended up intensifying isolationism views in more Americans. Roosevelt even mentioned in two personal letters written on October 16, 1937, that "he was 'fighting against a public psychology which comes very close to saying 'peace at any price.'" Disappointed in how the public reacted to the speech, Roosevelt decided to take a step back with regards to his foreign policy, even to the point of accepting an apology from Japan after the sinking of the USS Panay.

Footnotes

References

* Borg, Dorothy. "Notes on Roosevelt's" Quarantine" Speech." ''Political Science Quarterly'' 72.3 (1957): 405-433
in JSTOR
* Dallek, Robert. ''Franklin D Roosevelt And American Foreign Policy 1932 1945'' (1979
online
pp 148-51 * Haight, John McV. "Roosevelt and the Aftermath of the Quarantine Speech." ''Review of Politics'' 24#2 (1962): 233-259 * Haight, John McV. "France and the Aftermath of Roosevelt's 'Quarantine' Speech." ''World Politics'' 14#2 (1962), pp. 283–30
in JSTOR
*
No more killing fields: preventing deadly conflict
'. David A. Hamburg, Cyrus S. Vance, 2003,

Rowman & Littlefield Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns the book distributing comp ...

. Pages 36–37. . * Jacobs, Travis Beal. "Roosevelt's "Quarantine Speech"." ''Historian'' 24.4 (1962): 483–502
in JSTOR
* Ryan, Halford Ross. ''Franklin D. Roosevelt's rhetorical presidency'' (Greenwood Press, 1988).

External links

Transcript and audio of speech
{{Franklin D. Roosevelt 1937 in international relations 1937 in the United States History of Chicago Speeches by Franklin D. Roosevelt World War II speeches 1937 in Illinois October 1937 events 1937 speeches

See also

Footnotes

References

External links