Saint or harlot?, France in the American press, 1918-1924
Loading...
Files
Date
2001-08-01T00:00:00Z
Authors
Shattuck, Ciara A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Following the 1918 armistice, the world settled into a precarious peace. France sought security from future German aggression, while the United States sought the repayment of war debts and European economic stability. Suspicions, hard feelings, and misunderstandings aggravated already war-weary nations, resulting in innumerable misconceptions. Many books have been written regarding the political and social climates of the period between 1918 and 1924. However, the relationship between these countries on a popular level has largely been ignored. To address this historical gap, this thesis examines the images of France that appeared in American newspapers from the end of World War One to the 1924 Dawes Plan, focussing on perceptions of French society, culture, and politics. The popular American opinions at the time reflect much ambiguity--France was both saint and harlot, loved and hated, inviting and repulsive. This ambiguity was reflected in American foreign policy, which was neither strict nor lax with theFrench government. The link between the press, public opinion, and foreign policy is tenuous at best, and is discussed in the conclusion.