Un’occasione mancata ma non persa. La politica degli Stati Uniti dinanzi alla controversia italo-etiopica

Roosevelt’s foreign policy has given rise to markedly different interpretations. Those who do not place sole emphasis on his alleged isolationism see the Quarantine Speech as marking a turning point towards a greater involvement in the international arena. However, the true shift in his attitude occurred during the Italo-Ethiopian dispute. While American policy during the crisis has often been portrayed in a reductionist manner, analysis of unpublished diplomatic documents reveals the paramount importance the dispute held for the president; reassessment is equally necessary regarding Mussolini’s presumed lack of interest in Washington’s decisions. The new framework that emerges significantly alters some historiographical assumptions and demonstrates that the Ethiopian issue marked the beginning of a shift in American foreign policy.