Benjamin D. Rhodes

It should not have been too surprising that Britain's image in
America during the twenties underwent some decline from the
exalted heights achieved during the First World War. From
April 1917 until the Armistice, the two nations shared a
common enemy and a common ideology as they fought
shoulder to shoulder to end war and safeguard democracy.
Over a million 'doughboys' served on the Western Front. And
the United States Treasury, through the proceeds of Liberty
bonds sold to the American public, made advances to the Allies
totalling $10.3 billion, of which $4.1 billion was loaned to
Britain. Never had Britain's prestige in America been greater.

In reality, however, the emotional outpouring of Anglo-
American friendship was somewhat out of character inasmuch
as the Anglo-American rapprochement was only about twenty
years old when the First World War ended. Once the 'Hun'
was vanquished, America's wartime mood of comradeship with
Britain soon faded and was replaced by a growing disillusion-
ment about moral crusades and foreign entanglements. Persist-
ent Anglo-American disputes now arose over such war-related
problems as the League of Nations, reparations, war debts, and
naval limitation. Throughout the next decade the quarrelling
continued practically unabated, vividly illustrating that the
Anglo-American rapprochement was not yet complete. Not
until the fascist challenge of the thirties did London and Wash-
ington finally cease their mutual contentiousness and again
concentrate upon their common political interests. ¹

In the United States the Anglo-American controversies of
the twenties were viewed from several perspectives. On the one

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