U.S. Foreign Policy

The U. S. has alliances with some nations and tensions with others. Although the factors influencing these relationships are never static and often complex, these resources can help you understand the underlying policies behind U.S. foreign policy and what it means for you.

  • Multilateral meeting, United Nations General Assembly
    What Is the Democratic Peace Theory? Definition and Examples
  • Black and white photo of President William Howard Taft and Secretary of State Philander C. Knox
    What Is Dollar Diplomacy? Definition and Examples
  • Open Door Policy with China
    What Was the Open Door Policy in China? Definition and Impact
  • Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler in Munich, Germany September 1937.
    What Makes a Ruler a Dictator? Definition and List of Dictators
  • Capitol Hill Rally Against Iran Deal
    What Is Appeasement? Definition and Examples in Foreign Policy
  • Disraeli and his cabinet
    What Is Jingoism? Definition and Examples
  • Airliner flying over ‘Do Not Enter” sign at airport
    What Is an Embargo? Definition and Examples
  • Monroe Doctrine
    Top 6 Key U.S. Presidential Foreign Policy Doctrines
  • United Nations House in New Dehli, India
    What Is Foreign Policy? Definition and Examples
  • Japanese Navy Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura sitting with the United States Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, Washington DC, February, 1941.
    US and Japan Relations Before WWII
  • US Secretary of State John Kerry and Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister Nabil Fahmy give a press conference
    Democracy Promotion as Foreign Policy
  • Abraham Lincoln
    Emancipation Proclamation Was Also Foreign Policy
  • World War II TF-51 Mustang in Sky - Aged
    The United States and Japan After World War II
  • Portrait of Thomas Jefferson
    What Was Foreign Policy Like Under Thomas Jefferson?
  • The inauguration of George Washington.
    American Foreign Policy Under George Washington
  • Woodrow Wilson
    The Fourteen Points of Woodrow Wilson's Plan for Peace
  • President Obama Delivers Statement On The Affordable Care Act In The Rose Garden WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 01: U.S. President Barack Obama speaks on the Affordable Care Act with Vice President Joe Biden in the Rose Garden of the White House April 1, 2014 in Washington, DC. More than 7 million Americans signed up for health insurance through the final day of eligibility of the national health care law.
    What Is Multilateralism?
  • 1954 Geneva Conference In Session
    The Geneva Accords of 1954
  • President Kennedy signing paper in the White House
    What Is Arms Control?
  • Doctors helping patient
    How US Foreign Aid is Used in Foreign Policy
  • small sailboat next to large container ship
    Examples of Sanctions in International Relations
  • Franklin D Roosevelt and Winston Churchill
    The US and Great Britain's Special Relationship
  • disaster aid
    Understanding Soft Power in US Foreign Policy
  • Flags of different nations flying against a blue sky
    U.S. Foreign Policy 101
  • "American Progress" by John Gast depicting an angel guiding travelers to the West.
    American Manifest Destiny and Modern Foreign Policy
  • An 1828 portrait of John Adams, second President of the U.S.
    Foreign Policy Under John Adams
  • President Truman delivering a radio address speaking into a microphone on a desk.
    The Truman Doctrine
  • Senate Confirmation Hearing Held For Rex Tillerson To Become Secretary Of State
    The Role of the Congress in U.S. Foreign Policy
  • Shinjuku lights in Tokyo, Japan
    Relationship of the United States With Japan
  • UN General Assembly hall
    What Is Globalization?
  • Dennis Kucinich speaking at a podium
    The War Powers Act of 1973
  • A protester holds an American flag and a Mexican flag while participating in a protest
    The Relationship of the United States with Mexico
  • George W. Bush and wife
    Understanding the Bush Doctrine
  • American And French Flag Pair On A Desk Over Defocused Background
    Overview of United States Relations With France
  • Barack Obama and David Cameron walking and talking
    The Relationship Between U.S. and Great Britain After World War II
  • Red Square, Moscow
    The Relationship of the United States With Russia
  • Rep. Louis Ludlow (D-Indiana), author of the Ludlow Amendment.
    The Ludlow Amendment
  • Diplomatic passport on map of Israel
    Diplomacy and How America Does It
  • Vintage US and Union Jack Flags
    The Relationship of the United States With the United Kingdom
  • Moscow Kremlin at night
    Political Parties in Russia
  • US and Cuba Have History of Complex Relations
  • St. Basil's Cathedral against a blue sky
    Timeline of U.S. and Russian Relations
  • The Importance of US Foreign Policy
  • More In: Issues
    View more