diplomacy_retaliation

Retaliation


Many countries that traded with the United States decided to retaliate with new tariffs.


Spain

Spain retaliated with "The Wais Tariff" after Smoot-Hawley. The tariff mainly focused on auto imports, with duties increasing 100% to 150%, affecting the auto industry in the United States.

“The denunciation of our (commercial) treaty with the United States does not depend on us; it depends upon how they comport themselves, upon what they do”

​​​​​​​- El Imparcial


Italy

Italy enacted a tariff to mainly protect their auto industry, specifically Fiat. It also focused on protecting agricultural machinery and radios.

"The Italian public felt like the U.S. was trying to ruin the entire world, for her own benefit"

​​​​​​​- Joseph M. Jones Jr., 1934


Canada

Canada was one of the United States' biggest trading partners. The new Tariff Act of 1930 hurt agriculture products and natural resource exports, leading to the Canadian Emergency Tariff, with protection increased by 50%. 

"The new Canadian government erected additional barriers to American sales in the Dominion-higher tariffs, the more important and far-reaching arbitrary valuations system, and the Anglo-Canadian trade agreement of 1932."

​​​​​​​- Richard N. Kottman, 1975


Switzerland

Rather than implementing tariffs, Switzerland boycotted, due to the tariff including watches. They mainly targeted typewriters and automobiles, which again hurt United States industries.

"What could possibly anger the peaceful Swiss so much? Perhaps, only watches could have accomplished the task. No nation is associated with a single product more than Switzerland and its watches. Watch making is not simply their top export, it is a source of national pride."

​​​​​​​- Mark Milder, 1999


France

Instead of tariffs, France retaliated through the quota system, limiting the number of imports and exports.

"The quota system had three main aims. First, it attempted to protect its domestic producers. Second, it created a barrier that would allow France to denounce their entangling treaties. Last, the quota system implicitly tried to promote European unity to counteract the U.S"

- Mark Milder, 1999


United Kingdom

Britain implemented many tariffs after 1931, including the Abnormal Imports Act, Horticultural Products Act, and the Import Duties Act of 1932. They also had imperial preference through the Ottawa Agreements.


Sang Hyun Chun, Senior Division, Individual Website