Strangling Imperial Japan's oil supplies in the Pacific encouraged their decision to attack Pearl Harbor.
Trading with Japan turned them into a more pro-American western country than California is.
Strangling the Weimar Republic economically created the popular Nationalist Socialism that nearly destroyed the world.
Trading with West Germany eventually helped make the western front against USSR strong, and led to re-unification as a pacified ally.
How about the British slapping punitive restrictions on their colonies? Did that results in free and fair trade?
Or do you think we should rededploy Petreaus to Shanghai?
And speaking of red herrings....why does there have to be an example in history anyway? Was there an example of of an incandescent bulb before it was invented? Of radio before the wireless set? Of excise taxes before there was trade?
Was a boycott, the antithesis free trade.
Trading with Japan turned them into a...pro-American western country...
The Marshall plan was welfare for former Axis nations. People tend to be grateful to you when you rebuild thier country from scratch.
Trading with West Germany eventually helped make the western front against USSR strong...
Ditto.
Strangling the Weimar Republic...
The Wiemar Republic strangled itself in response to the French occupation of the Ruhr. There was no boycott of German goods.
How about the British slapping punitive restrictions on their colonies?
Facts not in evidence. I never suggested punitive sanctions, only a retreat from unrestricted free trade.
And speaking of red herrings....why does there have to be an example in history anyway?
Because I do not trust something as critical as international trade policy to experiment and whim. Our current China trade policy is an experiment that has cost us dearly. It is time to pull the plug.