Final answer:
Woodrow Wilson responded to the Bolshevik seizure of power by supporting the anti-Bolshevik forces and sending a small contingent of American troops to Russia, representing an anti-socialist stance and a shift from his previous policy of moral diplomacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Woodrow Wilson's Response to the Bolshevik Seizure of Power
When the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized power in the October Revolution of 1917, Woodrow Wilson responded by showing a clear anti-socialist stance. Despite his initial doctrine of moral diplomacy and his cautious effort to avoid entangling the United States in foreign wars, the situation in Russia forced a shift. The signing of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty by the Bolsheviks effectively ended Russia’s participation in World War I, which altered the military balance and expedited the U.S. entry into the war to support the Allies.
Furthermore, Wilson's administration supported the anti-Bolshevik forces during the Russian Civil War by deploying a small contingent of American troops to fight alongside them. This decision highlighted Wilson's ideological opposition to socialism and was indicative of the broader U.S. policy of non-recognition of the Soviet government that would persist for years. The intervention, although militarily insignificant, demonstrated U.S. hostility towards the rise of socialism, and it strained relations between the United States and Russia.
Wilson's foreign policy was conflicted as he balanced his reelection concerns with the pressures of other government officials and businesses demanding a more robust defense of American interests. His eventual preparedness campaign and the increased militarization showed a divergence from his initial foreign policy approach. Ultimately, Wilson's move against the Bolsheviks was part of a larger struggle to define American foreign policy in a world gripped by war and revolutionary change.