Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Man of the Year 1938

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

Images of World War IIImages of World War II

From Neutrality to WarFrom Neutrality to War

1933-19411933-1941

IntroductionIntroduction

3U.S. Isolationism3Tradition since G. Washington3From WWI: Why?

Foreign Policy in the 1920’sForeign Policy in the 1920’s

• International Finance– U.S. leading creditor nation– Dawes and Young Plans for Germany

• Washington Naval Conference, 1921-22– 5:5:3:1.67– Japan unhappy but…

• Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)– Ratified 85-1 by the Senate…

1930’s1930’s

• Stimson Doctrine (1931)– Japan invades Manchuria– Non-recognition– Based on “Open Door”

• FDR’s Foreign Policy

The Neutrality ActsThe Neutrality Acts

• 1935, 1936, 1937

• The Origin:– The Nye Committee– Walter Millis’ “The Road to War”

Neutrality Act of 1935 (August) Neutrality Act of 1935 (August)

• Response to Italy’s attack on Ethiopia

• President empowered to – Declare when a war exists and

identify the “belligerents”– Declare an embargo on arms

sales to all belligerents– Tell U.S. citizens they travel “at

their own risk” on ships of belligerent nations

Neutrality Act of 1936 (Feb)Neutrality Act of 1936 (Feb)

• Expands 1935 law to include– Loans– Credits

Neutrality Act of 1937Neutrality Act of 1937

• Continued ban on arms, loans and credit

• Included civil wars (Spain)

• President authorized to embargo “strategic materials”

– Oil– Aviation gas– Steel and scrap iron

Neutrality Act of 1937Neutrality Act of 1937

• U.S. Citizens Forbidden to travel on the ships of belligerent nations

The Neutrality Acts in ReviewThe Neutrality Acts in Review

• Origin in concern over involvement in WWI• Fueled by Isolationists’ desire to avoid

“another WWI”• Forbid U.S. trade, especially in arms and

“strategic materials” to “belligerent” nations• Made no distinction between “aggressor”

and “victim”.

The Road to WarThe Road to War1937-19411937-1941

• Outbreak of war complicated the U.S. neutrality and the Neutrality Acts July, 1937: Japan Invades China No doubt whose side we were on

Open Door Policy Japanese expansion threatens U.S. interests in the

Pacific: Philippines, Hawaii, etc

The Road to WarThe Road to War1937-19411937-1941

• Neutrality Acts prohibited aid to both sides

–No distinction between aggressor and victim

The Road to WarThe Road to War1937-19411937-1941

• FDR Refuses to “recognize” a state of war– Japan never declared war officially– U.S. can send aid to China– Unintended consequence: Japan can buy

whatever it wants from the U.S.

The Road to WarThe Road to War1937-19411937-1941

• September 1, 1939: Germany Invades Poland – “Blitzkrieg”!– Beginning of WWII in Europe– Britain and France declare war on Germany– No doubt whose side U.S. is on

• Knew much – but not all – about Hitler and Nazi Germany

• Knew it was a genuine case of “making the world safe for democracy”

The Road to WarThe Road to War1937-19411937-1941

• Congress Amends Neutrality Acts$ “Cash and Carry”

$First for “non-military” goods$Nov. 1939: military goods too$No loans or credits$Buyer must pick it up$Helps Britain and France w/o endangering

neutrality (easier for them to “carry”)$ No “financial interest” in the outcome$ No U.S. ships become targets of U-Boats

The Road to WarThe Road to War1937-19411937-1941

• Begins huge debate in the U.S. between “Internationalists” and “Isolationists”– Isolationists in Congress propose Constitutional

amendment• National referendum required before Congress could declare

war• Defeated by a vote of 209-188

– “America First” Committee• U.S. should focus on preparedness for war, not wasting aid

on Allies• Led by Charles Lindbergh: “admirer” of German power

The Road to WarThe Road to War1937-19411937-1941

Internationalists Led more and more by FDR Advocate helping Allies so U.S. doesn’t have

to fight

Also advocates “preparedness”

The Road to WarThe Road to War1939-19411939-1941

War complicates U.S. position (again) May 1940: Germany

attacksBelgiumNetherlandsDenmarkNorwayFrance

June, 1940: France Falls!

The Road to WarThe Road to War1939-19411939-1941

82% of Americans still favor staying out

Britain alone against “The Blitz”

1940 election: war AND third term issue

The Road to WarThe Road to War1939-19411939-1941

• U.S Begin to PrepareFDR asks Congress to increase

preparednessMulti-billion military appropriations

billCongress passes $5 billion naval billFirst ever peacetime draft: Sept 16,

1940

Politics also complicates1940 is Presidential Election YearTwo Term Tradition is a Big Issue

The Road to WarThe Road to War1940-19411940-1941

• FDR WINS THIRD TERM– 449-82 In Electoral

College– Plans to expand aid to

Britain: U.S. As the “Arsenal of Democracy” (Dec. 29, 1940)

– Begins to form bipartisan support

• Names Republicans to cabinet

The Election of 1940

The Road to WarThe Road to War1940-19411940-1941

Roosevelt’s “State of the Union” Address January 6, 1941 The Four Freedoms

The Four FreedomsThe Four Freedoms

The Four FreedomsThe Four Freedoms

The Four FreedomsThe Four Freedoms

The Four FreedomsThe Four Freedoms

The Arsenal Of DemocracyThe Arsenal Of Democracy

The Lend Lease Act: "An Act to Promote the Defense of the United

States" March 1941 President authorized to

“Sell, Transfer, Exchange, Lease, Lend or otherwise dispose of”

“any defense article for the government of any country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the United States.”

The Lend Lease ActThe Lend Lease Act

$50 billion between 1941 and 1945 ($720,596,368,644.55 at 2009 prices)60% to Great Britain: $31.4 BILLION20% to Soviet Union (June 1941)20% to others (France $3.2 billion; China $1.6

billion)

Lend Lease to U.S.S.R. Lend Lease to U.S.S.R. $11.3 Billion$11.3 Billion

• Aircraft 14,795• Tanks 7,056• Jeeps 51,503• Trucks 375,883• Motorcycles 35,170• Tractors 8,071• Guns 8,218• Machine guns 131,633• Explosives 345,735 tons• Building equipment valued

$10,910,000• Railroad freight cars 11,155• Locomotives 1,981

• Cargo ships90• Submarine hunters105• Torpedo boats197• Ship engines7,784• Food supplies4,478,000 tons• Machines and

equipment$1,078,965,000• Non-ferrous metals802,000 tons• Petroleum products2,670,000 tons• Chemicals842,000 tons• Cotton106,893,000 tons• Leather49,860 tons• Tires3,786,000• Army boots15,417,001 pairs

The Road to WarThe Road to War

• FDR Moves Nation Toward War claims “right of hemispheric defense” and

declares “neutral zone” halfway across the Atlantic

Orders Navy to report U-Boats to GBR Executive Agreement with Danish

“government in exile” for bases in Greenland September 1941: “Shoot on sight” order

against German U-boats after U.S.S. Greer attacked

The Road to WarThe Road to War Part II: The Pacific Part II: The Pacific

1937 Invasion of China FDR doesn’t “recognize” as war to avoid

Neutrality acts We still provide 50% of Japan’s oil, steel and

iron

The Road to WarThe Road to War Part II: The Pacific Part II: The Pacific

June, 1940: Japan occupies French Indochina

Sept 27, 1940 - Tripartite Pact signed by Germany, Italy and Japan

July 26, 1941 - Roosevelt freezes Japanese assets in United States and suspends relations

The Road to WarThe Road to War Part II: The Pacific Part II: The Pacific

• Japan’s Dilemma– Needs raw materials from U.S.: oil, scrap iron,

steel, aviation gas– U.S. imposes embargo: Get out of China!– Either get embargo lifted OR find other

sources (East/South East Asia)– Japan begins to plan for war v. U.S.

Pearl HarborPearl Harbor

Pearl HarborPearl Harbor

Pearl HarborPearl Harbor

Pearl Pearl HarborHarbor