America’s Road to WWII

1. America’s Road to WWII

2. Foreign Policy, 1920s – 1930s After WWI, America practiced a policy of Isolationism. • Isolationism: trying to avoid conflict, by only worrying about domestic issues—problems at home. • 1928: Kellogg-Briand Pact: Outlawed War as an instrument of national policy President Coolidge signs the Pact

3. Nye Committee Hearings (1934) • Congressional hearings held by Senator Nye on books that documented extraordinary profits made by banks, arms dealers and manufacturers during WWI • Turned Americans against future world wars • Coined the term “Merchants of Death”.

4. Neutrality Acts : • Passed in response to obvious antiwar feelings in America. Outlawed arms sales or loans to nations at war (i.e., Europe and Japan).

5. Fdr Shifts on Isolationism Internationalism: • FDR begins to believe that America should do everything to support Britain and the “West” EXCEPT declare war. • To do this, he institutes government programs to “maintain neutrality”, but also uses propaganda and speeches to prepare Americans mentally for war.

6. Moving Away from Neutrality • 1939, FDR persuades Congress to accept “cash-and-carry” policy • Sale of weapons/goods to other countries • Argues will help France, Britain defeat Hitler, keep U.S. out of war • Japan, Italy, & Germany sign mutual defense treaty • Become known as Axis Powers

7. Transferred 50 American destroyers to Britain, in exchange for the right to establish bases in British territories. • Signed the Selective Training and Service Act(first ever peace time draft for all men between 21 and 35 to serve 1 year in the military).

8. 1941: Lend-Lease Act • Britain is too poor to spend $ fighting Hitler • FDR argues that compromise with Hitler is impossible. • If Britain falls, rest of democratic falls. America HAD to help fight Axis powers by turning itself into the “great arsenal of democracy”. • The president may sell, lend, or lease military supplies to any nation “vital to the defense of the United States”. • This puts U.S. and Germany at war, economically.

11. 1941 “Four Freedoms” Speech indicated FDR’s commitment to: • Freedom of speech and expression • Freedom for every person to worship God in his own way • Freedom from want • Freedom from fear

12. Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms

13. 1941 Atlantic Charter:agreement between Churchill and FDR to create an international organization to protect the security of all countries; signed by 15 other countries. • A blueprint for the post-WWII world.

14. Atlantic Charter: 8 points: • No territorial gains sought by US or UK. • “Territorial adjustments” must happen only if people of that nation want them. • Self-determination for all. • Lower trade barriers. • Global economic cooperation, advancement of social welfare. • Freedom from want and fear. • Freedom of the seas. • Disarmament of aggressor nations.

15. Japan Reacts! • 1937: Hideki Tojo(chief of Japan’s army) invades China to seize European colonial possessions and unite East Asia under Japanese control. Europe does nothing. • 1940: Japan forms the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis, violating the Atlantic Charter. • 1941: Japan takes over French Indochina; FDR freezes Japanese assets in the U.S. and placed trade embargos on Japan, especially on oil. • Japan runs out of oil. Tojo and Emperor Hirohito decide to launch an offensive strike at U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor. Goal is to knock out U.S. Pacific Fleet.

16. December 7, 1941 – Japanese Bombing of Pearl Harbor • In less than 3 hours, Japanese destroyed 19 ships (including 5 battleships) and 188 airplanes; 2,400 Americans killed. 3 aircraft carriers at sea escaped the disaster.

18. Results of Pearl Harbor • Dec. 8, 1941: FDR’s “Day Which Will Live in Infamy” speech asking Congress to declare war on Japan. • Isolationists now support all-out war. • December 11, 1941: Hitler and Mussolini declare war on the United States

19. Dr. Seuss