Transcript The Road to WW 2 - Moreau Catholic High School

The Road to WW 2
How America went from Isolation to
World War 2 1933-1941
Foreign Policy Tensions
Interventionism
Disarmament
•
Collective security
•
Isolationism
•
“Wilsonianism”
•
Nativists
•
Business interests
•
Anti-War movement
•
Conservative
Republicans
American Isolationism
5 Isolationists like
Senator Lodge, refused
to allow the US to sign
the Versailles Treaty.
5 Security treaty with
France also rejected by
the Senate.
5 July, 1921  Congress
passed a resolution
declaring WW I
officially over!
Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge,
Sr. [R-MA]
Washington Disarmament
Conference
(1921-1922)
5 Long-standing Anglo-Japanese alliance (1902) obligated
Britain to aid Japan in the event of a Japanese war with the
United States.
5 Goals  naval disarmament and the political situation in the
Far East.
Five-Power Treaty (1922)
5 A battleship ratio was achieved through this ratio:
US
5
Britain
5
Japan
3
France
1.67
Italy
1.67
5 Japan got a guarantee that the US and Britain would
stop fortifying their Far East territories [including
the Philippines].
5 Loophole  no restrictions on small warships
European Debts to the US
Hyper-Inflation in Germany:
1923
Dawes Plan (1924)
Young Plan (1930)
5 For three generations, you’ll have to slave away!
5 $26,350,000,000 to be paid over a period of 58½
years.
5 By 1931, Hoover declared a debt moratorium.
Locarno Pact (1925)
5 Guaranteed the common boundaries of Belgium, France, and
Germany as specified in the Treaty of Versailles of 1919.
5 Germany signed treaties with Poland and Czechoslovakia,
agreeing to change the eastern borders of Germany by
arbitration only.
Clark Memorandum (1928)
5 Clark pledged that the
US would not intervene in
Latin American affairs in
order to protect US
property rights.
5 This was a complete
rebuke of the Roosevelt
Corollary to the Monroe
Doctrine!
Secretary of State
J. Reuben Clark
Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)
5 15 nations dedicated to outlawing aggression and war as
tools of foreign policy.
5 62 nations signed.
5 Problems  no means of actual enforcement and gave
Americans a false sense of security.
The London Conference
• FDR fails to attend due to currency
stabilization and the gold standard demands
from Europe without considering tariff
reductions until after currency.
• Impact: blow to International cooperation
U.S. drifts towards isolationism
Japanese Attack Manchuria
(1931)
5 League of Nations condemned the
action.
5 Japan leaves the League.
5 Hoover wanted no part in an American military action in
the Far East.
Hoover-Stimpson
Doctrine
(1932)
5 US would not recognize any territorial
acquisitions that were achieved by force.
5 Japan was infuriated because the US had
conquered new
territories a few
decades earlier.
5 Japan bombed
Shanghai in
1932  massive
casualties.
3. Independence of the
Philippines (1934)
• U.S. beet sugar dairy interests, American
labor, and anti-imperialists push for
independence. Tydings-McDuffie passed
allowing for independence in 12 years (July
4, 1946) Provides for removal of U.S.
military posts and negotiations to remove
naval bases
2. The Recognition of the USSR
• FDR recognizes USSR in hopes for trade
(fails to materialize) in exchange for USSR
pledge:
• Not interfere in U.S. domestic affairs and
propaganda (fails to happen)
• Religious freedoms for Americans in USSR
(fails to happen)
• Settle debts (fails to happen)
FDR Recognizes the Soviet
Union
(late 1933)
5 FDR felt that
recognizing Moscow
might bolster the
US against Japan.
5 Maybe trade with
the USSR would
help the US
economy during the
Depression.
4. Relations with the Western
Hemisphere (1933-41)
• End to Dollar Diplomacy and Roosevelt
Corollary
FDR’s “Good Neighbor”
Policy
5 Important to have all
nations in the Western
Hemisphere united in
lieu of foreign
aggressions.
5 FDR  The good
neighbor respects
himself and the rights
of others.
5 Policy of non-
intervention and
cooperation.
5. The Tariff issue (1934)
• FDR under Trade Agreements Act can enter
into arrangements to lower tariffs up to 50%
without Congressional approval.
Reciprocal trade agreements!
6. Johnson Debt Default Act
(1934)
• Prohibits loans to any foreign country in
default to U.S. G.B., Czechoslovakia, Italy,
Rumania, Latvia, and Lithuania. Only
exception: Finland
7. Nye Committee (1934)
• Sen. Gerald Nye ((N.D.) Senate Munitions
Committee findings stress profits in WW 1
to U.S. financiers and armament makers.
No conclusive evidence, but isolationism
benefits from this and leads to Neutrality
Acts
Nye Committee Hearings
(1934-1936)
5 The Nye Committee I
investigated the charge
that WW I was needless and
the US entered so munitions
owners could make big profits
[“merchants of death.”]
5 The Committee did charge
Senator Gerald P. Nye [R-ND]
that bankers wanted war to
protect their loans & arms manufacturers to make
money.
5 Claimed that Wilson had provoked Germany by sailing
in to warring nations’ waters.
5 Resulted in Congress passing several Neutrality Acts.
FDR’s “I hate war” Speech
(1936)
Ludlow Amendment (1938)
5 A proposed amendment
to the Constitution
that called for a
national referendum on
any declaration of war
by Congress.
5 Introduced several
Congressman Louis Ludlow
[D-IN]
times by Congressman
Ludlow.
5 Never actually passed.
7. Neutrality Acts
• 1935 Italy attacks Ethiopia: President after
declaring “state of war” prohibit ALL arm
shipments and forbid citizens travel on
belligerent ships except AT THEIR OWN
RISK FDR: this will “drag us into war
instead of keeping us out.”
• Embargo NOT include oil, steel, and
copper
7. Neutrality Acts
• 1936 extends 1935 Act and forbids loans and
credit
• 1937 Spanish Civil War not covered b 1935 and
thus embargoes both sides in Spain thus favoring
dictator Franco and Italy and Germany
• After Japan attacks China FDR not invoke
Neutrality act but then invokes ban on munitions
and travel
Neutrality Acts: 1935, 1936, 1937
5 When the President proclaimed the existence of a
foreign war, certain restrictions would automatically
go into effect:
 Prohibited sales of arms to belligerent nations.
 Prohibited loans and credits to belligerent nations.
 Forbade Americans to travel on vessels of nations at
war [in contrast to WW I].
 Non-military goods must be purchased on a “cash-andcarry” basis  pay when goods are picked up.
 Banned involvement in the Spanish Civil War.
5 This limited the options of the President in a crisis.
5 America in the 1930s declined to build up its forces!
US Neutrality
8. Panay 1937
• U.S. gunboat, Panay, bombed by Japanese
2 killed and 30 wounded
• U.S. demands apologies, reparations, and
guarantees against future acts
• Japan apologizes and gives reparations
“Open Door” inapplicable to world of
“today and tomorrow.”
• FDR’S Quarantine Speech and the reaction
Panay Incident (1937)
5 December 12, 1937.
5 Japan bombed USS
Panay gunboat & three
Standard Oil tankers on
the Yangtze River.
5 The river was an
international waterway.
5 Japan was testing US resolve!
5 Japan apologized, paid US an indemnity, and promised no
further attacks.
5 Most Americans were satisfied with the apology.
5 Results  Japanese interpreted US tone as a license for
further aggression against US interests.
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
The American “Lincoln Brigade”
Fascist Aggression
5 1935: Hitler denounced the Versailles Treaty &
the League of Nations [re-arming!]
Mussolini attacks Ethiopia.
5 1936: German troops sent into the Rhineland.
Fascist forces sent to fight with Franco in Spain.
5 1938: Austrian Anschluss.
Rome-Berlin Tokyo Pact [AXIS]
Munich Agreement  APPEASEMENT!
5 1939: German troops march into the rest of
Czechoslovakia.
Hitler-Stalin Non-Aggression Pact.
5 September 1, 1939: German troops march into
Poland  blitzkrieg  WW II
begins!!!
1939 Neutrality Act
5
5
In response to Germany’s invasion of Poland.
FDR persuades Congress in special session to allow
the US to aid European democracies in a limited way:
 The US could sell weapons to the European
democracies on a “cash-and-carry” basis.
 FDR was authorized to proclaim danger zones which
US ships and citizens could not enter.
5
Results of the 1939 Neutrality Act:
 Aggressors could not send ships to buy US munitions.
 The US economy improved as European demands for
war goods helped bring the country out of the
1937-38 recession.
5
America becomes the “Arsenal of Democracy.”
9. Attack on Poland 1939
• FDR “ This nation will remain a neutral
nation, but I cannot ask that every American
remain neutral in thought as well.”
• Repeals arms embargo and provides for
“cash and carry.”
“America First” Committee
Charles Lindbergh
10. U.S. Preparedness and Aid to
G.B. 1940
• Jan 3 FDR asks for 1.182 billion for defense
and 50,000 planes per year May 31 $1.3
billion more Release surplus and outdated
weapons to GB $43 million
• Sept 3 Destroyers for bases 50 destroyers
for 99 year leases
“Lend-Lease” Act (1941)
Great Britain.........................$31 billion
Soviet Union...........................$11 billion
France......................................$ 3 billion
China.......................................$1.5 billion
Other European.................$500 million
South America...................$400 million
The amount totaled: $48,601,365,000
11. The Election of 1940
• Issues?
• Results?
11. FDR and 4 Freedoms
•
•
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Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Religion
Freedom from Want
Freedom from Fear
12. Lend Lease Act
• Allows President to deem national “vital” to
U.S. lend/lease initial $7b end of war
$50b+
13. Battle of the Atlantic FebMay 1941
• “Wolf packs” destroy 2,314,000 tons of
supplies FDR declares U.S. “security zone”
North Atlantic West Longitude 26 degrees
14. The Atlantic Charter
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The war aims…
Renunciation of aggression
Opposition to territorial changes vs people wishes
People’s right to choose government
Support of cooperative efforts improve economy
Freedom from fear & want
Freedom of seas
Disarmament of aggressor nations & United
Nations
15. U.S.S. Greer and Reuben
James
• Destroyer Greer attacked “shoot on sight”
orders by FDR
• Destroyed Reuben James sunk in “convoy”
with loss of 100 lives and arming of
merchant marines and travel to belligerent
ports
16. U.S. relations with Japan
deteriorates
• Sept 26 1940 U.S. embargo scrap iron and steel all
but G.B. post Indochina takeover
• July 24 1941 FDR freezes all Japanese creditsMacArthur in charge of Philippines.
• Nov 20 negotiations begin with new Tojo
government Nov 25 Japanese carrier force leaves
for Pearl Harbor
• Dec 6 FDR appeal to Hirohito for peace and
withdrawal
• 7:55 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 Pearl Harbor attacked
Pearl Harbor
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Pearl Harbor from the
Cockpit of a Japanese Plane
Pearl Harbor – Dec. 7,
1941
A date which will live in infamy!
FDR Signs the War
Declaration
USS Arizona, Pearl
Harbor
Pearl Harbor Memorial
2,887 Americans Dead!
Pacific Theater of
Operations