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Explore the pivotal period of U.S. foreign policy from neutrality to involvement in WWI, analyzing the Neutrality Acts of 1930s and the nation's path to war between 1937-1941.
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Images of World War II Man of the Year 1938
From Neutrality to War 1933-1941
Introduction • U.S. Isolationism • Tradition since G. Washington • From WWI: Why?
Foreign 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’s • Stimson Doctrine (1931) • Japan invades Manchuria • Non-recognition • Based on “Open Door” • FDR’s Foreign Policy
The Neutrality Acts • 1935, 1936, 1937 • The Origin: • The Nye Committee • Walter Millis’ “The Road to War”
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) • Expands 1935 law to include • Loans • Credits
Neutrality 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 1937 • U.S. Citizens Forbidden to travel on the ships of belligerent nations
The 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 War1937-1941 • 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 War1937-1941 • Neutrality Acts prohibited aid to both sides • No distinction between aggressor and victim
The Road to War1937-1941 • 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 War1937-1941 • 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 War1937-1941 • 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 War1937-1941 • 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 War1937-1941 • Internationalists • Led more and more by FDR • Advocate helping Allies so U.S. doesn’t have to fight • Also advocates “preparedness”
The Road to War1939-1941 • War complicates U.S. position (again) • May 1940: Germany attacks • Belgium • Netherlands • Denmark • Norway • France • June, 1940: France Falls!
The Road to War1939-1941 • 82% of Americans still favor staying out • Britain alone against “The Blitz” • 1940 election: war AND third term issue
The Road to War1939-1941 • U.S Begin to Prepare • FDR asks Congress to increase preparedness • Multi-billion military appropriations bill • Congress passes $5 billion naval bill • First ever peacetime draft: Sept 16, 1940 • Politics also complicates • 1940 is Presidential Election Year • Two Term Tradition is a Big Issue
The Road to War1940-1941 • 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 War1940-1941 • Roosevelt’s “State of the Union” Address • January 6, 1941 • The Four Freedoms
The 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 Act • $50 billion between 1941 and 1945 ($720,596,368,644.55 at 2009 prices) • 60% to Great Britain: $31.4 BILLION • 20% to Soviet Union (June 1941) • 20% to others (France $3.2 billion; China $1.6 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 Lend Lease to U.S.S.R. $11.3 Billion
The 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 War 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 War 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 War 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.
