Chapter 34Franklin Roosevelt and the Shadow

of War (1933 – 1941)

The London Conference

OPurpose of the conference?O “Organize a coordinated

international attack on the global depression.”

ORoosevelt withdrew from conference for fear of sacrificing US economy for world economy

OReflected US isolation

Freedom for the Filipinos….

OTydings-McDuffie ActOPromised Philippines freedom

(happens in 1946)OIn 1933, US formally

recognized the Soviet UnionOHope for tradeOCounteract Germany and

Japan

Becoming a Good Neighbor

OGood Neighbor PolicyO Improving relations with Latin

AmericaO Renounced armed interventionO Overturned the Roosevelt

CorollaryOImproved relations would help

defend the Western Hemisphere

Secretary Hull’s Reciprocal Trade Agreements

OReciprocal Trade Agreements Act:OGave power to Roosevelt to

lower tariff rates on specific countries if they did the same

OPassed in response to previous high tariffs (Hawley-Smoot)

OForeign trade increased

Storm-Cellar Isolationism

OGrowth of Totalitarianism in the 1930sOStalin, Hitler, Mussolini

OJapan and Germany sought to expand their bordersO Japan began building

battleshipsOIsolationism increases

Congress Legislates Neutrality

O Nye Committee:O Investigated allegations US became

involved in WWI to make $ for munitions companies

O Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937O If there’s a war, restrictions

automatically take effectO America could not sail on that country’s

ships, sell weapons, or lend moneyO “No distinction between brutal

aggressors and innocent victims.”

America Dooms Loyalist Spain

OWar in Spain between Fascists and left-leaning government (supported by USSR)

ODue to Neutrality Acts, US could NOT help in the fight against the Fascists

**Appeasing Japan and Germany**

O “Quarantine Speech”O In response to Italy and JapanO Felt countries should “quarantine” aggressive nations

(embargoes)O Isolationists feared this could lead to warO Panay

O American gunboat sunk by the JapaneseO Germany violated Treaty of Versailles

O Marched into Rhineland, built up military, annexed Austria, Sudetenland

O Munich ConferenceO Gave Germany the Sudetenland, Hitler “promised”

not to take over more landO Appeasement

Hitler’s Belligerency and US Neutrality

OAugust 23, 1939 – Germany-Soviet Non-aggression Pact

OSeptember 1, 1939 – invasion of Poland

OBritain and France need weapons…ONeutrality Act of 1939

O European democracies could buy weapons on a “cash-and-carry” basis

O US is no longer truly “neutral”

The Fall of France

O June 1940, France falls to HitlerOEngland stood aloneOUS began building its militaryOSeptember 6, 1940: first peace-

time conscription lawOHavana Conference (1940):

O US and L.A. would uphold Monroe Doctrine

Bolstering Britain with the Destroyer Deal (1940)

O Germany bombed England in preparation of invasion

O “Fortress of America” or help to Britain?O Committee to Defend America:

O Favored aiding alliesO America First Committee:

O Against American involvementO September 1940, Roosevelt gave Britain

ships from WWI in return for basesO Most Americans favored “all aid short of

war”

FDR Shatters the Two-Term Tradition

OWendell Willkie v. FDROCondemned the New Deal

and FDR “Dictatorship”

OFDR won 449 - 82

Congress Passes the Lend-Lease Law

OWhat was it? O March 1941O Send supplies to victims of aggressionO “Billions not bodies”

OSeen as a economic declaration of war

OOfficially marked the end of neutralityO Germany began sinking American ships

Hitler’s Assault on the Soviet Union….

OJune 22, 1941: Operation Barbarossa

OAtlantic Conference:ORoosevelt and Churchill meetOOutlined goals for postwar

worldONo territorial exchangesONew League of Nations

US Destroyers and Hitler’s U-boats Clash

O July 1941, Roosevelt decided US ships would escort lend-lease supplies to IcelandO Roosevelt orders a “shoot on

sight” policy

ONovember 1941: O Merchant ships could be legally

armed

Surprise Assault on Pearl Harbor

OLate 1940 – 1941:O US enacts embargoes on Japan

and freezes assets in the US

ODecember 7, 1941:O A day “that will live in infamy”O 3,000 casualties

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