SWBAT: Describe how the United States reacted to the outbreak of war in Europe

Do Now:a) America Debates Entering The War – Pause and Reflect

Activity

America Debates Entering The War

As Europe moved closer to war in the late 1930s congress continued to demand American neutrality. Between 1936 and 1937, much to the dismay of the

President Roosevelt, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland; Britain and France subsequently declared war on Germany, marking the start of World War II. In an

address to the American People two days later, President Roosevelt assured the nation that he would do all he could to keep them out of war. However, his

words showed his true goals. "When peace has been broken anywhere, the peace of all countries everywhere is in danger," Roosevelt said Even though he

was intent on neutrality as the official policy of the United States, he still echoed the dangers of staying out of this war. He also cautioned the American

people to not let their wish to avoid war at all costs supersede the security of the nation

The war in Europe split the American people into two camps: non-interventionists and interventionists. The two sides argued over America’s involvement in

this Second World War. The basic principle of the interventionist argument was fear of German invasion. By the summer of 1940, France suffered a stunning

defeat by Germans, and Britain was the only democratic enemy of Germany.

A national survey found that in the summer of 1940, 67% of Americans believed that a German-Italian victory would endanger the United States, that if such

an event occurred 88% supported "arm[ing] to the teeth at any expense to be prepared for any trouble", and that 71% favored "the immediate adoption of

compulsory military training for all young men"

However, there were still many who held on to non-interventionism. Although a minority, they were well organized, and had a powerful presence in Congress.

Pro-German or anti-British opinion contributed to isolationism.

As 1940 became 1941, the actions of the Roosevelt administration made it more and more clearer that the United States was on a course to war. This policy

shift, driven by the President, came in two phases. The first came with the passage of the Fourth Neutrality Act, ‘Cash and Carry, and the Lend Lease.

America Debates Entering The War

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American Neutrality

Questions:

1. How were the Neutrality Acts of 1935-1937 supposed to

prevent the United States from becoming involved in

European wars?

2. What point is the cartoonist trying to make by labeling

Europe as “war mad”?

3. Does this cartoon direct its message to the viewers’

emotions or to their reason? Explain!

Neutrality Act of 1937

The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 and the rising tide of fascism in Europe

increased support for extending and expanding the Neutrality Act of 1937. Under this

law, U.S. citizens were forbidden from traveling on belligerent ships, and American

merchant ships were prevented from transporting arms to belligerents even if those

arms were produced outside of the United States. The Act gave the President the

authority to bar all belligerent ships from U.S. waters, and to extend the export

embargo to any additional “articles or materials.” Finally, civil wars would also fall under

the terms of the Act.

The Neutrality Act of 1937 did contain one important concession to Roosevelt:

belligerent nations were allowed, at the discretion of the President, to acquire any items

except arms from the United States, so long as they immediately paid for such items

and carried them on non-American ships—the so-called “cash-and-carry” provision.

Since vital raw materials such as oil were not considered “implements of war,” the

“cash-and-carry” clause would be quite valuable to whatever nation could make use of

it. Roosevelt had engineered its inclusion as a deliberate way to assist Great Britain

and France in any war against the Axis Powers, since he realized that they were the

only countries that had both the hard currency and ships to make use of “cash-and-

carry.” Unlike the rest of the Act, which was permanent, this provision was set to expire

after two years.

Neutrality Act of 1939

Following Germany’s occupation of Czechoslovakia in March of 1939, Roosevelt

suffered a humiliating defeat when Congress rebuffed his attempt to renew “cash-and-

carry” and expand it to include arms sales. President Roosevelt persisted and as war

spread in Europe, his chances of expanding “cash-and-carry” increased. After a fierce

debate in Congress, in November of 1939, a final Neutrality Act passed. This Act lifted

the arms embargo and put all trade with belligerent nations under the terms of “cash-

and-carry.” The ban on loans remained in effect, and American ships were barred from

transporting goods to belligerent ports.

In October of 1941, after the United States had committed itself to aiding the Allies

through Lend-Lease, Roosevelt gradually sought to repeal certain portions of the Act.

On October 17, 1941, the House of Representatives revoked section VI, which forbade

the arming of U.S. merchant ships, by a wide margin. Following a series of deadly U-

boat attacks against U.S. Navy and merchant ships, the Senate passed another bill in

November that also repealed legislation banning American ships from entering

belligerent ports or “combat zones.”

Overall, the Neutrality Acts represented a compromise whereby the United States

Government accommodated the isolationist sentiment of the American public, but still

retained some ability to interact with the world. In the end, the terms of the Neutrality

Acts became irrelevant once the United States joined the Allies in the fight against Nazi

Germany and Japan in December 1941.

Why were there two Neutrality Acts passed by the United States Congress?

Did the Neutrality Acts really keep America neutral at the beginning of World

War II? Explain with specific text-based evidence.

Atlantic Charter, August 14, 1941

First, their countries seek no aggrandizement, territorial or other;

Second, they desire to see no territorial changes that do not accord with the freely expressed wishes of the peoples concerned;

Third, they respect the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will live; and they wish to see sovereign rights and self-government restored to those who have been forcibly deprived of them;

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Atlantic Charter, August 14, 1941

Fourth, they will endeavor, with due respect for their existing obligations, to further the enjoyment by all States, great or small, victor or vanquished, of access, on equal terms, to the trade and to the raw materials of the world which are needed for their economic prosperity;

Fifth, they desire to bring about the fullest collaboration between all nations in the economic field with the object of securing, for all, improved labor standards, economic advancement and social security;

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Atlantic Charter, August 14, 1941Sixth, after the final destruction of the Nazi tyranny, they hope to see established a peace which will afford to all nations the means of dwelling in safety within their own boundaries, and which will afford assurance that all the men in all the lands may live out their lives in freedom from fear and want;

Seventh, such a peace should enable all men to traverse the high seas and oceans without hindrance;

Eighth, they believe that all of the nations of the world, for realistic as well as spiritual reasons must come to the abandonment of the use of force. Since no future peace can be maintained if land, sea or air armaments continue to be employed by nations which threaten, or may threaten, aggression outside of their frontiers, they believe, pending the establishment of a wider and permanent system of general security, that the disarmament of such nations is essential. They will likewise aid and encourage all other practicable measures which will lighten for peace-loving peoples the crushing burden of armaments.

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American Foreign Policy – Between The War Years

Isolationists wanted America to adopt a policy of isolationism after World War I

•Neutrality Acts - Americans were forbidden to sail on ships, give loans, or sell arms and munitions to warring nations.

•Cash and Carry – non-military supplies had to be paid for in cash and be transferred on the ships of that nation.

American Foreign Policy – WWII Begins in Europe

Interventionists wanted the United States to Aid the Allies during World War II.

• Destroyer for Bases Deal (1940) -gave Britain 50 WWI Navy ships in exchange for use of bases in Canada, Bermuda, and Caribbean.

American Foreign Policy – WWII Begins in Europe

•Lend-Lease Act (1941) - authorized FDR to provide armament to any

nation "necessary in the interests of the defense of the U.S.”

American Foreign Policy – WWII Begins in Europe

•Atlantic Charter (1941) - FDR and Churchill met to discuss anti-Axis aims

- became basis for United Nations Charter.

Apply your knowledge

1. How did the United States react to the outbreak of war in Europe?

2. Why did that policy change?