1. American Foreign Policy
Between the Wars

2. A. American
Isolationism

3. Desire for Isolationism
After WWI, Americans wanted to return to “Normal”
Let Europe deal with Europe
Refused to support Wilson & the League of Nations
Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge

4. A Weak League of Nations
Strength undercut when the U.S. refused to join
No control of major
conflicts
No progress in disarmament
No effective military force

5. B. 1920's:
Trying to Prevent
Future Wars

6. Washington Disarmament Conference
U.S., Britain, & Japan had all continued building up their navies
Goal: naval disarmament
All major naval powers invited
Met in Washington from

7. Five Power Treaty (1922) A battleship ratio was achieved:
US Britain Japan France Italy
U.S. and Britain would stop fortifying their Far East territories (including the Philippines)
Loophole: no restrictions on smaller ships

8. Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928)
15 nations agreed to outlaw aggression and war as tools of foreign policy
62 nations eventually signed
Problems  no means of actual enforcement
Gave Americans a
false sense of
security during the
1930’s

9. C. 1930's:
Aggression
Around the
World

10. The Great Depression World wide effects Countries look for solutions
Some turn toward FASCISM
glorified the state and sought to expand
Italy (Mussolini), Japan, & Germany (Hitler) all turn to Fascism

11. Japan Invades Manchuria (1931)
Japanese military assumed control of the government
Invaded Manchuria for resources
League of Nations condemned the action
Japan leaves the League

12. Japan Invades Manchuria (1931)

13. Sec of State Harry Stimson
Stimson Doctrine
Issued in 1932
US would not recognize any territorial acquisitions that were achieved by force
Japan was infuriated, but there was no real U.S. threat
Sec of State Harry Stimson

14. The Good Neighbor Policy
Groundwork created by Hoover
Removed U.S. troops from Latin America
FDR fully develops program
a policy of non-intervention and cooperation
Renounces the Roosevelt Corollary
The good neighbor respects himself and the rights of others.

15. Nye Committee Hearings (1934-36)
Munitions manufacturers blamed as “Merchants of Death” for WWI
Senate investigative hearings begin
Committee blames banks & munitions manufactures for the war
Led to passage of several Neutrality Acts
Senator Gerald P. Nye

16. Neutrality Acts (1935, 1936, & 1937)
Passed to keep the U.S. out of new wars
When the president proclaimed a foreign war Americans couldn’t :
sail on belligerent nations’ ships
Sell or transport munitions to belligerents
Make loans to a belligerent
The U.S. refused to build up the armed forces

17. Growing Fascist Aggression
1935: Italy invades Ethiopia
Hitler begins to re-arm Germany
1936: Hitler re-militarizes the Rhineland

18. 1937: Japan invades China
Rape of Nanking

19. Panay Incident (1937) American ship Panay bombed and sunk by Japanese
Japan apologized, paid US an indemnity, and promised no further attacks
Results  Japanese interpreted US tone as a license for further aggression against US interests

20. 1938: German Anschluss with Austria
Rome-Berlin Axis Formed
Germany demands the Sudetenland

21. Munich Agreement
Sept 1938 meeting between Hitler, Italy, Britain, & France
Britain & France appease Hitler by giving him the Sudetenland
Now we have “peace in our time!” Herr Hitler is a man we can do business with.

22. 1939: Hitler invades the rest of Czechoslovakia
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact signed

24. D. The Start
of WWII

25. The Invasion of Poland
September 1, 1939 Hitler invades Poland using new strategy of Blitzkrieg
September 3 France & Britain declare war on Germany

26. Neutrality Act of 1939
FDR persuades Congress to aid European democracies in a limited way:
The US could sell weapons to the European democracies on a “cash-and-carry” basis
Proclaimed danger zones which US ships and citizens could not enter

27. Beginnings of War Phony War – 1st 7 months of fighting
June 1940: Hitler invades France

28. France Surrenders
June 22, 1940
Divided into 2

29. Now Britain Is All Alone!
Battle of Britain
Operation Sea Lion
July 1940 – May 1941
Hitler tries to invade Great Britain
Known as “The Blitz”
German Luftwaffe bombs Britain to soften resistance
Now Britain Is All Alone!

32. The London “Tube”: Air Raid Shelters during the Blitz

33. Tripartite Pact (Sept 1940)
Also known as the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis

34. Destroyers for Bases (1940)
Sept 1940, Britain close to surrender
Needs ships to fight Battle of Atlantic against U-Boats
U.S. trades 50 WWI destroyers for land bases

35. America First Committee
Formed in September 1940
Purpose was to pressure the government to stay OUT of war

36. Lend-Lease Act (1941)
The U.S. will lend supplies to Allies in return for leases on land after the war
America becomes the “Arsenal of Democracy”
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
What do I do in such a crisis? I don't say... 'Neighbor, my garden hose cost me $15; you have to pay me $15 for it' …I don't want $15 — I want my garden hose back after the fire is over."

37. Operation Barbarossa Hitler invades the Soviet Union in June 1941
Soviet Union becomes an unlikely Allied Power

38. The Atlantic Charter
Roosevelt and Churchill sign treaty outlining war goals
Solidifies alliance
Fashioned after Wilson’s 14 Points
Called for collective security, disarmament, self-determination, economic cooperation, freedom of the seas, & a new peace-keeping organization