America Moves Towards War Axis Power Lend Lease Atlantic Charter Allies Hideki Tojo 1940 Election Pearl Harbor

FDR’s Support for the War Roosevelt was willing to help France and England The country wanted to stay isolated FDR created a “cash and carry program” We would sell arms but only if they paid in cash and picked them up themselves (1939)

Axis Powers Tripartite Treaty U.S. began building defenses Germany, Italy, and Japan If war was declared by U.S. it would face a two ocean war. U.S. began building defenses 1940 Selective Service Act 16 million men age 21-35 registered Drafted 1 million men at a time for 1 year at a time Poor Army, fat and untrained

Election of 1940 FDR ran for a third term Ran against Wendell Wilkie Refused to actually say he was a candidate until he was nominated Ran against Wendell Wilkie FDR won with 55% of the vote Led FDR to strengthen aid to Europe

Lend Lease FDR would lend European allies supplies that would either be returned at the end of the war or replaced. Saw this as lending a garden hose to a neighbor if his house was burning Roosevelt believed that, given the chance, Hitler would attack US Saw this as a measure to try and defeat Hitler

Lend Lease cont. FDR wanted the US to be the “Arsenal of Democracy” Also gave aid to Soviets Hitler invaded USSR in1941 ending the N-A pact of ’39 “If Hitler invaded Hell, the British would be prepared to work with the devil himself” -Winston Churchill

Atlantic Charter Atlantic Charter Dec. of UN signed by 26 nations Agreement between FDR and Churchill became the basis for “A Declaration of the United Nations” (Essentially created the Allies) Dec. of UN signed by 26 nations

FDR at home FDR was keeping the US war prepared on a shoestring Extension of the draft barely passed the house Couldn’t ask for a dec. of war but wasn’t doing anything to prevent one There had been some naval confrontations between U-boats and US ships

What about Japan? Most of the focus was on Hitler French, Dutch, and British were fighting for their homeland Left pacific colonies unprotected Japan began expanding into East Asia 1937 Japan invaded Manchuria in China 1941 invaded French Indochina (Vietnam) U.S. protested invasions by cutting off oil to Japan

Tojo Japan was ruled by Emperor Hirohito Hideki Tojo was the Army Chief of Staff Held most of the power Peace talks began between US and Japan in 1941 but broke down

Pearl Harbor November 1941, Tojo told Navy to prepare for attack U.S. had broken Japanese code and knew an attack was planned Expected it last week of November December 6, 1941 Japanese ambassador told to reject any US peace plan

Pearl Harbor cont. US sent warnings to Pacific bases: Philippines Panama Canal Pearl Harbor Attack came at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 @7:55 am Battleships were lined up perfectly to be destroyed by bombs and torpedoes

Pearl Harbor cont. 180 planes from 6 carriers Less than 2 hrs. 2,403 Americans were wounded 1,178 killed Larger scale damage than the navy incurred in all of WWI

WAR!! FDR asked Congress for a declaration of war on Dec. 8 Called Dec. 7th “A day of infamy” Germany, honoring the Tripartite Pact of 1941, declared war on US Dec. 11, 1941

New Kind of War Past battles had focused on using battleships Most were destroyed at PH Aircraft carriers had pulled out of PH prior to the attack Dawn of depending on navel airplanes “I fear all we have done is awoken a sleeping giant and filled it with a terrible resolve” -Admiral Yamamoto