“From Isolationism to War” Chapter 17 Section 4

Neutrality Acts Purpose? Examples?

Neutrality Acts Purpose: Examples: prevented international involvement through a series of congressional acts Result and Significance: prevented U.S. from selling arms to nations that were trying to defend themselves from aggression Examples: Banned the U.S. from providing weapons to nations at war Banned loans to nations at war Cash and Carry- Permitted trade with fighting nations in nonmilitary goods as long as those nations paid cash and transported the cargo themselves

Increasing American Involvement Recovery of economy and increased aggression by Germany and Japan softened Americans’ isolationist views Revised Neutrality Acts Repealed arms embargo and provided Britain and France w/weapons needed Later allowed U.S. to transport these purchases “All aid short of war” Fall of France shocked the nation and led to increased support for helping Britain America First Committee- group of isolationists whose goal was to block further aid to Britain

Election of 1940 FDR vs. Wendell Willkie FDR easily wins 3rd term Both supported giving aid to Allied cause, but disagreed on how much Willkie said that FDR would plunge the nation into war FDR said “your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars” Reality- both men knew that war would be hard to avoid FDR easily wins 3rd term

American Aid Grows FDR pushes for greater American involvement in the Allied cause Churchill writes to FDR, “The moment approaches when we shall no longer be able to pay cash for shipping and other supplies Lend-Lease Act- authorized the President to aid any nation whose defense he believed was vital to American security (provided war supplies w/o payment in return)

Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor FDR tries to stop Japans expansion through trade restrictions Ended sales of scrap iron and steel Froze Japanese financial assets in U.S. Cut off all oil shipments Japan looks to the Dutch East Indies for new supplies of oil Rise of militant army officer, General Tojo Hideki supported war against the U.S. U.S. cracks top-secret Japanese code and let U.S. that Japan was planning an attack

Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor “a date which will live in infamy” December 7, 1941 U.S. Declares War