The Road to War for the US in WW II

Good neighbor policy FDR promised to be a good neighbor to Latin America and not intervene

Neutrality Acts The US Congress was worried about German and Italian aggression They passed the neutrality acts, making it illegal for Americans to sell arms to any country at war

Isolationism vs. Interventionism American First Committee opposed getting the US involved in “Europe’s war” FDR and other internationalists believed the US needed to support Britain and France against NAZI aggression.

Selective Service Act FDR supported the Selective Service Act which called for increasing the size of the military.

Lend-Lease Act FDR supported the Lend-Lease Act which called for lending Britain weapons and ships, without cash payment. FDR used the example of a neighbor’s house buring down. You don’t ask them to pay for the hose or water.

Atlantic Charter 1941 FDR met with Winston Churchill. The two leaders agreed to a postwar world of democracy, free trade, and freedom of the seas.

League Condemns Japan Early in the 1930’s the League of Nation condemned the Japanese invasion of Manchuria (northern China) The US joined the criticism of Japan, but no action was taken

US boycotts Japan In reaction to the Japanese invasion of mainland China, the US stopped sending scrap iron, and steel to Japan. This economic pressure was designed to slow the Japanese war machine, who imported 80% of their oil from the US.

US sends aid to China In 1941 FDR sent lend-lease aid to China, who were fighting the Japanese invaders. As Japan sent troops to take Indochina, FDR froze Japanese assets in the US and stopped all oil shipments to Japan.

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor The Japanese military leaders wanted to destroy the US’s navy because it was the only military force that could stop the Japanese empire in Asia. Secretly the Japanese sent six aircraft carriers and several battleships to attack the US navy in Hawaii.

Lack of US preparation The US had intercepted secret messages from the Japanese indicating an attack. US military leaders doubted that the Japanese would travel all the way to Hawaii to attack. A radar operator spotted planes coming to the island but his superiors believed they were US planes.

Death and Damage The Japanese sank or damaged 21 ships in the US fleet 188 US planes were destroyed. 2,403 Americans were killed. 1.178 Americans were injured

FDR Responds The day after the Pearl Harbor attack, FDR said, “December 7, 1941 - a date that will live in infamy…” He called for the Congress to declare war on Japan for the attack. The Congress voted for war against Japan and its ally Germany.

Why did Japan bomb the US? Japan wanted to control Asia The US was the only military that could stop them The majority of the US fleet was at Pearl Harbor

Why wasn’t the US prepared? The US thought hawaii was too far for the Japanese to attack The US had radar, but the operators thought they saw US planes The radar operator memo didn’t get to Naval headquarter soon enough.

FDR’s Response He called the attack “A day that will live in infamy.” He asked Congress to declare war on Japan.

How many died? 2,403 people died 1178 were wounded 21 ships sunk or damaged