 As Germany continued to move throughout Europe, they soon attempted to conquer the powerhouses of France and Britain.  France fell within 35 days– their forces were no match for the German tanks.  When Germany looked to attack Britain, they were ready.  In the Battle of Britain, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) faced off against the German Luftwaffe.  The attack damaged many British properties in its month-long bombing campaign. But, Hitler called off the raid before the end.

 As the war progressed into 1941, there were two definitive sides– the Axis Powers and the Allied Powers.  The Axis Powers included Germany, Italy and Japan, and other conquered countries.  The Allies consisted of Britain and France. (eventually, other countries would join, such as the U.S., Soviet Union and China)

 Although Roosevelt was inclined to join forces with Winston Churchill and Britain, the majority of Americans wanted to remain neutral.  The severe economic crisis and the cost (both financially and in lives) of WWI pushed Americans more towards an isolationist standpoint.

 Congress passed a series of Neutrality Acts in 1935, 1936 and 1937, limiting the power of Roosevelt.  The Neutrality Act of 1939 did allow for the U.S. to implement a ‘cash-and-carry’ policy.  This policy allowed nations at war to buy American goods and arms, as long as they paid cash and carried them away on their own.  Since the British navy dominated, this benefited the Allies.

 Events in Europe continued to sway American opinion towards involvement.  Reports from Edward R. Murrow during the bombing of Britain shocked American viewers.  The growth of the war in Europe was solidified when Japan, Italy and Germany signed the Tripartite Pact– formally declaring themselves as Allies.  The U.S. realized the war would last much longer, and its allies were in danger, so they passed a Selective Service Act, starting a peacetime draft.

 Once Roosevelt was re-elected in 1940 (for a 3 rd time!), he began pushing more for American intervention.  In his address to Congress on January 6 th, 1941, Roosevelt gave his famous Four Freedoms speech, which declared that  Freedom from want;  Freedom of speech;  Freedom of worship;  Freedom from fear were threatened by Nazi and Japanese aggression.

 When Britain ran out of money to purchase goods via the cash-and-carry policy, the U.S. came to their aid.  The Lend-Lease Act, passed in 1941, gave Roosevelt the power to “sell, lease, exchange, lend, or otherwise dispose of… defense articles… necessary in the defense of the U.S.”  The U.S. was the arms supplier, keeping democracy safe around the world. It was an “arsenal for democracy”.

 Even though the U.S. had not formally entered the war, they were still actively supporting the Allies.  When Churchill and Roosevelt met secretly in August 1941, they signed a mutual agreement preserving “general security” and self-determination.  This agreement would become known as the Atlantic Charter.

 Neutral  not helping or supporting either side in a conflict, disagreement, etc.; impartial.  Was the United States truly ‘neutral’ prior to its formal involvement in WWII? Why or why not?