1. THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S From Isolationism to Interventionism

2. THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S  The U.S. was about to experience one of the most turbulent decades in our young nation’s history  From financial collapse of the stock market, to the environmental drought of the dust bowl, to having a President elected for the 3 rd time, the U.S. would experience highs and lows not seen before

3. THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S  The decade begins with the impact of the Stock Market Crash of 1929  It brings record unemployment (25 million), people were reduced to living in Hoovervilles and waiting in breadlines, but a new President arrives as well.  Franklin Delano Roosevelt elected in 1932

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5.  FDR: The President of the U.S. throughout all of WWII  -Serves from 1933 until his death in 1945  -Only man ever elected to more than two terms  -Suffered from Polio from childhood and was bound to a wheelchair, which he hid from the public  -Democrat from New York  -Regarded as one of our greatest Presidents of all time

6. THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S  To get us out of the Great Depression, FDR implements a new policy known as the New Deal  American citizens are concerned with problems at home, so FDR must remain focused on domestic issues.  FDR continues the policy of Isolationism: The foreign policy of remaining apart or alone from other countries problems

7. THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S  This policy would work for the first half of the decade, but as tension rose, and the Axis powers aligned, our help would be needed by our allies  The two oceans would only save us for so long from being dragged into World War II

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9.  Problems first start in 1931 when Japan invades Manchuria, China. We condemn this move and our relationship with Japan starts to unravel.  Then Italy invades Ethiopia in 1935. The U.S. citizens want reassured by FDR that the U.S. will remain neutral  First Neutrality Act: 1935 law signed by FDR that forbade the U.S. from trading arms and war materials with all countries at war

10. THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S  The U.S. passed two more neutrality acts in 1936 and 1937 as the Spanish Civil War broke out, and Hitler started taking land  These acts furthered the U.S. policy of isolationism by:  1. Outlawing travel on the ships of countries at war  2. Forbade all loans to countries at war  3. No ships could transport people or articles to warring nations

11. THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S  As tension builds in Europe, FDR is feeling pressure to help our two biggest allies, England and France  He finds middle ground by appeasing the American people and helping our allies in 1937  Cash-n-Carry Act: Any nation at war could get supplies and materials from the U.S. if they paid cash, and carried it away on their ships (Went against the Neutrality Acts)

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13.  As England and France bought supplies, the money coming in helped the U.S. slowly climb out of the Great Depression  America responds by providing military aid to the victims of aggression. This makes the U.S. the “Arsenal of Democracy”  But to this point, the U.S. still was not building up its military because they believed this would be a European war

14. THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S  By September 1939 Hitler had started WWII and people believed it was important to help England and France, but more important to stay out of the war  FDR needs to start preparing for war, but has an election to win in November 1940  FDR easily wins the election, his third term, and immediately increases aid going to England

15. THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S  Lend-Lease Act: 1941, the U.S. could sell, transfer, exchange, lend, or lease any equipment or arms to any country whose defense was vital to the defense of the United States  Designed to support England’s war effort without the U.S. getting involved in the war

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17.  When the war started, the hard feelings of isolationism started to fall away  American people were still split on this war. People either claimed to be an isolationist, or an interventionist  All of that changes on December 7 th, 1941