24-5: America Moves Toward War 24-4: America Moves Toward War

1939: The Neutrality Act The Neutrality Act permitted nations to buy U.S. armaments as long as they paid cash and carried the goods away in their own ships Sometimes referred to as the Cash and Carry Act

1940: 1. Axis powers form an alliance 2. Congress creates the first “peace time” draft Who were the Axis Powers? Japan Germany Italy What did their alliance mean for the U.S? If the U.S. declared war on any of the Axis powers, it would have to fight a two- ocean war Draft registration Seattle, 1940

1941: The Lend-Lease Act The Lend-Lease Act allowed the president to lend or lease arms and supplies to any country whose defense was vital to the U.S

1941:Japan takes over French military bases in Indochina What did the U.S. do to protest Japan’s action? Punished Japan with a trade embargo Japan especially needed our oil. Japan invades China in 1937, marching into French Indochina by 1940 and taking over French military bases by 1941

1941:Churchill and Roosevelt draft the Atlantic Charter What pledges are contained in the charter? Britain and the U.S. would not seek territorial expansion Britain and the U.S. would not pursue territorial/border changes without consent of inhabitants Both would respect people’s rights to choose own form of government Both would promote free trade, and international cooperation Both would work to build a secure peace, work for disarmament of aggressor nations, and establish a “permanent system” of general security

1941: “A Declaration by the United Nations” is signed by the Allies Who were the Allies: An alliance of 26 nations that had joined together to fight the Axis powers “Big Nations” include Britain, the USSR, and the USA Wartime poster for the United Nations, created in 1942 by the U.S. Office of War Information, showing the 26 members of the alliance.United NationsU.S. Office of War Information

December 7, 1941: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor What did the attack do to the U.S. Pacific Fleet? The attack almost destroyed the entire Pacific fleet

U.S. declares war on Japan. Italy and Germany declare war on the U.S. Why? Germany and Italy signed a mutual defense treaty with Japan- All agreed to come to each other’s aid in the event of an attack.