Agenda Bell work Notes over American Neutrality Questions 1-7 on page 465 Introduce Pearl Harbor

American Neutrality

Cause for The Neutrality Act of 1935 Senator Gerald Nye created a committee, that found that American arms industries had pushed the U.S. into WW I for their own profit.

America Remains Neutral Neutrality Act of 1935: mandatory embargo on selling or exporting arms, ammunition, or implements of war to nations at war. Discretionary travel restrictions. Expires after 6 months

Cause for The Neutrality Act of 1936 Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia; FDR encourages a moral embargo against Italy, which he could not enforce. Embargo: An economic boycott.

America Remains Neutral Still Neutrality Act of 1936: Arms embargo with countries at war. Discretionary travel restrictions. Ban on loans to nations fighting, but short-term credits exempted. Republics in Americas exempted

Cause for The Neutrality Act of 1937 Spanish Civil War Sale of aviation parts to rebels in Spain, which FDR thought unpatriotic. Agreements creating the Axis alliance

America Remains Neutral Still Neutrality Act of 1937: Arms embargo with countries at war. Travel ban on warring nations ships Trade with countries at war on a cash-and-carry basis allowed if goods were not contraband sent on a foreign ship.

Why Americans Remain Neutral Group gained strength after the Great Depression. European nations struggled to pay their war debt from WW I. 1934 Finland was the only nation able to pay back its war debt. Dozens of books and articles appeared arguing that arms manufactures had tricked the U.S. into entering WW I. 1935 Nye Committee- documented huge profits that the arms factories had mad during the war.

Neutrality Continued Hitler & Mussolini were building a war in Europe; this made Americans think back to the problem from arms companies in WW I. Made it illegal to sell arms to countries at war. Spanish Civil War- Another way we could get pulled into a foreign conflict. Banned sales of arms to either side in a civil war

Roosevelt's Internationalism Internationalism: the idea that trade between nations creates prosperity and helps prevent war. Roosevelt argued that the Neutrality Acts might drag the U.S. into war instead of keeping us out. 1937- China is attacked by Japan FDR helps China by selling weapons to China Neutrality Act of 1937 did not apply, because war had not been declared. He warned that the nation should not stand by and let an “epidemic of lawlessness” infect the world.

Americans Become Involved U.S. was still neutral, but aided Great Britain in their fight against Germany. Two days after war was declared on Germany, FDR was determined to help France & Great Britain. Roosevelt called for revisions on the Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937. Congress passed the new law- society was backing the president Neutrality Act of 1939: weapons could be sold to countries at war only on a “cash-and-carry” basis

American Involvement Continued Spring 1940- Winston Churchill asked FDR to give Great Britain old American destroyers. G.B. wanted to protect cargo ships and stop invasions from Germany. Loophole, neutrality act required cash for purchases, FDR demanded the right to build bases at the following locations: Newfoundland, Bermuda, and islands in the Caribbean. FDR would send 50 old destroyers Lend-Lease Act: U.S. would lend or lease arms to any country considered “vital to the defense of the United States. This allowed G.B. to pay for weapons after the war “Great arsenal of democracy”

Involvement Continued Hemispheric Defense Zone- imaginary line drawn in the Atlantic ocean that the U.S. declared neutral. FDR would send destroyers there to find submarines and let the British know of their location. Atlantic Charter: agreement that committed U.S. and G.B. to a postwar world of democracy, nonaggression, free trade, economic advancements and freedom of the seas. U-boat would shoot at a American destroyer. FDR’s new policy on German Submarines “shoot-on-sight.” American destroyer attacked Reuben James, 115 killed in 1941