America and World War II

Foreign Policy Leading up to WWII Washington Conference ( ) – 8 great powers – Set limits on armaments – Reaffirmed Open Door Policy Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) – Pledge not to use military force The League of Nations – Met continuously in Geneva, Switzerland to ensure peace The Treaty of Versailles – 1933: few believed it would hold up with rise of dictatorships in Japan, Germany, and Italy

Hoover’s Foreign Policy Isolationism Viewed peace conferences and treaties as moral efforts Opposed using economic sanctions against aggressors

Japanese Aggression in Manchuria Japan defied the League of Nations and the Open Door policy by invading China in 1931 Established a puppet government in Manchuria League of Nations only passed a resolution condemning Japan’s actions

Stimson Doctrine U.S. response stronger than the League’s response Secretary of State Stimson stated that the U.S. would honor the Nine-Power Treaty (1922) and refused to recognize the Chinese government in Manchuria League of Nations endorsed the Doctrine

Latin America 1929: Hoover went on a goodwill tour of the region Ended interventionist policies of Taft and Wilson – Arranged for U.S. troops to leave Nicaragua in 1933 – Negotiated a treaty with Haiti to remove all U.S. troops by 1934

Franklin Roosevelt’s Policies, The Great Depression resulted in mostly isolationism during his 1 st term.

Good-Neighbor Policy 1933: Roosevelt promised a “policy of the good neighbor” toward other nations of the Western Hemisphere Sought Latin America’s cooperation in defending the region from potential danger of Germany and Italy – Pan-American Conferences – Cuba: Congress nullified the Platt Amendment and only retained Guantanamo Bay – Mexico seized oil properties held by U.S. companies and Roosevelt did not intervene; only helped to negotiate settlements

Economic Diplomacy London Economic Conference (1933) – Roosevelt withdrew support after proposals were made to stabilize currencies Recognition of the Soviet Union – Wanted to increase trade and boost economy Philippines – Tydings-McDuffie Act (1934) – Gradual removal of U.S. – Complete independence by 1946 Reciprocal Trade Agreements – Lowered tariffs – President given power to reduce tariffs by 50% for nations that reciprocated

Events Abroad Fascism and Aggressive Militarism – Italy – Germany – Japan

American Isolationists U.S. was nationalistic, but expressed itself differently than the fascists and militarists Revisionist History of WWI – 1930’s belief that the U.S. entry into WWI had been a mistake Neutrality Acts – 1935: authorized the president to prohibit all arms shipments and forbade U.S. citizens to travel on ships of belligerent nations – 1936: forbade loans to belligerents – Forbade shipment of arms to opposing sides in the civil war in Spain America First Committee – 1940: Isolationists worried about FDR’s pro-British policies – Speakers like Charles Lindbergh traveled country warning about the dangers of joining the war

Prelude to War Appeasement – Ethiopia, 1935 – Rhineland, 1936 – China, 1937 – Sudetenland, 1938 U.S. Response – Roosevelt’s Quarantine Speech – FDR dropped ideas due to isolationist opposition Preparedness – Arms Build-Up

From Neutrality to War, Invasion of Poland Blitzkrieg Changing U.S. Policy – “Cash and Carry” – Selective Service Act (1940) – Destroyers-for-bases Deal

The Election of 1940 Wendell Willkie (R) Results – FDR won for 3 rd time with 54% of popular vote – Why did he win? Strong economic recovers due to arms buildup Fear of war by voters, so stuck with experience leader

Arsenal of Democracy FDR’s Four Freedoms Speech – Committed to Freedom of speech Freedom of religion Freedom from want Freedom from fear Lend-Lease Act Atlantic Charter – Affirmed peace objectives at end of war Self-determination No territorial expansion Free trade Shoot-on-Sight

Disputes with Japan U.S. Economic Action – Froze Japanese assets in U.S. – Cut off access to U.S. materials, including oil Negotiations Pearl Harbor – Partial Surprise – Declaration of War

The Home Front Industrial Production – War Production Board – Office of War Mobilization Wages, prices, and rationing – Office of Price Administration Unions Financing the War – Increased income tax – War Bonds

Impact on Society African Americans – Double “V” Slogan – NAACP membership increased – Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) created Mexican Americans – Braceros allowed to enter work force – Zoot Suit Riots broke out in LA Native Americans Japanese Americans – Executive Order 9066 – Korematsu v. U.S. (1944) Women Propaganda – Office of War Information

Fighting Germany Defense at sea, attacks by air From North Africa to Italy From D day to victory in Europe German surrender and discovery of the Holocaust

Fighting Japan Turning point, 1942 – Battle of Midway Island-hopping Major battles – Battle of Leyte Gulf: re-occupation of the Philippines – Battle of Okinawa Atomic bombs – Manhattan Project/Alamogordo, NM – Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan surrenders

Wartime Conferences The Big Three (U.S., Soviet Union, and Great Britain) Tehran – Brits and Americans would begin drive to liberate France Yalta – Divide Germany into 4 zones – Soviets to enter war against Japan – United Nations would be formed Death of FDR – April 12, 1945 Potsdam – Agreed to issue a warning to Japan to surrender unconditionally – Hold war-crime trials of Nazi leaders

The War’s Legacy Costs – 300,000 Americans died and 800,000 wounded – $320 billion – Federal spending had increased 1000% between – National debt: $250 billion (5x what it had been in 1941) The United Nations Expectations The Cold War Begins