2. The Road To War

3. America’s Foreign Policy 1931 - 1941  ISOLATIONISM: – The Great Depression – Americans not wanting a repeat of WWI – Divided country Some favored the ideas of demagogues like Hitler –Father Coughlin Some felt for the victims of aggression.

4. America chooses NEUTRALITY  Neutrality and Isolation: – Hawley-Smoot Tariff isolated America. We couldn’t buy other countries goods and they wouldn’t buy ours because of the tariff.

5. America Chooses NEUTRALITY  Neutrality Acts (1935-1937): – Banned the US from providing weapons to nations at war. – Banned loans to nations at war. – Trade with countries at war as long as: Cash and carry Non-military items

6. What was going on in Europe to make America favor Isolation?  Totalitarianism – Government that exerts TOTAL control over every aspect of life in the country.  Fascism – Emphasizes the importance of nation or of an ethnic group.

7. Fascism and Totalitarianism  Strong dictatorial governments.  Little respect for individual rights and freedom.

8. Hitler’s Rise to Power: The Nazi Party  Founded in 1919 – Belief in Hitler – Belief about German nationalism – Belief in racial superiority – 1923, tried and failed to take over German government.

9. Germany Rearms and Expands  1936: Germany took back the Rhineland.  1936: Created the AXIS with Italy  1938: Annexed Austria  1938: Invaded and took over Czechoslovakia

10. What did the world do as Hitler did this?  APPEASEMENT – Giving in to a competitor’s demands to keep the peace.

11. Appeasement  Britain’s Prime Minister: Neville Chamberlain.  Thought once Hitler had Czechoslovakia Hitler would “be content”  “Peace in Our Time.”

12. Invasion of Poland  Poland was next on Hitler’s list of countries to invade.  BUT – France and England had said they would not go along with this invasion. – Stalin was also a problem.

13. Hitler’s BLITZKRIEG  “Lightning War”  Fast and concentrated land and air war.  Take enemy by surprise.  Terrorize civilian populations and troops.

14. France  April 9, 1940 Germany attacks.  They went round and attacked through Belgium.  Blitzkrieg!

15. Fall of France  June 10, 1940  Reaction of the French? – Collaborators (worked with the Nazis) – Resistance ( fought the Nazis as guerrillas / insurgents)

16. Battle of Britain  August 1940 – May 1941  Luftwaffe attacks day and night.  1,000 planes bombed Britain

18. Japan Builds an Empire  US Great Depression affected industry in Japan.  1930s – rise of nationalism and fascism in Japan.

19. 1940 Japan finds new allies  Germany and Italy  The Axis Powers

20. What was America doing in 1940?  America First Committee – Blocked any aid to England. – Strict Isolation – Charles Lindbergh a leader

21. 1940 Election  Roosevelt won.  “Your boys are not going to be sent to any foreign war.”

22. Lend Lease  November 1940  “If your neighbor’s house is on fire, you don’t sell him a hose. You lend it to him and take it back after the fire is out.” – FDR – $49-billion in aid given.

23. Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor  Most American attention was on what was happening in Europe.  That included FDR

24. Before the Attack  Roosevelt did use the Neutrality Acts to keep iron, steel and oil from being exported to Japan.  1940 froze all Japanese investments in the United States.

25. America: The Sleeping Giant  “America is a sleeping giant. Once awakened, his wrath will by mighty.” – Yamamoto

27. Why Pearl Harbor?  Little known port  Half the fleet would be there in December  The harbor is only 3 miles square

28. Specifics of the Attack  The Arizona  Hit by 1,760 lb. Bomb in the forward ammo magazine.  Went down in 9 minutes  Half the dead of Pearl Harbor

29. Pearl Harbor

30. December 7, 1941  By 9:45 the attack was over.  2,400 lives lost  1,200 injured  200 warplanes destroyed  18 warships sunk or heavily damaged – 8 of the nine battleships of the fleet.

31. FDR  “December 7, a day that will live in infamy.” – FDR, Declaration of War speech