1. Today’s Objective
Analyze the changing position of the United States from neutrality to entry into World War II.
Ask yourself: What events brought the US into the Second World War?

2. The Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor- Hawaii
December 7, 1941
Roosevelt's Address to Congress
Pearl Harbor Attack Scene

3. US Neutrality Between WWI and WWII the US was neutral
US Neutrality Between WWI and WWII the US was neutral. We did not want to fight.

4. World War II and American Neutrality
Unpopular war among many people
Government needed large propaganda campaign to convince people to support it…
Most people do NOT want to enter it…
US passes Neutrality Acts to prevent itself from getting involved
No trading with nations at war

5. Neutrality Acts: 1935, 1936, 1937 Designed to keep us out of war
When the President proclaimed the existence of a foreign war, certain restrictions would automatically go into effect:
Prohibited sales of arms to warring nations.
Prohibited loans and credits to warring nations.
Forbade Americans to travel on vessels of nations at war [in contrast to WWI—Lusitania, Sussex…].
Non-military goods must be purchased on a “cash-and-carry” basis  countries must pay in cash when they pickup goods from the United States.
This would prevent the President from getting the military involved in foreign conflict.
America in the 1930s declined to build up its forces!

6. 1939 Neutrality Act…we decide to help out the Allies a little more…
Hitler and the Germans invaded Poland…
FDR persuades Congress in special session to allow the US to aid European democracies in a limited way:
The US could sell weapons to the European democracies on a “cash-and-carry” basis.
Results of the 1939 Neutrality Act:
The US economy improved as European demands for war goods helped bring the country out of the recession.
America becomes the “Arsenal of Democracy.”

7. Many Americans don’t want to trade with warring nations (might draw US into war…)
FDR insists that US should begin a program of Lend-Lease
Lend-lease=we give supplies to Allied powers, they promise to return them after the war

8. “Lend-Lease” Act (1941)
Great Britain $31 billion Soviet Union $11 billion France $ 3 billion China $1.5 billion Other European $500 million South America $400 million The amount totaled: $48,601,365,000
The Allies really need US help…so we decide to start selling military aid to Allied nations.

9. US is slowly creeping closer to war…
Neutrality Act of 1935 and 1937-US doesn’t sell any weapons to Allies
Neutrality Act of 1939 (cash-and-carry) US begins to sell weapons to the Allies
Lend-Lease Act of 1941-US gives military aid to Allied nations…huge factor in Allied victory

10. Moving Towards War… Selective Training and Service Act of 1940
Strengthen military in case of war
First peacetime draft in US history

11. Roosevelt feels US eventually needs to join the war
How do presidents persuade a people to join a war they don’t want to fight?

12. Moving Towards War… FDR’s Four Freedoms Speech in 1941
Preparing the US emotionally and morally for a war
Raising public support for the war
Everybody should have freedom…
…of speech
…of religion
…from want
…from fear

13. What finally brings us into war after all these preparations??!!

14. Pearl Harbor

15. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Commander in Chief of the Japanese Armed Forces during World War II…
…studied at Harvard University

16. A date which will live in infamy!
Pearl Harbor – Dec. 7, 1941
A date which will live in infamy!

17. Pearl Harbor from the Cockpit of a Japanese Plane

18. USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor

19. Pearl Harbor Memorial
2,887 Americans Dead!

20. Going to war? Wars we have seen up to now... Spanish-American War
World War I
Plains Indian Wars
Philippine Insurrection (?)

21. FDR Signs the War Declaration
The Pearl Harbor attack finally pushes the US to officially enter the war…