1. Standard and Objective
SSHS-S1C8-01-d
Strand 1: American History
Concept 8: Great Depression and World War II
PO 2. Describe the impact of American involvement in World War II:
Students will comprehend America's involvement in WWII by identifying the events that led up to Pearl Harbor.

2. America’s Involvement
From Neutrality to War
America’s Involvement

3. American Neutrality
America as discouraged seeing the state Europe was in
Felt like WWI had been fought for nothing
All of the European countries that owed debt weren’t paying it back
Americans felt that arms manufacturers had tricked America into going to war in the first place

4. The Nye Committee
Because of the results of the Nye Committee that showed arms factories had made huge profits during WWI, Americans believed they greatly influenced the decision to go to war
Americans overwhelmingly favored neutrality and isolationism

5. The Neutrality Acts
1935 -made it illegal for Americans to sell arms to any country at war
1936 -banned the sale of arms to either side of a civil war
1937 -in addition to the above, all nonmilitary supplies bought from the U.S. had to be on a “cash-and-carry basis

6. FDR’s Internationalism
Really wanted to get involved
Never vetoed any of the neutrality bills though
When Japan invaded China in without declaring war, FDR said the Neutrality Act didn’t apply and started selling weapons to China

7. Neutrality Tested
Neutrality Act revised again in permitting the sale of weapons to warring nations but on a “cash-and-carry” basis
Churchill asked for destroyers to replenish his fleet
Roosevelt gave him 50 in exchange for bases in the Atlantic

8. Wider Acceptance of Involvement
Most people accepted the Destroyers-for-Bases deal showing the shift in public opinion
The Fight for Freedom Committee vs. The America First Committee
FDR won the 1940 election and expanded the nation’s role in the war

9. The Lend-Lease Act
By December of 1940 Britain had run out of funds for the war
FDR proposed the Lend-Lease Act
This allowed the U.S. to lend or lease arms to countries considered vital to the defense of the U.S.
Eventually expanded to Russia

10. The Hemispheric Defense Zone
U-boats were sinking hundreds of thousands of tons of cargo every month
British Navy was too limited to help and U.S. was still neutral so couldn’t do anything
Declared the Western Hemisphere of the Atlantic neutral so the navy could patrol it and tell the British where there were U-Boats

11. The Atlantic Charter -August 1941
FDR and Churchill both committed to a postwar world of democracy, nonaggression, free trade, economic advancement, and freedom of the seas
Churchill said FDR made it clear he would look for an ‘incident’ that would justify opening hostilities with Germany

12. Rising Hostilities
In September of 1941 a U-boat fired on an American Destroyer that was radioing the U-boat’s position to the British
FDR told American ships to “shoot-on-sight” German submarines
German started targeting Destroyers

13. America Embargoes Japan
British began removing warships from its colonies in Southeast Asia
This left the colonies open to Japanese attacks
FDR tried to hinder Japanese aggression by applying economic pressure
Blocked the sale of strategic materials
Japan was furious so they signed an alliance with Germany and Italy becoming a member of the Axis Power

14. America gets even more involved
1941 -America started lend-lease with China hoping they would hinder Japan
Japan sent forces into Indochina directly threatening the British Empire so FDR froze all Japanese assets in the U.S. and sent General Douglas MacArthur into the Philippines
It was going down!

15. Attack on Pearl Harbor
U.S. intelligence decoded Japanese messages that said they were going to war
November 27th Pearl Harbor commander received a war warning from D.C. but didn’t expect an attack in Hawaii
December 7th 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked killing 2,403 and injuring another 1, 178

16. America Declares War FDR asked Congress to declare war
The Senate voted 82 to 0
The House voted 388 to 1
But what about that one…?

17. Jeanette Rankin First woman elected to Congress
Was the only vote against going to war with Japan
Committed pacifist
Also voted against going to war in 1917
Believed FDR provoked the Japanese into attacking
“As a woman, I can’t go to war and I refuse to send anyone else.”
Needed a police escort out of the building because of an angry mob

18. Germany Declares war on American and we are now officially in the war