1. America Enters the War

2. Life in the 1930’s.
Most people in American during the 1930’s were isolationists.
Even as the world watch Hitler take over more and more countries, most Americans still wanted to remain isolated.
FDR gets Congress to pass the Neutrality Act of 1939 after Hitler invaded Poland.
Part of the Act was the “Cash-and-carry” clause, that would allow any country to purchase weapons from America, as long as they paid in cash and transported them on their own ships.

3. The Axis Powers Form
On September 27, 1939, the Axis Powers formed with Germany, Italy, and Japan teaming up.
Their goal was to keep America out of the war because they pledged that an attack on one of them would be an attack on all.
Therefore if America attacked Japan, they would fight Germany and Italy as well. This would mean a two ocean war, and this was something we seriously wanted to avoid.

4. Roosevelt amps up defense
As the Nazi’s increased their territory in 1940, Roosevelt convinced Congress to increase defense spending.
They also pass the first peace-time draft, with men from registered.
1 million guys were drafted for one year, but they would only serve in the Western Hemisphere.

5. Roosevelt Runs for a third term.
He breaks tradition and runs, and wins, a third term. America was happy to have a president they knew and trusted in these unsure times.
He then begins to be more aggressive in his planning for war.
He has a fireside chat in which he tells America that it will be impossible for them to negotiate peace with Hitler.
He gets Congress to pass the Lend-Lease Act in March of 1941, allowing Britain to borrow guns since they didn’t have any money left.

6. Hitler and Stalin Break up.
Hitler breaks his promise to Stalin and invades the Soviet Union in 1941.
Roosevelt, though no fan of Stalin, agrees to include the Soviets in the Lend-Lease program as well.
Hitler sends U-boats (German Submarines) to attack the supply ships that are sending these weapons from America to Britain and the Soviet Union.

7. The Atlantic Charter.
Churchill (England) and Roosevelt meet secretly on a battleship in the Atlantic Ocean.
FDR was not ready to completely commit to war, but he did commit to being their ally and do everything in his power to help the British stop Hitler.

8. Fall 1941.
Germany begins firing on our merchant boats and our Naval ships, sinking many and killing many Americans.
It seems like war will be inevitable, and now even the most staunch isolationists are starting to realize that we will be brought into this conflict.

9. Japan Reaps the Benefits
Japan, meanwhile, was easily taking over all the British and French colonies in the Southeast Asia.
Britain was too busy fighting Hitler to mount any defense. France had been conquered.
America responds by outlawing trade with Japan, to help back up their allies.
We were Japan’s biggest supplier of oil, something they needed to keep their conquests in the Pacific Ocean going, so this got their attention.

10. Peace Talks.
Hideki Tojo was leader of the army and then became Prime Minister of Japan. He tells the Emperor, Hirohito, that he will do whatever he can to preserve peace with America.
While peace talks are happening, however, he secretly plans for attack.
We break the Japanese code and learn about all this, and In November of 1941 FDR warns all military in Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines, that war was imminent.
FDR says that it is important for Japan to strike first, however.

11. December 7, 1941
Japan unleashes a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on a Sunday morning. In less than 2 hours they kill 2,403 of our sailors.
They sank 21 ships, including 8 battleships.
This pretty much destroys our entire Pacific Fleet.
The Japanese think this attack will keep us out of the war, and they can demand we continue to trade oil with them.
Wrong.