1. American Isolationism

2. Neutrality Acts FDR signs five neutrality laws intended to keep US out of war 1935, Forbade the sale of arms and munitions to all warring nations 1936, extended the arms embargo and forbade loans to nations at war 1937, FDR asked congress to extend neutrality laws to cover civil wars Western democracies then stood by as Hitler and Mussolini sent money and armaments to support Franco’s overthrow of the Spanish Government, Franco ultimately successful in 1939

3. Continued attempts at neutrality 1939, FDR began to let go of his impartiality following Hitler’s occupation of Czechoslovakia Knew Hitler must be stopped, tried to educate the American people about the evils of fascism Tried to get Congress to repeal the embargo and allow the sale of arms to Britain and France on a cash-and-carry basis, denied After Germany’s invasion of Poland FDR continued to proclaim neutrality but did not ask the American people to remain neutral in thought

4. Neutrality Act of 1939 FDR finally got what he wanted Britain and France allowed to buy supplies with cash and then ship them on their own freighters – “cash-and-carry” American trade ships still barred from war zones Designates Baltic Sea off Norway, around England and Ireland, and down and around Spain, a war zone – Hitler left free to makes full use of submarines to blockade Britain Once the western democracies began to face the brunt of Hitler’s tyranny American opinion began to support any measure short of war to help their cause, “to be as un-neutral as possible without getting into the war”

5. Blitzkrieg In 1940 the winter Sitzkrieg (sitting war) of gave way to Blizkrieg (lightning war) in the spring April 9, Nazi troops occupied Denmark and landed on the Norwegian coast May 10, Hitler unleashed dive bombers and tanks on neutral Belgium and the Netherlands May 21, German troops reached the English Channel cutting off a British force sent to aid the Belgians and the French on the beaches of Dunkirk A desperate evacuation effort was unleashed by the citizens of Britain Having outflanked the French forts on the eastern perimeter of the Maginot Line, German forces rushed ahead French forces crushed and panic spread June 14, the German swastika flew over Paris June 22, French delegates submitted to Hitler’s terms of surrender in the same railroad car in which German delegates were forced to sign the armistice of 1918

6. Britain v. the Nazis Britain now alone but new prime minister, Winston Churchill, stood defiant – “We shall go on to the end, we shall never surrender.” Royal Air Force able to fight off the numerically superior German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain Added by new radar technology Finally forced the Germans to postpone the invasion of Great Britain Royal Navy strained by submarine warfare Churchill requested the transfer of American destroyers Secret negotiations secured the transfer of 50 “overaged” destroyers in return for the use of Caribbean naval ports for 99 years

7. Letting go of isolationism America seemed vulnerable as Hitler unleashed his air force on Britain US Army reduced to smaller force following WWI 1939 numbered only 175,000 16 th in the world behind Romania FDR called for a military buildup and the production of 50,000 combat planes a year By October 1940, Congress had voted $17 billion for defense FDR began to act more boldly in support for Britain Public still staunchly isolationist June 1940, FDR set up the National Defense Research Committee to coordinate military research, including initial research into an atomic bomb September 16, FDR asked for the first peacetime conscription Required the registration of all 16 million men aged 21 to 35 to register for a year’s military service within the US

8. Lend-Lease Bill Roosevelt sought greater measures to support Britain following his election to a third term Direct American loans forbidden by the Johnson Debt Default Act of 1934, designed to circumvent FDR wishes to make America the “arsenal of democracy” to support Britain in its fight against the Nazis January 10 1941, bill introduced to Congress Authorized the president to sell, transfer, exchange, lend, lease, or otherwise dispose of arms and other equipment and supplies to “any country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the United States.” Debate over Lend-Lease Isolationist saw as the point of no return - Senator Burton Wheeler called it “the New Deal’s triple A foreign policy,… it will plow under every fourth American boy.” Supporters denied it would increase chances of going to war but would increase the risk Became law in March 1941 dissenting votes mostly from isolationist Midwestern Republicans