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AMERICAN HISTORY
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Americans questioned what the Allies’ costly victory in WWI actually achieved The US Senate was unwilling to approve the USA joining the League of Nations Many feared the League would drag the USA into future wars Isolationists were not necessarily PACIFISTS (people that don’t believe in using military force) President Roosevelt was not an isolationist
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Roosevelt easily defeated isolationist Herbert Hoover in 1932 The USA established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 1933 Roosevelt concentrated on New Deal programs Congress pass the Neutrality Act of 1935 Congress strengthened the Act by outlawing making loans to warring countries
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Roosevelt disturbed by Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia Arms sales to Italy and Ethiopia were halted USA was trying to remain NEUTRAL Personally, Roosevelt didn’t want to be neutral After Japan invaded China in 1937 Roosevelt spoke out in a speech in Chicago “…the security of 90% of the world is being jeopardized by the other 10%...”
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Roosevelt compared the spread of war to a contagious disease He urged the USA to work with peace-loving countries to quarantine aggressive nations
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Early 1939—Roosevelt asked Congress for more money for new naval vessels Hitler’s aggressive actions helped Roosevelt’s position on neutrality After Germany invaded Poland, Roosevelt got Congress to change the neutrality laws New policy established—CASH & CARRY— countries at war were allowed to purchase American goods as long as they paid cash and picked up their orders in American ports
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Roosevelt trade 50 aging American warships for 8 British military bases THE ELECTION OF 1940 Roosevelt decides to seek a 3 rd term as President His opponent was Wendell Wilke Roosevelt wins Roosevelt continues to aid Allies in their fight against Hitler
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In December 1940 speech Roosevelt says the USA should be the “arsenal of democracy”. Congress passed the LEND-LEASE ACT Send weapons to Great Britain regardless of their ability to pay August 1941—Roosevelt and Churchill meet secretly on a ship off the coast of Canada The leaders agree to the ATLANTIC CHARTER Proclaimed the shared goals of USA & GB in opposing Hitler and his allies
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USA was looking more and more like a nation at war German U-boats tried to stop American ships delivering supplies to GB under the Lend- Lease Act October 1941—torpedoes struck the USS Kearny & 11 sailors were killed Two weeks later a U-boat sank the USS Reuben James killing more than 100 Many Americans still opposed entry into the war
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Late Fall 1941—American leaders thought war with Japan was likely How and where would the fighting start? American officials were determined not to fire the first shot American forces throughout the world warned about possible Japanese attack THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR Japanese military leaders had be creating a plan for a surprise attack on American naval bases at Pearl Harbor, HI
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Japanese aircraft carriers would approach Oahu from the north Aircraft loaded with bombs and torpedoes would destroy as many ships and planes as possible American forces were unready to defend Pearl Harbor Routine steps such as airplane’s watching for an approaching attack didn’t happen Japanese forces approached undetected
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December 7, 1941—Japanese strike force went into action The raid was a complete surprise Most American planes never got off the ground Japanese bombs took a heavy toll on Americans ships anchored in the harbor The attack lasted barely two hours The US Pacific fleet was a tangled mess of smoking metal (diagram p. 756)
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The destruction was enormous All eight battleships in the harbor suffered damage Four were sunk Nearly 200 aircraft were completely destroyed and more were damaged Nearly 2,400 Americans were dead Japan lost only a handful of submarines and fewer than 30 aircraft It was a complete defeat for the USA
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AMERICAN REACTION Americans reacted with anger and fear Rumors spread that Japanese forces would soon reach the west coast Californians reported seeing submarines Beaches were strung with barbed wire People became afraid that Japanese Americans were secretly assisting with an invasion of America
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President Roosevelt expected a Japanese strike but he also expected a formal declaration of war from Japan Japanese Ambassadors has scheduled an appointment to deliver the war message but the Pearl Harbor attack occurred before the message was delivered Roosevelt was furious that Japan had deceived the USA
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December 8, 1941—Roosevelt asks for a declaration of war from Congress: “Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan…Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this…the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory”
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AAmerica was now at war with Japan TThree days later Germany and Italy declared war on the USA TThe nation entered WWII as a member of the Allies TTHE END
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