1. Chapter 16: World War Looms Section 4: America Moves Toward War

2. Standards
11.7 Students analyze America's participation in World War II.
.1 Examine the origins of American involvement in the war, with an emphasis on the events that precipitated the attack on Pearl Harbor.
.4 Analyze Roosevelt's foreign policy during World War II (e.g., Four Freedoms speech).
.6 Describe major developments in aviation, weaponry, communication, and medicine and the war's impact on the location of American industry and use of resources.

3. Objectives
Following lecture and reading of this section, students will be able to:
Describe the response of the United States to the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939
Show how Roosevelt assisted the Allies without declaring war
Summarize the events that brought the United States into armed conflict with Germany
Characterize the American Response to the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor

4. Moving Cautiously Away from Neutrality
1939, FDR persuaded Congress to pass “cash-and-carry” provision to the Neutrality Acts
U.S. could sell arms to any nation willing to pay cash and come to U.S. to get arms
This prevented the U.S. from being :
owed $ (like the British owed us after WWI)
Open to any countries thinking we are taking stuff to enemies
FDR argued that helping France & Britain defeat Hitler was the best way to keep U.S. out of war

5. The Axis Threat
1940, FDR tried to provide Britain “all aid short of war”
France had already fallen and Britain was losing…
U.S. sent Britain 500,000 rifles & 80,000 machine guns
Germany, Japan, Italy signed Tripartite Pact, a mutual defense treaty, in 1940
Became known as Axis Powers
The pact aimed at keeping U.S. out of war by forcing fight on two oceans
Germany in the East (Atlantic)
Japan in the West (Pacific)

6. Building U.S. Defenses
Nazi victories in 1940 lead to increased U.S. defense spending
Congress passed the first ever peacetime draft
Selective Training and Service Act:
Draftees to serve for 1 year in Western Hemisphere only
16 million registered
1 million drafted

7. Roosevelt Runs for a Third Term
FDR breaks two-term tradition, runs for reelection
FDR’s opponent, Republican Wendell Willkie, has similar views on war
FDR reelected with 55% of votes
FDR & Willkie very similar
Americans went with the guy they already knew

8. The Lend-Lease Plan
FDR explained to the nation that if Britain falls, Axis powers would be free to conquer world
U.S. must become “arsenal of democracy”
By late 1940, Britain has no more cash to buy U.S. arms
If Britain could not get arms they would be overtaken
1941 Lend-Lease Act
U.S. to lend or lease supplies to any country whose defense was vital to the U.S.

9. Supporting Stalin
1941, Hitler breaks pact with Stalin and invaded the Soviet Union
Roosevelt sent lend-lease supplies to Soviet Union
“The enemy of my enemy, is my friend”
Many were unhappy with supporting Stalin and his Communist government

10. German Wolf Packs
Hitler deployed U-boats, in wolf packs, to attack supply convoys and sink supply ships
Wolf packs-groups of up to 40 submarines patrol North Atlantic
The convoys were carrying lend-lease shipments to Britain and the USSR
FDR allowed the navy to attack German U-boats in self-defense
Germans winning at first but U.S. won in the end

11. The Atlantic Charter FDR’s support begins to drop to 50%
FDR & Churchill issue Atlantic Charter—joint declaration of war aims
Why they are fighting
What they want to accomplish
Charter is basis of “A Declaration of the United Nations” or Allies
Allies-nations that fight Axis powers; 26 nations sign Declaration [Visual]

12. Shoot on Sight Germans fired on U.S. ship
FDR ordered navy to shoot U-boats on sight
Pink Star (merchant) and the Kearny & Greer (Navy) were fired upon and sunk by
America had been attacked by Germany
U-boat attacks lead Senate to repeal ban on arming merchant ships

13. Japan’s Ambitions in the Pacific
Japan tried to take advantage of the fact that Britain & France were involved in war with Germany
Japan seized French bases in Indochina; U.S. cuts off trade
Hideki Tojo-chief of staff of army that invades China, prime minister
The U.S. cutoff trade with Japan because of its agression in SE Asia
Japan needed oil from the U.S. or must take Dutch East Indies oil fields
This began the conflict between U.S. and Japan

14. Peace Talks are Questioned
1941 U.S. breaks Japanese codes
Learned Japan planning to attack U.S.
Peace talks with Japan last about 1 month
No progress was ever made toward peace with Japan
December 6, 1941 Japanese peace envoy was instructed to reject all U.S. proposals
Message was intercepted
U.S. new an attack would come, but did not know where

15. The Attack on Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941 Japanese attack Pearl Harbor
2,403 Americans killed; 1,178 wounded
Over 300 aircraft, 21 ships destroyed or damaged
3 carriers were at sea during the attack
Reaction to Pearl Harbor
Congress approved FDR’s request for declaration of war against Japan
Germany & Italy declare war on U.S.
The U.S. is unprepared to fight in both Atlantic & Pacific Oceans

18. FDR's Speech