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America Moves Toward War
Focus-Worksheet
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Away from Neutrality “cash-and-carry”(1939) provision-permits nations to buy American arms in cash and carry goods home on their own ships. 1940-France/Britain fall under German invasions. Japan, Germany, and Italy signed a defense treaty, the Tripartite Pact-become Axis Powers.
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Cont… Created to keep U.S. out of the war. Each would come to defense of other in case of attack.(two-ocean war) Roosevelt scrambles to provide Britain with “all aid short of war”(500k rifles/80k machine guns) Congress increases spending for national defense in 1940.(become weak since isolationism. Selective Training and Service Act-16 million men(21-35) were registered.
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Cont… 1940-FDR is reelected as president, and breaks the tradition of a two-term presidency. After election, FDR announces that there is no negotiating a peace with Hitler: “No man can tame a tiger into a kitten by stroking it.” To prevent America from living at the point of a gun, U.S. had to help defeat the Axis threat by turning itself into “the great arsenal of democracy.”
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Cont… Lend-Lease Act-replaces cash/carry. U.S. would lend/lease arms and other supplies to “any country whose defense was vital to the U.S.” It was supported with $7 billion. In all, it eventually spent $50 billion under the act. June.22, 1941-Hitler invades Soviets with 3 million troops! Prediction: six weeks!! Soviets resisted fiercely using scorched-earth policy(destroy everything the enemy can use). Six weeks turned into six months(then winter set in) U.S. supports Soviets with the Lend-Lease Act.
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German Wolf-Packs Hitler deploys hundreds of German subs(U-boats) to destroy/sink any ships helping with the war effort. U.S. ordered the Navy to protect lend-lease shipments and gave warships permission to attack U-boats in self-defense.
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Japan Attacks the U.S. The attack that brought the U.S. into the war came from Japan, not Germany Japan wants to create vast colonial empire(China/Thailand/Indonesia). U.S. protests Japan’s aggression by cutting off trade with Japan, including a trade embargo involving oil. Oct. 1941, Hideki Tojo became new prime minister of Japan. Hirohito becomes a figurehead. The day a “peace” envoy flies to U.S., Tojo plans an attack on the U.S.
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Cont… U.S. military broke secret codes and knew of a strike; however, they didn’t know when and where. Peace talks went on for a month(stalling). December 6, 1941-president received a message that told the Japanese to reject all American peace proposals.”This means war”
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Cont… Early, December 7, 1941, Japanese Dive Bombers(180) launch from six aircraft carriers on Pearl Harbor(Hawaii).(shallow water?) The attack lasted an hour and a half: (quote, pg. 724)(picture/map) Japan’s attack was a stunning victory: crippled the entire Pacific Fleet in one blow, while it only lost 29 planes; 18 ships sunk/damaged; 190 planes destroyed; 2,400 people dead and another 1,178 wounded.(More than navy lost in all of WWI!)
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Cont… Next Day: “Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy…” FDR asks for a declaration of war against Japan and Congress quickly approves. 3 days later, Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S. Isolationism is dead!
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