U.S. Involvement
Dec 23, 2015
U.S.Involvement
Moving Towards Involvement
• 1939: “Cash and Carry” policy. Allowed warring nations to buy U.S. arms. 1. Pay Cash 2. Provide Transport
• Aid Great Britain
Alliance• 1940: Germany, Italy, and Japan = Axis Powers
• Attempt to keep the U.S. out of the war
Building Defenses• Selective Service Act: men between ages 21-35
register for military service
• 1 million were drafted
FDR• 1940: President Roosevelt runs for third term
against Wendell Willkie.
• Very little difference between the candidates
Involvement• FDR believed that the U.S. must help Great
Britain to ensure the safety of America.
• Prevent the rise of the Axis Powers
Involvement• :1941-Lend-Lease Act lend arms and supplies to
countries who defense was vital to the U.S.
• Isolationist angered
Hitler’s Mistake• 1941: Hitler broke the nonaggression pact with
the Soviet Union
• U.S. sends supplies to Soviet Union
• Hitler deploys U-Boats to patrol the North Atlantic
• FDR grants permission to engage submarines in self defense
Atlantic Charter• FDR and Churchill formulate war aims for post
World War II
• Disarmament, self determination, freedom of the seas
• Become the basis for the United Nations
• Japanese leader Hideki Tojo seizes French, Dutch, and British colonies in Asia
• 1941: Take over Indochina
• U.S. places embargo on oil
Pearl Harbor• Dec. 7, 1941
• Surprise attack on U.S. naval base by Japanese bombers
• Over 2,000 Americans died and 21 ships destroyed
U.S. Enters World War II
• “A day that will live in infamy”
• Dec. 8, 1941 = FDR requests for a declaration of war against Japan.
• Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S.