World War II

World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II From Isolation to Involvement

“We must band together to prevent the loss of more American lives in these internal struggles of Europe…Modern war with all its consequences is too tragic and too devastating to be approached from anything but a purely American standpoint. We should never enter a war unless it is absolutely essential to the future welfare of our nation…Our safety does not lie in fighting European wars. It lies in our own internal strength, in the character of the American people and of America institutions.” Sept. 15, 1939

Roosevelt opposes Roosevelt opposes AggressionAggression

• Unrestrained Japanese Unrestrained Japanese violence shocked Americansviolence shocked Americans– FDR lamented the “reign FDR lamented the “reign

of terror and of terror and International International lawlessness”, the lawlessness”, the bombing of civilian bombing of civilian populations, and the populations, and the horrible acts of cruelty.horrible acts of cruelty.

– He warned that no part He warned that no part of the world was “truly of the world was “truly isolated” from the restisolated” from the rest

• Roosevelt’s solution Roosevelt’s solution involved an informal involved an informal alliance of peace-alliance of peace-loving nations, but did loving nations, but did not suggest what not suggest what steps to take in steps to take in quarantining the quarantining the aggressive ones.aggressive ones.

War Erupts in EuropeWar Erupts in Europe• Appeasement failedAppeasement failed• 1939-Hitler absorbed 1939-Hitler absorbed

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia • France/Britain-acting France/Britain-acting

proactively signed an proactively signed an alliance with Polandalliance with Poland

• Germany-more worried Germany-more worried about the Soviet Union about the Soviet Union signed the Nazi-Soviet signed the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact-Nonaggression Pact-publically promising not publically promising not to attack one anotherto attack one another

Hitler launches a Blitzkrieg Hitler launches a Blitzkrieg against Polandagainst Poland• Sept. 1, 1939-a massive Sept. 1, 1939-a massive

German blitzkrieg hit German blitzkrieg hit Poland from 3 directionsPoland from 3 directions

• Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg means means “lightening war”“lightening war”– Uses speed and power to Uses speed and power to

penetrate deep into penetrate deep into enemy territoryenemy territory

– Coordinated assault by Coordinated assault by tanks and planestanks and planes

– Followed by motorized Followed by motorized vehicles and infantryvehicles and infantry

• Sept 17, Soviets attacked Sept 17, Soviets attacked Poland from the EastPoland from the East

• A devastated Poland fellA devastated Poland fell

France falls to the Axis France falls to the Axis powerspowers• Axis powers:Axis powers:

– Germany, Italy, JapanGermany, Italy, Japan• AlliesAllies

– Britain, France and Britain, France and eventually many other eventually many other nations including the nations including the Soviet Union & the United Soviet Union & the United StatesStates

• April 1940, Germany April 1940, Germany attacked Denmark & attacked Denmark & NorwayNorway

• May-Netherlands, May-Netherlands, Belgium & LuxembourgBelgium & Luxembourg

• Next site -- FranceNext site -- France

• Germans took Paris Germans took Paris and made them and made them surrender in the same surrender in the same car used for the car used for the German surrender in German surrender in 19181918

The Battle of Britain is Fought The Battle of Britain is Fought in the Airin the Air• France had fallen in 35 daysFrance had fallen in 35 days• Churchill had no intention of Churchill had no intention of

continuing the policy of continuing the policy of appeasementappeasement– He readied his nation for He readied his nation for

battlebattle– ““Operation Sea Lion” was Operation Sea Lion” was

under wayunder way• Luftwaffe was to Luftwaffe was to

destroy the British destroy the British Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force

•Began July 1940Began July 1940•British lost 1000 British lost 1000

planes/Germans lost planes/Germans lost 17001700

– Germans bombed Germans bombed civilian targets (houses, civilian targets (houses, churches, factorieschurches, factories

– Month long campaign Month long campaign which came to be which came to be known as known as the blitzthe blitz

– Brit’s held on, and Hitler Brit’s held on, and Hitler made a tactical decision made a tactical decision to postpone the to postpone the invasioninvasion

Americans Debate Americans Debate InvolvementInvolvement• America Favors America Favors

IsolationIsolation– FDR shared Churchill’s FDR shared Churchill’s

concernsconcerns– Majority of Americans Majority of Americans

opposed going to waropposed going to war• Great DepressionGreat Depression• WWI had been a WWI had been a

mistakemistake– Conspiracy TheoryConspiracy Theory

• Big business conspired Big business conspired in order to make money in order to make money on weapon makingon weapon making

• Congress passed the Congress passed the Neutrality Acts of Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 19371935, 1936, and 1937– Imposed restrictions on Imposed restrictions on

Americans during times Americans during times of warof war• EX: Americans were EX: Americans were

prohibited from sailing prohibited from sailing on ships owned by on ships owned by nations at warnations at war

• Americans could not Americans could not make loans to make loans to beligerents selling beligerents selling arms and munitionsarms and munitions

Interventionist Urge SupportInterventionist Urge Support for the Allies for the Allies• Neutrality Act of 1939Neutrality Act of 1939

– Included a cash and carry Included a cash and carry provisionprovision• Allowed belligerent Allowed belligerent

nations to buy good and nations to buy good and arms in the United States arms in the United States if they paid cash and if they paid cash and carried the merchandise carried the merchandise on their own shipson their own ships

• Britain controlled the seasBritain controlled the seas– FDR-pro-Ally positionFDR-pro-Ally position– Committee to Defend Committee to Defend

American by Aiding the AlliesAmerican by Aiding the Allies• Britain was fighting for Britain was fighting for

free countries everywherefree countries everywhere

Isolationist Argue for Isolationist Argue for NeutralityNeutrality• Giving aid to the Allies Giving aid to the Allies

automatically harmed the Axis, automatically harmed the Axis, and would culminate in warand would culminate in war

• Only way to keep America safe Only way to keep America safe was to follow a policy of was to follow a policy of neutralityneutrality

• America First CommitteeAmerica First Committee– Held rallies criticizing FDR’s Held rallies criticizing FDR’s

openly pro-British policyopenly pro-British policy– Charles Lindberg became Charles Lindberg became

the leading isolationist voicethe leading isolationist voice• He believed Japan and He believed Japan and

the Soviet Union were the Soviet Union were the true American the true American threatsthreats

Roosevelt Inches towards Roosevelt Inches towards InvolvementInvolvement• After the Tripartite PactAfter the Tripartite Pact

– Congress passed the Congress passed the Selective Service ActSelective Service Act

– Gave Britain 50 WWI Gave Britain 50 WWI battleships n battleships n exchange for 8 exchange for 8 British defense basesBritish defense bases

• America’s responseAmerica’s response– Elected FDR for a Elected FDR for a

third termthird term

America takes steps toward America takes steps toward warwar• Lend LeaseLend Lease

– Act to send any aid Act to send any aid necessary in the interest of necessary in the interest of defending the U.S.defending the U.S.

• By 1945-$40 billionBy 1945-$40 billion• Atlantic CharterAtlantic Charter

– Between US & BritainBetween US & Britain• Document endorsing Document endorsing

national self-determinationnational self-determination• International system of International system of

“general security”“general security”• U.S. Battles German U-boatsU.S. Battles German U-boats

– Roosevelt gave orders to Roosevelt gave orders to attack German U-boats on attack German U-boats on sitesite