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Early on in the 1930s, FDR and America tried to
turn their backs on growing problems in the rest
of the world
FDR only wanted to fight against the Depression
BUT, as war seemed on the horizon in Europe—
FDR saw US couldn’t ignore what was
happening!!!
One of the first global attempts to control the
Depression was the LONDON ECONOMIC
CONFERENCE in 1933
FDR at first committed the US to go, then backed out at
the last minute
Why? Didn’t want his hands tied by international
pressures
Showed we were even isolationist on the economy
FDR also proposed for the Philippines to
be given their independence in 1946
The TYDINGS-MCDUFFIE ACT provided for
this to occur
This move made Japan feel the US was no
longer interested in Asia (uh oh!!!)
In 1933, FDR also formally recognized the
Soviet Union as a nation
Motivated by wanting trade with Soviet
Russia
Also motivated by having the Soviets as a
protection against German and Japanese
power
FDR also began better relations with Latin America
Policy usually called the “GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY”
Adolf Hitler was clearly the most dangerous dictator of
the bunch
Used the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles to gain
German acceptance
Hitler withdrew Germany from the League of Nations
and began rearming (illegal)
In 1936, signed an alliance with Italy called the ROME-
BERLIN AXIS
Japan was also increasingly becoming a major problem
Had withdrawn from the Naval Reduction agreements
Quit the League of Nations
Joined with Germany and Italy in the TRIPARTITE PACT
(that can’t be good news!!!)
Things appeared to be worse when Mussolini
and Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935
League of Nations basically did NOTHING
Americans, after the results of WWI, retreated back into
isolationism
As events began to unfold in Europe, the US wanted to remain
“neutral” and isolated!!!!!! Why????
The Nye Committee made it appear that WWI had been brought
about by arms dealers
In response to public pressure, the Congress passed the
Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, & 1937
These were attempting to keep the events that drew the US into
WWI from happening again!!!!!
American’s really became worried when war broke out in Spain
in the SPANISH CIVIL WAR
Spanish rebels led by GENERAL FRANCISCO FRANCO
Franco aided by Hitler and Mussolini
In response to much of what was going on in Europe and Asia, FDR delivered his
famous QUARANTINE SPEECH
Wanted to seal off the aggressor nations by economic embargo’s
Adolf Hitler continued to grow bolder and bolder across Europe!!
In 1936, he move in and took the RHINELAND which had been taken by the Treaty
of Versailles (France and GB do nothing)
March 1938, Hitler takes over German speaking Austria without a shot!
Then he begins making demands for the German occupied SUDETENLAND
Hitler claims he just wants to put German’s back into Germany and wanted
“lebensraum” or “living space” for Germans
In response their great fears of Hitler, the European powers and FDR meet at the
MUNICH CONFERENCE in September 1938
The word to remember is APPEASEMENT—they gave into Hitler’s demands in
hopes he would stop!!!!! (He promised too, so we can trust him, right?)
They gave him the Sudetenland without asking Czechoslovakia
NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN, British minister, becomes associated with
appeasement!!!! (wimp)
Six months later, Hitler takes all of
Czechoslovakia (really, he lied? Your joking?)
A major world-wide shock came in 1939 when Soviet leader
Stalin announced they had signed a nonaggression treaty with
Germany!!!!!
Called the HITLER-STALIN PACT
This would allow Hitler to focus his army on the Western
front, not be divided up like in WWI
Stalin and Hitler also had secretly made a deal to take
Poland and would divide it up!
World War II officially began on September 1,
1939 with the German invasion of Poland
Britain and France honored their
agreements with Poland and
declared war too
Americans wanted to stay neutral,
but many realized the US would
have to help
In order to assist the British, FDR managed
to get the NEUTRALITY ACT OF 1939
passed
Allowed Europe to buy American war goods,
but only on a “CASH & CARRY” basis
After the fall of Poland, there was a period of months where
Hitler did nothing
Often times referred to as the “Phony War”
The quiet ended when Hitler ran over Denmark and Norway, then
went for the Netherlands and Belgium then destroyed France
While America may be neutral, FDR saw the need to prepare for
war in case
Called for building huge air fleets and a two-ocean navy
CONSCRIPTION LAW —America’s first peacetime draft!!!!!
Once Hitler had France under control, Great Britain was next on the list!
British forces had barely escaped destruction in European continent at
DUNKIRK
Hitler launched air attacks on GB known as the BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Britain was in critical condition and needed destroyers
US made the DESTROYER DEAL in 1940 which gave Britain 50 old destroyers for
lease rights to English bases
Let us therefore brace
ourselves to our duties,
and so bear ourselves
that, if the British
Empire and its
Commonwealth last for
a thousand years, men
will still say,
Britain
WINSTON CHURCHILL
JUNE 18 1940
FROM HIS "FINEST
HOUR" SPEECH
"This was their
finest hour."
As Britain continued to be destroyed, FDR moved towards more direct assistance in
his famous Lend-Lease Bill.
FDR related it to giving your neighbor a garden hose if his
house was on fire
Idea of “Send guns, not Sons”
S
America
was becoming the “ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY”
Lend-Lease Bill really meant the US was no longer neutral!
In the middle of all this mess was the
presidential election of 1940.
FDR did the unthinkable and ran for a third
term….why?
FDR won and the two-term tradition was
broken
In June of 1941, Hitler made the
ultimate mistake of the war when he
invaded the Soviet Union!
Both had never really planned to
assist each other (can you trust
two mad-men?)
As war continued to rage, a secret meeting with held with British PM
Winston Churchill and FDR.
This secret meeting known as the ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
They issue the ATLANTIC CHARTER —goals for the world
when/if they win
Even mentioned something similar to the League of Nations
(hmmm, United Nations sounds better, right?)
Because the Germans were attacking US goods in the Lend-Lease program ,FDR
decided to allow American ships to escort Lend-Lease shipments
Guess What? American ships were “accidentally” hit by Germans
USS Greer, USS Kearney, USS Rueben James all hit
On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese surprise attacked a US military station at
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
US had embargoed some products from Japan including oil
Japanese needed oil and felt their only hope was a sudden and devastating blow
on the US in the Pacific
US had broken Japanese codes, but didn’t know where they would attack
Japanese treachery?????? (Let me explain it to you)
War was declared on Japan—soon Germany will make another mistake
and declare war on the United States!!!! (woops)