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Beginnings of World War II – “World War II,”
Overall main idea: Between 1935 and 1941, the U.S. stayed neutral but became increasingly involved
in the beginnings of World War II, eventually entering the war after the Japanese attack at Pearl
Harbor.
Good Neighbors and Hostile Forces
Main idea: The U.S. during the 1930s was mostly isolationist regarding Europe and Latin America but encouraged world
trade.
Nye Committee – 1930s committee headed by Gerald Nye to investigate U.S. involvement in World War I;
concluded that big business greed and economic dependence on the Allies pulled the U.S. into the war; disillusioned many
Americans on getting involved in more European problems
U.S. recognized and began trading with the Soviet Union (Communist Russia) in 1933
“Good Neighbor Policy” – Hoover and Roosevelt foreign policy that opposed military imperialism in Latin
America and supported peace in the region through U.S. political and economic involvement when deemed necessary
Neutrality and Fascism
Main idea: As fascist governments arose in Europe and Japan and edged toward war, the United States stayed neutral and
uninvolved.
Americans wanted to stay out of the problems arising in Europe and East Asia in the 1930s; FDR also wanted to
stay out at first, but as more problems erupted he wanted to persuade Americans to get involved
Benito Mussolini led fascism in Italy as early as 1922
Fascism – a vague idea of government, but generally accepted to include strong nationalism (pride and devotion to
one’s nation over individual or class interests), strong centralized government (rule by very few in one party, usually by a
dictator, and rejection of democracy), aggressive military and imperialism, and Social Darwinism (survival of the fittest)
Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany in 1933 and quickly established a fascist dictatorship under the
Nazi Party
Nazism – the National Socialist German Workers Party – essentially the German version of fascism in the 1920s1940s, led by Adolf Hitler; a collection of ideas related to fascism, but especially emphasizing German superiority and
racial purity of the Aryan “master race” (North European whites); some ethnic groups/races were considered “not worth
living” or “impure,” such as Jews, Roma (Gypsies), Slavs, Serbs, Polish, disabled, etc.; Nazis especially blamed Jews for
bringing about the downfall of Germany during WWI and leading into the Depression
1935 – Mussolini attacked Ethiopia; Mussolini and Hitler supported fascist Francisco Franco in his takeover of the
Spanish government in the Spanish Civil War; Hitler remilitarized Germany (breaking the Treaty of Versailles)
By 1938, Hitler had annexed Austria and Czechoslovakia and the Allies (mostly Britain and France) allowed it,
following a policy of appeasement, giving in to Hitler’s demands in the hopes of avoiding war; Kristallnacht (The Night of
Broken Glass) also occurred, when Nazis first violently attacked Jews
Still, the U.S. resisted getting involved in Europe; Congress passed four neutrality acts during the 1930s while
FDR favored more involvement
Isolationism, anti-Semitism (prejudice against Jews), and immigration quotas of the 1920s prevented the U.S. from
providing a safe refuge for the majority of Jews escaping discrimination in Germany; Hitler increased persecution in the
late 1930s, putting “impure races” into ghettos and concentration camps
Relations between the U.S. and Japan grew more tense; U.S. immigration quotas and economic imperialism in
East Asia offended the Japanese; in the 1930s, the near-fascist Japanese invaded and imperialized in the Pacific, invading
China
Edging Toward Involvement
Main idea: By 1939, FDR and the U.S. were moving toward involvement in the European problems leading to World War
II.
FDR moved away from the New Deal to focus on preparing for a possible war in Europe; he helped to ease
neutrality laws to provide arms and supplies for Britain and France against Germany
The Dilemmas of Neutrality
Main idea: By 1941 FDR wanted to lead the U.S. against German and Japanese aggression despite neutrality sentiment in
the public.
Many European scientists immigrated to the U.S. to flee fascism and were involved in the creation of the atomic
bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico
The war would greatly affect the U.S. domestically
The Roots of War
Main idea: The roots of World War II were problems with the Treaty of Versailles, economic depression, political
instability leading to fascist-style governments and imperialism in Europe and East Asia.
Treaty of Versailles problems – small nations created that were vulnerable to larger empires, Italy and Japan
received little recognition, German embarrassment and resentment, debt leading to economic problems
Dictatorships and fascist governments arose to provide for desperate citizens in the face of political instability and
economic crisis in Europe; capitalism, democracy and communism were rejected as failures
Japanese attempted to expel European imperialism from East Asia and dominate it by itself; Japan invaded China
in 1937, killing thousands of Chinese and leading to a long and deadly war
German aggression and imperialism, along with persecution of Jews (see above section); Nuremberg Laws – laws
denying civil rights to Jews in Nazi Germany
Axis Powers – alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan; political dissent was strictly suppressed
Hitler’s War in Europe
Main idea: Hitler and the Axis Powers had conquered much of Europe by 1942.
German invasion of Poland is usually considered the official start of World War II – Germans used “blitzkrieg,” or
lightning war, invading 30 to 40 miles a day using very fast mobilized armies and air forces
Between 1939 and the start of 1942, Axis Powers had conquered Poland, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands,
Belgium, France, the Balkans and much of the Soviet Union; they expected to defeat the Soviets after the winter while the
British still held out
Trying to Keep Out
Main idea: The majority of Americans still supported isolationism and non-involvement after war broke out in 1939.
Isolationists referenced World War I and wanted to avoid the same situation as before; they wanted to protect
American interests only in Latin America and the Pacific; they referenced George Washington’s advice to stay out of
European “foreign entanglements,” and they included many different types of Americans
Edging Toward Intervention
Main idea: With increased Axis success and aggression, FDR pushed the U.S. toward more involvement in the war.
Neutrality Act of 1939 – “cash and carry” arms sales allowed; foreign countries had to pay cash up front and had
to use their own vessels to transport
Destroyers for bases deal – U.S. traded fifty naval destroyers for the use of bases in British territories
The surrender of France to Germany in 1940 alarmed many Americans and Congress expanded the military and
instituted the first peacetime draft in U.S. history
1936 – FDR runs for an unprecedented third term, not wanting to leave office in the middle of such a crisis;
Americans agreed and he was elected over Republican Wendell Wilkie, though both vaguely pledged not to send
Americans to a foreign war, but leaned toward helping the Allies
The Brink of War
Main idea: By 1941, the U.S. edged very close to involvement in World War II as it aided the British, fought the German
navy in the Atlantic, and antagonized the Japanese in the Pacific.
Lend-lease program – proposed by FDR, Congress approves the loaning of war materials to “countries vital to the
defense of the U.S.” = Allies
FDR instructs American destroyers to escort British ships and shoot German subs on sight; outright naval war is
undeclared, but Germans and Americans are fighting in the Atlantic
Atlantic Charter – FDR and Winston Churchill, prime minister of Great Britain, met in 1941 to outline plans for
peace after the war, despite the U.S. not being involved in the war technically; opposed imperialism conquest, supported
self-determination and freedom of the seas (very similar to the Fourteen Points of Wilson); FDR wanted to be “pushed
into” the war
Pacific tensions with Japanese – U.S. buildup of its navy in the Pacific worried Japan; U.S. embargoed trade with
Japan, especially war materials; FDR froze Japanese financial assets in U.S. banks; U.S. built up forces in Philippines; U.S.
sent lend-lease aid to British and Chinese in East Asia
Japanese felt pushed to attack the U.S. soon or lose the initiative, as war seemed imminent
December 7, 1941
Main idea: The Japanese attacked the U.S. at Pearl Harbor, leading to the U.S. entering World War II.
Some think FDR wanted to intimidate the Japanese to focus on Germany, but he knew there was a threat of a war
against Japan and Germany/Italy
12/7/1941 – Japanese surprise attacked at Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawai’i; their airplanes bombed and
destroyed a large portion of the American Pacific naval fleet and killed over 2,000 Americans, yet failed to destroy all of
the base’s resources and its aircraft carriers
FDR called the Dec. 7, 1941 “a day which will live in infamy” and asked for a declaration of war against Japan;
Congress passed the declaration and soon after Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S.
Overall main idea: Between 1935 and 1941, the U.S. stayed neutral but became increasingly involved
in the beginnings of World War II, eventually entering the war after the Japanese attack at Pearl
Harbor.