AMERICA MOVES
TOWARD WAR
Ch 24.4
Neutrality Revised
• As Germany “blitzkrieg-ed” Poland, FDR sought to revise
Neutrality Acts of 1935.
• “Cash and Carry” revision: countries could buy U.S. arms
as long as they paid cash and carried in their ships.
June 1939
• U.S. sent 500,000 rifles, 80,000 machine guns, and
traded 50 old destroyers with Britain.
Axis Powers
• Tripartite Pact, signed in Sept 1940 by Germany, Italy,
and Japan.
• If U.S. joined war, would have to fight in both Atlantic and
Pacific Ocean.
Nazi aggression=mobilization
• Selective Training and Service Act: passed in 1940: 16
million men between ages of 21 and 35 were registered.
Roosevelt wins again in ‘40
• Roosevelt breaks two term precedent set by Washington;
defeating Republican Willkie.
• Received 55 percent of the vote.
• Felt U.S. should be the “great arsenal of democracy”
Lend-Lease Act, March ‘41
• U.S. would lend/lease arms to any country vital to its
interests.
• Britain was broke.
Stalin and Hitler: Honeymoon’s Over!
• In June 1941, Hitler invades Soviet Union breaking non-
aggression pact.
• “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” ~FDR.
You sunk my battleship!
• German U-boats continue “wolf-pack” attacks against
U.S. merchant and naval ships.
• 350,000 tons of cargo destroyed in North Atlantic.
FDR and Churchill meet
• On U.S.S. Augusta, FDR and Churchill agree to Atlantic
Charter as a measure of collective security.
• Precursor to “A Declaration of the United Nations”
which was signed by 25 other nations to ally against the
Axis Powers.
Undeclared war against Germany
• Mid Sept ’41: American merchant ship, Pink Star, is sunk
near Greenland.
• Mid Oct ’41: American destroyer, Kearny, was sunk. Days
later, Reuben James sunk killing 100 sailors.
• Declaration of war seemed inevitable.
Japan
• Sought French, Dutch, and British colonial possessions in
Asia: “Asia for the Asians” became the battle cry.
• Hideki Tojo: Chief of Staff of the Imperial Army.
• Hirohito: emperor, considered God-like figure.
• Bushido: the code of the Samurai.
Japan continues to grow
• In ’41, Japan seized control of British controlled lands in
Pacific-Britain was too busy in Europe.
• U.S. reacted by cutting off trade, including oil.