Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Shadow of War
“The Road to World War II”
Part I: Create a timeline that delineates the events leading up to the U.S. entry into World War
II. Your timeline notes** should be simple (in your own words) but detailed. For each event
consider: How did this event lead to the outbreak of war? Or how did this event lead to the U.S.
decision to enter the war? Make sure to stress the significance of the events as it brought the
U.S. into WWII
Your timeline must include all events but you only need notes on the starred events**
Events:
1933
FDR blocks the London Economic Conference**
FDR declares the Good Neighbor Policy toward Latin America**
Hitler comes into power in Germany
1934
Reciprocal Trade Agreement
1935
Mussolini invades Ethiopia
1935-37
First, Second and Third Neutrality Acts**
1936
Hitler and Mussolini ally in Rome Berlin Axis
1936-37
Spanish Civil War**
1937
Japan invades China
1938
Hitler seizes Austria
Munich Conference**
1939
Hitler seizes Czechoslovakia
Hitler’s invasion of Poland [WWII begins in Europe]**
U.S. Neutrality Act of 1939**
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact**
1940
France falls to Nazis
Hitler invades Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium
U.S. invokes the first peacetime draft
Re-enforcement of Monroe Doctrine**
Battle of Britain**
Bases for Destroyers deal with Britain**
1941
Lend-Lease Act**
Hitler attacks Soviet Union**
Atlantic Charter**
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor**
U.S. officially enters WWII
Part II: Now choose the top five reasons of why the U.S. entered WWII rank them in order of
importance (#1 being the most important) and explain WHY you cose that particular event over
all others.
Part III: Write introductory paragraph and this statement that answers the following question
“It was absolutely necessary for the United States to enter World War II.” Assess the validity of
this statement.