FDR and the Shadow of War
1933-1941
The American Pageant
Chapter 37
London Conference
 FDR was concerned that ag-reement at London would endanger
inflationary policies.
 Radio message pulled US out, ended possibility of agreement,
reaffirmed US isolationism, led to more extreme national-ism
(dictators) in world.
Filipinos/Russians
 Depression/isolation led to de-sire for pull out from Far East, business
& labor did want to compete with Philippines.
 1934: Tydings-McDuffie Act gave Philippine independence by 1946,
but U.S. would keep naval bases.
Filipinos/Russians (2)
 It was more freedom from the Philippines: left Ph. damaged
economically, politically.
 Japan thought U.S. need not be feared as a result.
 1933: FDR formally recogniz-ed Soviet Union: desired trade,
counterweight to Ger./Japan.
Good Neighbor
 FDR’s “good neighbor” state-ment in inaugural, noninvolve-ment w/
Europe, & withdraw-al from Asia suggested US was giving up desire
to be world power.
 Depression meant less invest-ment in Latin Am. to protect.
Good Neighbor (2)
 1933: at 7th Pan-American Conf. US endorsed non-inter-vention –
FDR wanted Latin Am. as potential allies against dictators in
Europe/Asia.
 1934: last marines left Haiti, Cuba released from Platt Am.
 1936: Grip on Panama relaxed.
Good Neighbor (3)
 1938: Policy tested by Mexican seizure of US oil properties.
 FDR resisted intervention, set-tled in 1941 at detriment to US oil
companies.
 Though at some cost to U.S. bondholders, FDR’s esteem in Latin Am.
grew tremendously.
Reciprocal Trade
 1934: low-tariff supporter Sec. of State Hull & FDR led Congress to
Reciprocal Trade Agreement.
 FDR given power to reduce Hawley-Smoot rates by as much as 50% if
other nation also reduced rates.
Reciprocal Trade (2)
 FDR’s agreements did not have to pass Senate: would avoid
logrolling, lobbyists.
 By 1939, Hull made pacts with 21 countries: increased foreign trade,
strengthened political relations with Latin Am.
 Ended protectionist policies.
Storm-Cellar Isolation
 Post-war chaos & depression spawned totalitarian gov’ts: Stalin
(USSR), Mussolini (Italy), Hitler (Germany).
 Impulsive Hitler took advant-age of unemployment, Versail-les treaty
to lead Nazi party: formed Axis with Mussolini.
Storm-Cellar Isolation (2)
 Imperial Japan also felt slight-ed by Versailles: pulled out of Wash.
Naval treaty, quickened construction of battleships.
 1935: Mussolini sought empire by invading Ethiopia – League of
Nations to afraid to embargo oil.
Storm-Cellar Isolation (3)
 World events, memories of WWI & post-war loan defaults led to
increased isolationism.
 1934: Johnson Debt Default Act stopped defaulted nations from
borrowing from US.
 Some favored Const. Amend to stiffen req. for war decl.
Legislates Neutrality
 Press began to blame munit-ions producers for war: led to 1934 Senate
probe (Sen. Nye).
 Senate investigators tended to blame US arms manufactur-ers. &
bankers for WWI: believed that war could be stopped if not profitable.
Legislates Neutrality (2)
 Inspired by attack on Ethio-pia, Neutrality Acts of ‘35, ‘36, ‘37 set
restrictions on travel, commerce, loans if president declared existence
of war.
 Abandoned traditional policies of freedom of seas, for which US had
fought 2 earlier wars.
Legislates Neutrality (3)
 Laws assumed decision for war lay in US hands only.
 Laws failed to make moral distinction between nations.
 Actually helped dictators who had built up arms by withold-ing help of
US industrial strength to other democracies.
US Dooms Loyalist Spain
 1936-39: Spanish Civil War was dress rehearsal for WWII.
 Fascist rebels led by Franco were supported by Hitler & Mussolini.
 Meager help from USSR of Loyalist republican gov’t hurt US
sympathies.
US Dooms Loyalist Spain (2)
 Congress amended neutrality laws to prevent arms sales to both sides:
U.S. and other democracies stayed out of war, affected death of
Spanish dem.
 Policy encouraged dictators.
 But US let navy shrink: huge fleets cause huge wars.
Appeasing Japan/Germany
 1937: Explosion in Beijing led to Japanese invasion of China.
 FDR did not invoke neutrality laws, kept trickle of arms to China –
Japan bought too.
 1937: in “Quarantine Speech,” FDR proposed embargoes to keep
aggressors in check.
Appeas. Japan/Germany (2)
 But FDR backed off after iso-lationist protests.
 12/37: Japan bombed, sank US gunboat (Panay) in Chinese waters,
but paid indemnity.
 Appeasement of Japan led to humiliating treatment of US citizens in
China by Japanese.
Appeas. Japan/Germany (3)
 Hitler violated Versailles Treaty by military draft, entering German
Rhineland.
 Hitler began program of geno-cide against Jews.
 Hitler asked Germans to sacri-fice to build devastating air force &
mechanized divisions.
Appeas. Japan/Germany (4)
 3/38: Hitler occupied German-speaking Austria – democrac-ies hoped
it would satisfy him.
 But Hitler demanded Sudeten-land: W. European democrac-ies
sacrificed it at Munich conference (9/38) – Hitler said it was his last
territorial claim.
Appeas. Japan/Germany (5)
 3/39: But appeasement backfired – Hitler took the rest of Austria,
stunned democratic world.
Hitler’s Belligerency
 8/39: Stalin spurned British & French w/ nonaggression treaty with
Hitler.
 Both Stalin & West had hoped to use Hitler to hurt the other.
 Hitler could now turn to Poland, West w/o worry over Soviets.
Hitler’s Belligerency (2)
 9/1/39: Hitler invaded Poland to take back land lost in WWI.
 Poland fell in 3 weeks, Stalin grabbed part per prior agreement with
Hitler.
 FDR proclaimed neutrality: US was clearly anti-Nazi, but wanted to
stay out of war.
Hitler’s Belligerency (3)
 Neutrality laws prevented Britain/France from buying needed US
planes/weapons.
 FDR called special session, Neutrality Act of ‘39 allowed “cash-andcarry”: US would avoid loans, loss of ships.
Hitler’s Belligerency (4)
 Law was pro-democracies: b/c they controlled seas, only they could
come buy weapons.
 Overseas demand solved decade-long unemployment crisis.
France Aftermath
 “Phony War”: silent period after Poland fell as Germany moved army
toward France.
 Soviets crushed Finland des-pite $30M from US.
 “Phony War” ended when Hit-ler overran Den. & Nor. (4/40), then
Neth. & Belgium (5/40).
France Aftermath (2)
 France forced to surrender by late June, Mussolini took part.
 Crisis brought leadership of Churchill in Britain.
 That only Britain remained to protect US shocked public.
 FDR called for huge air force & 2-ocean navy to check Jap.
France Aftermath (3)
 Congress appropriated $37B: 5x more than any budget.
 9/6/40: Congress passed 1st peacetime draft for 1.2 M.
 20 Latin Am. nations & US committed to defend orphaned New
World colonies from Germany.
Bolstering Britain
 With Britain alone in Europe, neutrality was questionable.
 Hitler’s planned invasion of UK put off by defense of RAF.
 FDR had to decide between helping UK or “Fortress America.”
Bolstering Britain (2)
 Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies fought
propaganda war with America First Committee/Lindbergh.
 Britain needed destroyers to counter German subs: FDR agreed to give
UK 50 WWI destroyers for bases (9/40).
Bolstering Britain (3)
 FDR gave ships without OK from Congress, isolationists & Reps
decried his methods.
 Transfer shattered any remaining idea of neutrality, but public opinion
supported “all aid short of war.”
FDR Ends 2-term Trad.
 Leading GOP candidates Taft & Dewey were swept aside by
magnetic, honest, liberal, recent Dem. Wilkie: only one who could
beat FDR.
 Platform: condemned FDR’s “dictatorship,” opposed New Deal
extravagances.
FDR Ends 2-term Trad. (2)
 FDR unsure of 3rd term, but foreign crisis & need of party for someone
who could defeat Wilkie led to renomination.
 Wilkie hit stump, but avoided criticizing FDR’s aid to Brit-ain: little
difference between them other than 3rd term issue.
FDR Ends 2-term Trad. (3)
 FDR stayed at work, but did promise to keep US out of war.
 Closer election saw 449-82 FDR victory: Dem congres-sional
majorities remained.
 Election not a mandate for end of 3rd term tradition, but need for
experience in case of war.
Landmark Lend-Lease
 By late ‘40 Britain neared end of credit, FDR did not want to fight
over debts as w/ WWI.
 FDR proposed lend-lease: arms would just be returned.
 Congress proposed lend-lease bill after election: US would be “arsenal
of democracy.”
Landmark Lend-Lease (2)
 3/41: Despite GOP opposition, bill passed easily.
 By 1945, US had sent $50B in arms: it was essentially an economic
declaration of war.
 Widely debated lend-lease law ended pretense of neutrality among
public.
Landmark Lend-Lease (3)
 Lend-lease prepared US factories for later all-out war.
 Due to WWI memories, Germany had avoided sinking US ships prior
to lend-lease.
 5/21/41: German sub sunk Robin Moor: Hitler under-stood lend-lease
meant war.
Hitler’s Assault on USSR
 Double-crossers Hitler & Stalin bickered over control of Balkans:
Hitler decided to quickly crush Soviets, grab oil, then freely face
Britain.
 6/22/41: Hitler invaded, stroke of luck for democracies.
Assault on USSR (2)
 US strategy suggested lend-lease aid to Soviets: FDR granted $1B of
eventual $11B.
 Red Army, winter halted Germans at Moscow.
 8/41: FDR & Churchill met for 1st time at Atlantic Conference on
warship.
Assault on USSR (3)
 Resulted in 8-point Atlantic Charter: Soviets later agreed.
 Wilsonian charter promised no violations of self-determin-ation in
territory & gov’t., dis-armament & security pending a new League of
Nations.
 Liberals cheered, esp. Poles.
US Destroyers & U-Boats
 US naval escort of lend-lease ships needed, but would likely result in
war once attacked.
 7/41: FDR made fateful decision to convoy to Iceland.
 Hitler had ordered attacks on US ships only in self-defense.
Destroyers & U-Boats (2)
 9/41: But U-boat unsuccessful-ly attacked destroyer Greer.
 FDR proclaimed shoot-on-sight policy.
 10/17/41: U.S. destroyer Kerny damaged in U-boat attack, Reuben
James sunk 2 weeks later.
Destroyers & U-Boats (2)
 11/41: Congress neutered Neutrality Act of ‘39: merchant ships could
arm & enter combat zones with munitions for Britain.
Surprise at Pearl Harbor
 Japan had been military ally of Germany since 9/40.
 Bogged down in China, Japan depended on US steel, iron, oil, aviation
gasoline.
 But FDR feared embargo would drive Japan to attack oil-rich Dutch
East Indies.
Surprise at Pearl Harbor (2)
 US finally began embargo (late ‘40), then finally froze Japan-ese
assets and ceased gas, war materials shipments (mid ‘41).
 Japan forced to bow to US or attack Southeast Asia.
 US demanded pullout from China to end embargo.
Surprise at Pearl Harbor (3)
 Japan would not lose face, chose war, as US codebreakers knew in
advance.
 But attack expected at Malaya or Philippines, not Hawaii.
 12/7/41: 3000 US casualties in attack on Pearl Harbor, 8 battleships
sunk or crippled.
Surprise at Pearl Harbor (4)
 Luckily, all 3 US aircraft carriers were outside harbor.
 Next day Congress declared war: 1-vote shy of unanimity.
 Germany, Italy declared war on US on 12/11.
 Congress unanimously accept-ed on same day.
Bystander to Belligerent
 Japanese attack transformed split US into all-out for war.
 Attack was part of chain reaction that led to war: US support of Britain
and desire to contain Japan resulted in German & Japanese responses.
Bystander to Belligerent (2)
 US came to understand that no nation was safe: appease-ment hadn’t
worked.
 Most Americans were now determined to stand up to dictators, even if
war followed.