369 AP US HISTORY
AMERICA: PAST AND PRESENT
EIGHTH EDITION
CHAPTER 27: AMERICA AND THE WORLD, 1921-1945
LEARNING TARGETS
1. Summarize the foreign policy of the United States in the 1920’s
2. Explain the causes and effects of the isolationism of the 1930’s
3. Trace the background of war in Europe in the 1920’s
4. Discuss the factors that led to conflict in Asia
5. Analyze the goals of the Allies in forming the wartime coalition
6. Discuss the military strategy that stopped the advance of the Germans
7. Describe how the United States took control of the central Pacific in 1942
8. Discuss the changes the war brought about in domestic economic development
9. Describe the impact of the war on minorities, women, and labor unions
10. Explain the impact of war on American politics
11. Evaluate the performance of the United States in wartime diplomacy
12. Discuss the Allied strategy of the last days of World War II for the both the Pacific and European
theaters
Women, work, and family during the war
AP TOPIC OUTLINE
21. The Second World War
The rise of fascism and militarism in Japan, Italy, and
Germany
Prelude to war: policy of neutrality
The attack on Pearl Harbor and United States declaration of
war
Fighting a multifront war
Diplomacy, war aims, and wartime conferences
The United States as a global power in the Atomic Age
22. The Home Front During the War
Wartime mobilization of the economy
Urban migration and demographic changes
TERMS/PEOPLE TO KNOW
Kellogg-Briand Pact (1927)
Clark Memorandum (1930)
Good Neighbor Policy (1933)
Washington Conference (1921)
Five Power Pact (1921)
Nine Power Pact (1921)
Four Power Pact (1921)
Nye Committee (1935)
Munich Pact / Munich Agreement (1938)
Civil liberties and civil rights during wartime
War and regional development
Expansion of government power
23. The United States and the Early Cold War
Origins of the Cold War
Truman and containment
The Cold War in Asia: China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan
Diplomatic strategies and policies of the Eisenhower and
Kennedy administrations
The Red Scare and McCarthyism
Impact of the Cold War on American society
Non-Aggression Treaty (1939)
Cash and Carry Policy (1939)
Destroyers-for Bases Deal (1940)
Lend-Lease (1941)
Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941)
War Production Board (1942)
Fair Employment Practices Committee (1942)
D-Day (1944)
Manhattan Project (1999)
Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945)
CHAPTER 27 ID’S
1928
Kellogg-Briand Pact
Pg. 791
On August 27, 1928, Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg, French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand, and
representatives from 12 other countries met in France to sign a document outlawing war. This document was called the
Kellogg-Briand Pact. It gave people all over the world hope for a lasting peace. It also helped America achieve its
isolationist goals.
1930
Clark Memorandum
Pg. 793
After WWI, the U.S.’s relations with Europe fell off because of all the money that Europe owed to us. On the
other hand, relations with Latin America improved after Roosevelt’s policies. American troops left many Latin American
countries while U.S. businesses tried to gain entrance through peaceful means. In 1930, the State Department delivered
the Clark Memorandum. The memorandum repudiated the Roosevelt Corollary and admitted that the U.S. had no right to
interfere with other countries. It did claim the right to protect American lives and property under international law.
1933
Good Neighbor Policy
Pg. 793
When Roosevelt took office in 1933, he wanted to capitalize on the improved relations with Latin America and
reap economic benefits. He called his policy the good neighbor policy. America agreed not to intervene at a PanAmerican conference in Montevideo, Uruguay. We also repudiated the Platt Amendment and took less control in
Panama. Finally, Roosevelt went to Buenos Aires to sign a treaty that said that prohibited U.S. intervention in any
country in the Americas.
1921
Washington Conference
Pg. 794
Just as with Europe, the U.S. was having diplomatic troubles with Asia. Because of imperialistic aims,
Japan was headed into direct conflict with the U.S. The Japan didn’t have enough raw materials so they tried expanding
onto the Asian mainland through Korea and China. This brought Japan into conflict with the Open Door Policy. The U.S.
tried to form a solution to this problem at the Washington Conference in 1921. The goal of the conference was to ease
tensions in Asia. The real issue was the naval race between the U.S. and Japan.
1921
Five Power Treaty
Pg. 794
One of the agreements that came out of the Washington Conference was the Five Power Treaty. It called for the
limitation of battleships and aircraft carriers in the U.S., Japan, England, France, and Italy, in relation to the number the
number the country had. Everybody signed it, but the Americans had to agree not to fortify their Pacific bases in the
Philippines and Guam.
1921
Nine Power Treaty
Pg. 794
The Nine Power Treaty also came out of the Washington Conference. All nine countries that signed it promised
to uphold the Open Door Policy. There was no set consequences for violation.
1921
Four Power Treaty
Pg. 794
The Four Power Treaty was signed by the U.S., Japan, Great Britain, and France. It created a new Pacific security
pact. There were no set rules in case of breaking the pact.
1935
Nye Committee
Pgs. 796-97
While Europe was rearming and war was eminent, the U.S. was trying to stay neutral. The young people of
America were determined not to make the mistakes their parents did in getting into WWI. The pacifist movement needed
a scapegoat and they found it in the munitions industry. North Dakota Senator Gerald Nye headed a committee to study
the munitions industry and reported that they had made tremendous profits off of WWI. He also reported that bankers and
munitions manufacturers were responsible for U.S. getting into WWI.
1938
Munich Pact/ Munich Agreement
Pg. 797
After Germany started to rearm, Hitler developed a policy called Lebensraum. It means living space. It was
Hitler’s idea of unifying what used to be Germany and creating a Third Reich. In March, 1938 Hitler took over Austria.
Later that year, he demanded the Sudetenland. British and French leaders met with Hitler in Munich to come to an
agreement. They let Hitler have the Sudetenland when he promised not to take over anything else. FDR wasn’t at the
conference, but he gave his implicit proposal. Hitler broke his promise six months later when he invaded the rest of
Czechoslovakia.
1939
Non-Aggression Treaty
Pg. 797
On Sept 1, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland. This was the last straw. England and France declared war, but Hitler
signed a non-aggression treaty with Russia.
1939
Cash and Carry Policy
Pgs. 798-99
After war broke out in Europe, Roosevelt called Congress into special session to revise neutrality. He asked
Congress to repeal the arms embargo and replace it with cash and carry regulations. Countries at war could buy weapons
from the U.S., but they would have to pay cash and carry the weapons in their own ships. Congress passed the cash and
carry policy by a handy margin.
1940
Destroyers-for-Bases Deal
Pg. 799
After America started the cash and carry policy, Germany used the blitzkrieg to take over Denmark, Norway and
France. They also drove the British off the continent. Americans started to get worried. If Germany took over Britain,
they would have the navy at their disposal, and would be able to get to the U.S. Roosevelt decided to give the Allies
anything that the U.S. could, but not declare war. In September of 1940, FDR gave 50 old destroyers to Britain for the
right to build air and naval bases on 8 British possessions in the Western Hemisphere. The isolationists protested, but
American public opinion went with Roosevelt.
1941
Lend-lease
Pg. 799
FDR was elected for a third term in 1940. He ran on peace, but his victory showed that Americans were ready for
the end of neutrality. When he took office again, he asked Congress to approve a lend-lease policy with the Allies
because Britain was running out of money. The policy would let the U.S. lend and lease goods to nations fight against
aggressors. Isolationists once again protested, but Congress passed the policy. The U.S. ended up escorting British ships
with the goods so they wouldn’t be torpedoed by U-boats.
Dec. 7, 1941
Pearl Harbor
Pgs. 800-02
While Europe was at war, Japan was achieving its imperialistic aims. In 1940, when France and the Netherlands
were defeated, Japan started to go after their colonies in the South Pacific. America countered with economic sanctions.
Japan went ahead and signed a treaty with Germany and Italy. By September, 1940, the U.S. banned the sale of aviation
gas, scrap iron, and steel to Japan. Japan invaded southern Indochina, and Roosevelt called for a total embargo. General
Hideki Tojo became premier of Japan and started to prepare for war. The U.S. and Japan had tried to compromise, but
they couldn’t agree. On Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese carrier-based planes bombed the American fleet at Pearl Harbor. The
fleet was seriously crippled while the base was all but destroyed. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan, and
Hitler declared war on the U.S.
1942
War Production Board
Pgs. 806-07
During WWII, American production reached miraculous levels. Never before had a country mobilized so
completely and so effectively. This huge expansion of industry caused problems. In 1942, Roosevelt appointed Donald
Nelson head of the new War Production Board. This board was supposed to do the same thing as Baruch’s War Industries
Board during WWI, but it was left behind by the military who dealt directly with producers. The WPB gave huge tax
credits for new plants, and rich contracts for urgently needed goods. It started gasoline rationing in 1943 because there
was a rubber shortage so people wouldn’t wear their tires out. Many other goods were rationed as well.
1942
Fair Employment Practices Committee
Pg. 809
Although, there was more work available for blacks during WWII, they were still discriminated against on the
basis of race. They were paid less and couldn’t get the best jobs. In 1941, A. Philip Randolph threatened a massive
march on Washington to try to get FDR to end discrimination in the defense industries and government and integrate the
military. FDR created the Fair Employment Practices Committee to keep the march from happening. The FEPC’s job
was to ban racial discrimination in war industries. Black employment rose in the war industries, but the FEPC didn’t
work very well elsewhere.
1944
D-Day
Pg. 812
As the Allies started beating back the Axis in 1943, WW II ended rather quickly. On June 6, 1944, the U.S.
finally opened up the Western front against Germany. The plan was to surprise Germany by landing at Normandy. Since
there were no good harbors, the Germans didn’t have many troops there. For 6 weeks before the attack, the Allies
bombed German fortifications in northern France to prevent reinforcements from arriving. On the night of June 5,
American paratroopers landed behind German lines. On June 6 British and American troops stormed the beach and took
it by the end of the day. From then on, it was downhill to end of the war.
1939
Manhattan Project
Pg. 817
After Germany had been defeated, America turned its full attention to Japan. The U.S. did very well in the fight
against Japan. The only question was how to end it and force Japan to surrender. One of the possibilities was the highly
secret Manhattan Project. Starting in 1939, groups of scientists had worked on building an atomic bomb based on the
fission of uranium plutonium. They had worked all over the country, and finally successfully tested the bomb in New
Mexico. Truman gave the air force authorization to us the bomb against Japan based on a recommendation given by a
committee headed by Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson.
1945
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Pgs. 817-18
After the Manhattan Project was tested successfully in New Mexico, a committee headed by Secretary of War
Henry L. Stimson recommended to Truman that he use the new atomic bomb to force Japan into surrender. Truman, who
had just arrived at the Potsdam Conference agreed. The Americans decided to drop the bomb without warning, because it
was wartime. Because of the weather, the bomb had to be dropped on Hiroshima. Three days later, another bomb was
dropped on Nagasaki. Both bombs did tremendous damage on Japan. The killed thousands of people and destroyed
several square miles of land. After the two bombs, Japan agreed to unconditional surrender on Aug. 14, 1945, thus ending
WWII.