FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT AND THE SHADOW OF WAR—

1933-1941

Chapter 34

The London Conference

Roosevelt’s willing to be an isolationist if it would help the domestic economy.

66 nations meet. Purpose and primary goal Roosevelt pulls out. Why? Roosevelt pulls the rug out from underneath the

conference and nothing is accomplished Results:

World depression gets worse and everyone pursues their own policies.

Leads to an increase in nationalism. Reduces chances for international cooperation on

other issues

Philippines and Russia

Why was US ready to give up the Philippines? Tydings-McDuffie Act in 1934—Provided for

the independence of the Philippines after a twelve-year period of economic tutelage. Gave up army bases, but keep Naval bases

1933 US recognized the Bolshevik regime in USSR. Why? Anticommunists and Catholics objected.

Becoming A Good Neighbor

Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor Policy

Impact in Latin America. Reasons were somewhat

selfish. Policy receives a test in 1938

when Mexicans seize American oil properties.

Policy was a great success

Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act (1934)

Secretary of State Cordell Hull.

Aimed at both relief and recovery.

Provision. Whittled down the worst parts

of Hawley-Smoot. President had authority without

consulting Congress. Benefits?

Rationale for Act ? Get agreements with 21

countries

Rise of Hitler in Germany

Germans economically crushed by Versailles treaty. Desperate and resentful

Hitler a powerful orator and politically aggressive

Germany has a potent industrial base and technological talent.

US made things worse by refusing to ratify the league of nations, thus eliminating the moral strength of that body.

Japan and Italy Japan also a growing threat.

Resentful. Why? Growing increasingly militaristic Lusted after space and resources of

neighbors. Why? 1934 terminated the naval Treaty and

started aggressively building navy. American response?

1935 Mussolini attacks Ethiopia. Easily crushes it. Seeking glory and empire for Italy in

Africa League of Nation reaction? Reason?

Isolationism

Why didn’t America Act? Distracted by the depression Vividly recall the losses of

WWI feel safe behind the protection

of two oceans, largely believed that what

happened in the rest of the world didn’t effect them.

Rise of fascists increased desire to avoid entanglement..

Johnson Debt Default Act.Better Keep to the Old Channel

Congress Legislates Neutrality

Who does the public now blame for WWI?

Congress passes Neutrality Acts in 1935, 36 and ’37

Basic Rule?

Effect of Neutrality Acts

Is an abandonment of Americas traditional policy of freedom of the high seas and the right of Americans to ship to both sides in a war.

Effectively removed America from the arena as an agent that can stop or blunt war and aggression. Made America reactive and at the mercy of world events.

Encouraged totalitarian regimes and hurt democratic ones, because they received no aid from US.

America Dooms Loyalist Spain The Spanish Civil War (1936-39)

shows fallacy of Neutrality policy Franco and other fascist rebels tried

to overthrow the left-leaning but democratic government of Spain. Franco is aided by Hitler and Mussolini.

Congress prohibits aid to EITHER side.

Condemns democratic Spain to slow strangulation

Dictators believe that Democracies will not take action to stop them.

Whittling Down the Big Stick

State of American military compared to Germany and Japan.

Americans attitude toward navy. Effect of depression Reaction to FDR’s call for increased

military preparedness

Appeasing Japan

1937 Japan invades Manchuria with the intent of making it a Japanese colony. Why?

Roosevelt refuses to call this a war. Why?

Fall 1937 Roosevelt makes famous Quarantine Speech What does he call for? How does Congress and Country react.

Dec. 1937, USS Panay. Japan abuses Americans in China.

Thinks US wimpy

Hitler on the Rise 1935 breaches Versailles

treaty by reintroducing the draft.

1936 marches troops into the demilitarized Rhineland Britain and France reaction.

Hitler begins to persecute and discriminate against the Jews.

1937 starts building the military at an aggressive pace,

March 1938 Hitler marches without resistance into Austria

Hitler then begins making demands for the Sudetenland

Munich Conference

Allies desperate to avoid war.

Munich Conference 9/38 Democracies have no real

leverage. Appeasement Germany gets

Sudetenland. What does it promise?

Neville Chamberlain: “Peace in our time”

Hitler-Stalin Pact

France-England attempt to negotiate a mutual defense pact with Stalin. Why don’t they get one?

August, 1939, Stalin-Hitler sign a non-aggression pact. Stalin’s motive? Seals the fate of Europe. Poland.

Hitler’s demand on Poland.

WWII Begins

Poland refuses and Germany marches in unleashing its Blitzkrieg 9/1/39.

WWI has begun. Stalin moves into Eastern

Poland England and France

declare war, but can’t do much about Poland, which surrenders in three weeks.

US Reaction to Fall of Poland

Roosevelt issues proclamation of hostilities. Consequences?

US attitude toward war. Roosevelt wants to amend Neutrality Acts

Knows that European democracies are woefully unprepared and will not win on their own.

Wants to lift the arms-sale restrictions entirely.

But, knows that neither the nation nor Congress is ready for that.

Cash and Carry

FDR calls a special session of Congress; passes Neutrality Act of 1939 Cash-and-Carry Selling point of Cash and Carry?

Purchases from England and France help lift US economy

Hitler Runs Amok

April 1940 Hitler attacks Denmark and Norway.

May attacks Netherlands and Belgium, then France.

June 1940 France is forced to surrender

Dunkirk

Miracle of Dunkirk Very significant

because saves a huge chunk of British army.

US shocked by quick fall of France Impact on public

attitude Threat to US of

German domination Europe

US Starts to Arm

FDR calls for building of huge air fleet and a two-ocean navy that would check both Germany and Japan.

Congress approves 37 Billion More than the cost of WWI and 5-times larger than

any annual budget for New Deal.

Congress passes a conscription law, Sept. 1940. America’s first peace-time draft.

Havana Conference of 1940

Battle of Britain

August 1940 Battle of Britain begins

Battle rages for months.

German advantages British advantages. British planes chew

up Luftwaffe

Battle of Britain in US

Edward R. Murrow. Impact of radio reports on

Battle of Britain on US public opinion.

Hitler eventually indefinitely postpones invasion—huge mistake.

Fortress America?

Issue: Whether to provide scarce resources to GB or to husband all resources so that available to US

What do supporters of aid argue?

What do those against aid argue?

America First Committee.

Destroyer Deal

British in desperate need of destroyers. Why?

Destroyer Deal. Details Isolationists scream Is a clear departure from neutrality But public opinion supported all aid to GB

short of war.

Wilkie?

In 1940 Republicans nominate Wendell Wilkie. Why such a surprise? Background. Personality Attitude toward New Deal foreign policy.

Wilkie does not exploit resentment against FDR among isolationists

FDR Three-peat

FDR keeps the country in suspense, but decides to run for a third term.

FDR pledges that “Your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars.”

FDR wins easily, but not as triumphantly as the first two times.

FDR might not have won if not for war. Also might not have run.

Lend-Lease By late 1940 Cash and Carry not

working for Britain. Why? FDR knows that Congress will not

approve cash loans to allies. Proposes Lend-lease. How does it

work? FDR proposes making the US the

arsenal of democracy. This bill is vigorously debated

throughout the nation. Passes in March, 1941. Was a clear

declaration of hostility to Hitler. May, 1941 Germans sink first US

merchant ship

Atlantic Charter June 1941 Hitler invades the Soviet Union and

opens up a second front in his rear. Takes the pressure off GB and divides his army.

What is he thinking?

Soviets are on the edge of defeat. Roosevelt extends lend-Lease to Soviets. Extends 1

Bill. of what will eventually be 11 Billion.

Atlantic Conference-8/41. First of a series of meetings between Churchill and Roosevelt.

Atlantic Charter

Leads to 8-point plan for post-war world. Atlantic Charter. Similar to Wilson’s 14 points Pledges that countries will

not have borders changed Self determination and

return to pre-war governments

League of nations type organization.

U.S. Destroyers And Hitler’s U-boats

Lend-Lease to GB was faltering. Why? FDR response. Clashes with Subs—

9/41—Greer attacked without damage 10/41—Kearny attacked but not sunk 10/41—Reuben James sunk with loss of more

than 100. Congress pulls Neutrality legislation and

authorizes the arming of Merchant ships.

In the meantime……out in the Pacific Japan is mired in China. US is pressuring them to get

out, Japan is heavily dependent on US steel, oil, gasoline

and other war supplies. If US cuts them off, Japan is toast.

FDR reluctant to impose sanctions. Why? Late 1940 US does impose sanctions. 1941 freeze Japanese assets and ends all oil shipments. Japan’s choices US has broken code and knows that Japan plans to

attack somewhere. Warnings from US to Pearl Harbor are late in arriving.

Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 Japanese aircraft carriers launch

waves of attack planes. Destroy most of US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor. 8 battleships, most of aircraft, 3000 casualties. But, three US carriers were out to sea and were spared. Japanese failed to destroy repair facilities, allowing US to stay at

Pearl and repair the fleet. Big mistake. Next day—Congress declares war.

FDR Speech Japan and Germany are allies—Germany and Italy then

declare war on US. U.S. declares war on Germany. We are in.

FDR Signs Declaration of War