From Isolation to Global War

1939-1945US enters in 1941

Postwar Isolationism Resistance to international

commitments◦ The League of Nations and the

U.S. Attempts at Disarmament

◦ Believed the armaments race had caused WWI

◦ Washington Armaments Conference of 1921 Five-Power Naval Treaty (1922)

Why have we chosen isolationism? Was this a wise choice?

Postwar Isolationism

The Kellogg-Briand Pact◦ 62 countries “condemn

recourse to war . . . And renounce it as an instrument of national policy.”

◦ Escape hatch – “self-defense”

◦ What is the problem with the Kelog Briand Pact?

Becoming a Good Neighbor◦ The Good Neighbor Policy

U.S. would not intervene in Latin America

◦ How is this totally different from America’s earlier attitudes?

Look at this map. How could what is happening in this map lead to the rise of dictators?

New Problemsin the 1930s

Economic Problems in Europe-- As the U.S. struggled to recover during the Great Depression, so did all of Europe.◦ Benito Mussolini rose to power in the

1920s out of an appeal to Italian nationalism. He symbolized the rising force of fascism.

◦ Adolph Hitler gained control of Germany in 1933 with calls of anticommunism, anti-Semitism, and the promise to unite all Germans.

◦ Japan withdrew from the League of Nations in 1933 in order to create its own empire.

The rise of fascism and militarism in Europe and Asia brought the world to war.

How is fascism different than Communism?

Appeasement Italy invaded North Africa

in 1935.◦ The world did nothing.

Germany occupied the Rhineland in 1936.◦ The world did nothing.

A Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936. ◦ Hitler and Mussolini

supplied Francisco Franco’s rebels with supplies, weapons, and troops.

◦ Other than the Soviet Union, the world did nothing.

Japan invaded China in 1937. ◦ The world did nothing.

Appeasement The U.S. followed a policy of

cash-and-carry so that they would not get involved.

In 1937, Germany, Japan, and Italy signed the Anti-Comintern (Tripartite) Pact and became known as the Axis powers.◦ In 1938, Germany took over

Austria, and threatened to annex the Sudetenland (full of ethnic Germans).

Munich Conference (1938)◦ British Prime Minister Neville

Chamberlain flew to meet with Germany and agreed if that was his last territorial gain.

◦ Six months later Hitler took the rest of Czechoslovakia.

◦ Is appeasement good foreign policy? Why or why not?

Hitler’s Invasion By 1939 Hitler made little secret that

he intended to recapture territory Germany lost to Poland after World War I.

Germany and the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact in 1939 that would allow Hitler to invade western Poland and Stalin would annex eastern Poland, the Baltic states, and parts of Romania and Finland.

Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and began an expansion that would eventually lead to all of continental Europe falling into his hands (blitzkreig)

However, after Hitler invaded Poland, very little happened. Many began referring to WWII as the “phoney war”, the Bore War or the Sitzkreig.

The Diplomacy of Isolationism

Now, only Great Britain stood between Hitler and the United States. ◦ (Battle of Britain- use of the

luftwaffe) U.S.: Isolationists versus

Internationalists ◦ Nye Committee – lead to Neutrality

Acts◦ U.S. involvement in WWI caused by

bankers and munitions makers - “merchants of death”

◦ Imagine you were alive during this time. Would you have been an isolationist or an interventionist. Why?

The Diplomacy of Isolationism Support for the Allies grows because if

they supply them they will not have to send troops.◦ Cash-and-Carry◦ Lend-Lease aid (ships in exchange for

military bases in Bermuda, etc.)◦ U.S. gives away supplies and delivers them

Atlantic Charter (August 1941)◦ Secret meeting between FDR and Churchill◦ A joint declaration of war aims◦ U.S. began arming merchant ships and

ordered Navy to “shoot on sight” any German or Italian submarines that entered U.S. waters

◦ The Soviet Union later endorsed the statement

JapanJapan is expanding in the Pacific in search of raw

materials.Problems

◦U.S. insisted of Japan’s withdrawal from China◦Japan’s alliance with Germany and Italy

Negotiations over commercial treatyU.S. had broken Japanese diplomatic codesU.S. freezes Japanese assets and starts

embargo◦U.S. cuts off sale of airplane fuel to Japan and cuts back on

other natural resources.◦ Japanese Navy’s oil reserves (2 years)◦Planned for war after August 1, 1941

U.S. Enters War “Hull Note” delivered on Nov.

26, 1941◦ Basically restated U.S.

demands ◦ Prime Minister Tōjō sees note

as ultimatum and and proof that further diplomacy was futile.

◦ Japanese public opinion was firmly behind the decision for war.

Late Nov., 1941 – U.S. learns Japanese Armada leaves Japan / lost track of and thought they were headed to attack the Philippines

Dec. 6, Japan breaks off negotiations, refusing to leave China

America believes that the Japanese are not cunning enough to really attack.

December 7, 1941

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in Hawaii◦ U.S. fleet caught

unprepared ◦ 2400 sailors died, 1200

wounded,18 ships sunk, and 160 aircraft damaged and 200 destroyed.

◦ Only the aircraft carriers, by chance on maneuvers, escaped the worst naval defeat in American history.

◦ “A day which will live in infamy”- FDR

◦ Declare war on Axis Powers but focus on Europe.