Neutrality Acts– Late 1930s

• Congress passes a series of laws in the late mid to late 1930s as tension rise in Europe

• America does NOT want to enter another major war

• Read excerpt #1

Japanese Actions

• As tensions rise in Europe, events are unfolding in Asia.

• Read in your primary source packet about Japan’s “imperial way”– “excerpt #5”

Hitler Invades Poland

• 1939

• Hitler’s army marches into neighboring Poland

• Officially begins WWII in Europe!

• Read excerpts #2 and 4

What would you do?

Hitler has just invaded Poland. You are an advisor to President Roosevelt and have been authorized to make a suggestion to the President at tomorrow’s cabinet meeting. What will you advise?

a. Do nothing—this is Europe’s problemb. Send diplomats to negotiate with Hitlerc. Offer assistance in the form of money and arms to

Poland and its allies (or any nation that takes up arms against Germany)

d. Declare war on Germany

Battle of Britain

• 1940

• Our good friends, the Brits’, homeland is in extreme danger

• Read excerpt #3 with your group

Lend-Lease Act

• Our friends need our help! …Or do they?

• Read excerpt #6

• Like lending “a garden hose to your neighbor” when their house is on fire– Who’s the neighbor?– What’s on fire?

What do you do?

You are a Senator in the U.S. Congress and you are scheduled to vote on the Lend-Lease Act tomorrow when Congress is in session, would you….

a. Vote against sending any form of aid to G.B. (Great Britain)--- this is their problem

b. Approve a one-time monetary loan to G.B.c. Approve unlimited military support and

assistance to G.B. and any of its alliesd. Declare war on Germany so we can fight on

the side of Great Britain

Attack on Pearl Harbor

• December 7th, 1941

• U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, HI is attacked by Japanese fighter planes

• It is an ‘unprovoked’ attack

• Almost 2,500 Americans are killed

• Read excerpt #7

What do you do?

The Japanese have just attacked a major U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, HI. You are President Roosevelt, what would you do?

a. Nothing at allb. Send a diplomatic envoy to Tokyo to negotiate

with the Japanese governmentc. Order a one-time counter attack on Japan’s

mainlandd. Declare war on Japan and its ally, Germany,

and officially enter WWII

From Isolationism to Global War

Impact of U.S. Entry into WWII

Neutrality Acts

Define Isolationism:

Hitler Invades Poland

Battle of Britain

Attack on Pearl HarborLend-Lease Act

Japanese actions in the 1930s

If you were President Roosevelt, what would motivate you to abandon a long-standing tradition of isolationism?