U.S. Foreign Policy in the 1930s Isolationist America and the
Coming of WWII
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WWI: a Mistake?
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Johnson Debt Default Act (1934) Sen. Hiram Johnson (R-CA)
Prohibited all loans to countries which had defaulted on WWI loans
from U.S. Only Finland had repaid in full
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Uncle Shylock
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Sen. Gerald P. Nye, D-ND Senate Munitions (Nye) Committee,
1934-1935 Merchants of Death ... war is not a matter of national
honor and national defense, but a matter of profit for the
few.
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Neutrality Acts, 1935-1939 Designed to prevent American entry
into the FIRST World War Neutrality Act of 1935 empowered the
president, on finding a state of war, 1. to declare an embargo on
arms shipments to the belligerents 2. to announce that U.S.
citizens traveling on belligerents' ships did so at their own risk.
3. This act set no limits, however, on trade in materials useful
for war, such as copper, steel, and oil Neutrality Act of 1936
added a prohibition on extending loans or credits to belligerents.
Neutrality Act of 1937 included civil wars, empowered the president
to add strategic materials to the embargo list, and made travel by
U.S. citizens on belligerents' ships unlawful.
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Hitlers Invasion of Poland September 1, 1939
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Non Aggression Pact of 1939
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Charles Lindbergh, 0ctober, 1939 I believe that we should adopt
as our program of American neutrality - as our contribution to
western civilization -- the following policy: 1. An embargo on
offensive weapons and munitions. 2. The unrestricted sale of purely
defensive armaments. 3. The prohibition of American shipping from
the belligerent countries of Europe and their danger zones. 4. The
refusal of credit to belligerent nations or their agents.
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Cash and Carry Neutrality Act of 1939 1. Belligerents (Allies)
were permitted to buy American arms and strategic materials, 2. But
they had to pay cash and to transport the goods in their own ships.
3.The president was empowered to designate a "combat zone" in time
of war, through which American citizens and ships were forbidden to
travel.
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Tripartite Pact (1940)
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Fall of France
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Battle of Britain
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1940
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First Ever Peace Tine Draft
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Destroyers for Bases Deal,1940 50 WWI U.S. Destroyers for 8
British Naval Air Stations in the Western Hemisphere
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Wendell Willkies One World
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A New Vice-President Henry A. Wallace replaces John N.
Garner
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FDR Press 1940 Conference No American boys will be sent into
any foreign wars. I hate war. Eleanor hates war. We all hate
war.
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"An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States HR 1776
Lend Lease-1941 Arsenal of Democracy The Allies need planes, tanks
and guns. And we will Give them planes, tanks and guns. FDR All Aid
Short of War
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America First Committee Senators Gerald Nye (ND), William Borah
(ID) Burton K. Wheeler (MT)
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Sen. Burton Wheeler on Lend-Lease It warranted my worst fears
for the future of America, and it definitely stamps the President
as war-minded. The lend-lease-give program is the New Deal's
triple-A foreign policy; it will plow under every fourth American
boy. If it were, then we should lend and lease war materials. If it
were, then we should lend and lease American boys.... Our boys will
be returned - returned in caskets.
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Uncle Joe Our Pal
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SS Robin Moor
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August 9,1941 USS Augusta Placentia Bay, Newfoundland
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Undeclared Naval War in the North Atlantic
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USS Greer Incident September, 1941
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USS Kearny attacked by U-568 October 17, 1941
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USS Reuben James Have you heard of a ship called the good
Reuben James Manned by hard fighting men both of honor and fame?
She flew the Stars and Stripes of the land of the free But tonight
she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea. CHORUS: Tell me what
were their names, tell me what were their names, Did you have a
friend on the good Reuben James? One hundred men were drowned in
that dark watery grave When that good ship went down only
forty-four were saved. 'Twas the last day of October we saved the
forty- four From the cold icy waters off that cold Iceland shore.
It was there in the dark of that uncertain night That we watched
for the U-boats and waited for a fight. Then a whine and a rock and
a great explosion roared And they laid the Reuben James on that
cold ocean floor. Now tonight there are lights in our country so
bright In the farms and in the cities they are telling of the
fight. And now our mighty battleships will steam the bounding main
And remember the name of that good Reuben James. Many years have
passed since those brave men are gone; Those cold Iceland waters
are still and they're calm. Many years have passed, but still I
wonder why - - The worst of men must fight, and the best of men
must die. --Woody Guthrie Escort Duty of Iceland Torpedoed and Sank
by U-552 100+ Killed
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Shoot on Sight Orders by FDR
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Barbarossa
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October, 1941
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September, 1941
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Angooki B-gata ( B ) ("Type B Cipher Machine"), MAGIC Machine
Ultra decrypted Purple
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Ambassadors Kichisaburo Nomura and Saburo Kurusu U.S Secretary
of State Cordell Hull