Background to WWII

A. Foreign Policy of the 1920sisolationist! 1. Dawes Plandevised by American banker Dawes a) US loaned money to Germany to stabilize its economy b) Germany would repay the Allies (Britain & France) c) Britain & France would repay the money that US loaned them in WWI (w/ interests) 2. Kellogg-Briand Pact - ***1928 agreement which stated: The US and France agreed to outlaw war as an instrument of national policy. - Later called the Pact of Paris (62 nations signed on) - Called the Grand Illusion by the press B. Foreign Policy Under Roosevelt 1. Tydings-McDuffle ActPhilippine independence 2. Good Neighbor Policyw/ Latin America - Stated: We will no longer do armed intervention in your countries.US - Platt Amendment was ended in 1934 w/ the exception that the US kept Guantanamo naval base 3. Reciprocal Trade AgreementSecretary of State Cordell Hull: US would reduce its tariff rates as long as other countries lowered theirs 4. Axis Powersformed by the mid-30s - Japan, Italy, & Germany formed a military alliance C. US Responses to Axis Expansion 1. Nye CommitteeGerald Nye led a committee to examine why the US entered WWI: - Found the reason was arms manufacturers & independent bankers wanting to make a profit started shipping arms to British and French 2. Neutrality Act of 1935prohibited American ships from carrying arms to any nation at war 3. Neutrality Act of 1936prohibited loans to nations at war 4. Neutrality Act of 1937prohibited selling of arms to war belligerents 5. Neutrality Act of 1939European democracies had the right to buy war materials from the US on a cash-and-carry basis

World War II A. Outbreak in EuropeGermanys invasion of Poland in 1939 Britain & France declared war on Germany & Axis Powers

 US policy was to remain neutral B. Election of 1940 Roosevelt, Democrat vs. Wendell Wilkie, Republican Wilkies slogan: No third term! FDRs response: Better a 3rd-termer than a third-rater! Result: FDR was the first and only president elected to a third term (Finish the job) C. American aid to Britain & end to neutrality 1. America First Committeewanted to remain isolationist & did not want trade with/ aid to Britain 2. American DestroyersUS gave Britain 50 destroyers left over from WWI - In return, US got a few naval bases 3. Selective Training & Service Act (1940)first peacetime draft in US history - Men ages 21-35 had to register for the draft in 1940 4. Lend Lease Act (Bill #1776)gave President Roosevelt the right to send aid to any nation whose defense was vital to our national defense - Roosevelt: This makes our nation the arsenal of democracy. 5. Roosevelts Four Freedoms: freedom of speech & expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, & freedom from fear 6. The Atlantic Charterdrawn up by President Roosevelt & British prime minister Churchill - Main Points: Collective security (around the world) Disarmament of Axis Powers Economic cooperation Freedom of seas Self-determination of nations D. Japanese Expansion in the Pacific 1. Invasion of Manchuria (1931) - Mukden Incidentoccurred in Mukden, Manchuria A Japanese railroad was blown up by the Japanese themselves, who blamed the Chinese for it Renamed Manchuria as Manchukuo US reaction: sold a few planes to the Chinese 2. War on China - USS Panay (in China to protect American interests) was attacked in 1937 - Rape of Nanking: very brutal/gruesome - Japanese govt paid damages to US & apologized 3. Pearl Harbor Attacked (Dec 7, 1941)

Objective of Japanto completely wipe out the US Pacific fleet Events: A two hour attack, w/ 2400 Americans killed Aircraft carriers were not in the harbor, so were not hit - ResultUS declared war on Japan & entered WWII - Jeannette Rankin, pacifist, was the only person to vote against going to war E. American Mobilization 1. Office of Censorship (Dec. 1941)All outgoing mail was examined - Prevented news outlets from publication of damaging information 2. War Production Board (WPB)controlled governments purchasing of war material & allocation of materials - Headed by Sec. of War Henry Stimson - Symbol was a eagle on a bullet 3. War Labor Board (WLB)settled disputes b/w labor & management to prevent strikes - Sec. of Labor Frances Perkins: 1st woman to serve in a presidential cabinet 4. Office of Public Administration (OPA)set prices of rationed goods - Led to the concept of Plant a victory garden - Worked to prevent inflation 5. Office of War Mobilization (OWA)oversaw the allocation of resources - Liberty ships by Henry Kaiser: guarded US resources & soldiers on ships 6. Office of War InformationA propaganda agency which shaped American public opinion through posters, radio, comics, & pamphlets - Raised morale F. Americans on the Home Front 1. African Americans a. Double V campaign: victory at home (in the fight against discrimination) & victory abroad b. A. Phillip Randolph (Father of the Civil Rights Movt)threatened a march on Washington c. Executive order #8802banned discrimination in wartime factories d. Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC)investigated claims of discrimination in wartime factories & federal agencies e. CORE/Congress on Racial Equalitya biracial group that protested discrimination through peaceful methods (such as sit-ins) f. Tuskegee Airmen: most noted Black airforce unit in WWII 2. Women - Rosie the Riveterwomen who worked in wartime factories

3. Native Americans - Navajo Code Talkersan oral language that was very complex & could not be deciphered by Japanese - Ira HayesNative American noted for raising the flag at Iwo Jima 4. Mexican Americans - Bracero Program for Farm Laborersagreement b/w US & Mexican govt to allow Mexican farm laborers to come to American & work - Zoot Suit Riotssome American soldiers on shore leave got in a fight w/ Mexicans A riot by Mexicans against US Army; was put down 5. Japanese Americans - Isseifirst generation - Nisseisecond generation - Executive Order # 9906put Japanese-Americans into internment camps to prevent sabotage - Korematsu vs. USJapanese-American Korematsu sued against internment camps ( violation of constitutional rights) Supreme Court said: Your internment was based upon military urgency, not race. G. Battles of 1942 1. Allied Strategydefeat Germany first 2. Battle of Coral Sea: outside Australia - US & Australia stopped Japanese from capturing Australia 3. Battle of Midway (June 3-6)US won! - Japans first major defeat of the war - Marked the easternmost extent of the Japanese empire in WWII - Turning point of the war in the Pacific; Hawaii was no longer threatened by Japan H. Battles/Events of 1943 1. Casablanca Conference ( in Morocco)Roosevelt & Churchill decide on Europe First strategy & unconditional surrender of Axis Powers 2. Cairo Conference (in Egypt)Chiang Kai-Shek, FDR, Churchill - Chiang Kai-Shek was Nationalist leader of China - Cairo DeclarationUS, China, & Britain agreed to fight together until the Japanese was defeated 3. Teheran ConferenceRoosevelt, Churchill, & Stalin (the Big Three) met for the very first time

Agreed on a cross-channel invasion of France by the Allied powers; & at the same time, there would be a major offensive by the Soviets from the East - Led to distrust of US by Stalin I. Battles & Events of 1944 1. D-Day Invasion (June 6)aka Normandy Invasion - Codename was Operation Overlord - Largest amphibious assault in history (1 million men involved) 2. Battle of Leyte Gulflargest naval battle in history! - Douglas MacArthurI shall return; commander during the battle - KamikazeJapanese suicide attacks on airplanes against American ships 3. Election of 1944Roosevelt vs. Dewey - FDR: We wanted to finish the job. - Issue: 4th term for Roosevelt 4. Battle of the Bulgelargest battle in Western Europe; stared in Dec. 44; US survived J. Battles & Events of 1945 1. Yalta Conferenceheld in the Soviet union - Decided on a new world peace conference = United Nations - Discussed splitting Germany up - Roosevelt passed away after this; Truman became President 2. Manhattan Projectsince 1942 - Build the atomic bomb 3. Potsdam ConferenceStalin, Truman, & Churchill (mainly Clement Attlee, the new British Prime Minister) - Agreement to permanently split Germany