Ch 16 Section 4 America Moves Toward War

Ch. 16, Section 4 America Moves Toward War

The United States Musters Its Forces • In September of 1939, Roosevelt persuaded Congress to pass a “cash and carry” provision that allowed other nations to buy U. S. arms as long as they paid in cash. • They also had to transport them with their own ships • Roosevelt believed this would be a great benefit • France and Britain could get the aid they needed • U. S. was able to stay out of the war • Isolationists wanted to completely stay out of the war, so they attacked Roosevelt • The Neutrality Act was passed a few short weeks later

The Axis Threat • By the time this had come to be, it was too late • France had fallen by summer of 1940 and Britain was under siege • Roosevelt wanted to help but still wanted to stay out of war • “All aid short of war” • Sent Britain 500, 000 rifles and 80, 000 machine guns • Winston Churchill declared that this was the a “decidedly unneutral act” • Germany, Italy and Japan signed mutual defense treaty • Tripartite Pact

Tripartite Pact • Aimed to keep the United States out of war • Each nation of the Axis Powers, would come to the defense of the others • If United States declared war on Germany, it would have to face Italy and Japan • A two ocean war

Building U. S. Defenses • Roosevelt asked Congress to increase spending for national defense • The idea of isolationism changed because of Nazi victories • Congress boosted the spending and enforced the first peacetime military draft • Selective Training and Service Act • 16 million men between 21 and 35 were registered • 1 million were to be drafted only for a year and could only serve in the Western Hemisphere

Roosevelt Runs for a Third Term • Roosevelt decided to run for reelection again • Isolationists were mad when Roosevelet’s opponent, Republican Wendell Wilkie, supported giving aid to Britain • Both candidates said they would keep the U. S. out of war • Since there was not much difference between the two men, most people stuck with what they knew • As a result, Roosevelt won with 55% of the votes

“The Great Arsenal of Democracy” • After victory, Roosevelt told people it would be impossible to negotiate with Hitler • If Britain fell, the Axis powers would be left unchallenged to conquer the world • “All Americans would be living at the point of a gun” • U. S. had to help defeat the Axis threat by turning itself into “great arsenal of democracy”

The Lend-Lease Plan • Late 1940: Britain had no more cash to spend in the arsenal of democracy • Roosevelt suggested lend-lease policy • President would lend or lease arms and other supplies to countries whose defense was vital to U. S. ” • Compared it to a lending garden hose to a neighbor whose house was on fire • It was the only sensible thing to do to prevent the spread of the fire • Isolationists again argued against it • However, support elsewhere helped Congress pass it • Known as the Lend-Lease Act

Supporting Stalin • Britain was not the only country to receive aid through lend-lease • Hitler broke pact with Stalin and invaded Soviet Union • “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” • Roosevelt sent aid to Soviet Union, despite some Americans being against it • “If Hitler invaded Hell, Britain would work with the devil himself”

German Wolf Packs • To provide aid to Britain and the Soviet Union, lines had to be kept open across the Atlantic Ocean • Hitler wanted to prevent this, so he deployed U-Boats (German Submarines) to attack any incoming ships • Wolf Pack Attack: During the night, groups of up to 40 submarines patrolled areas in the North Atlantic • These attacks were able to sink as many as 350, 000 shipments in a single month • In September of 1941, Roosevelt was able to get permission for U. S. warships to attack German U-Boats • 1943: Submarine menace was contained to electronic detection techniques (radar) and by airborne antisubmarine patrols

FDR Plans For War • Roosevelt was a popular President, but his foreign policy was constantly attacked • Roosevelt proposed an extension on the term of those who had been drafted • Roosevelt began planning for the war that was imminent

The Atlantic Charter • Roosevelt and Churchill met secretly aboard a battleship • Churchill wanted a military commitment from Roosevelt • He and Roosevelt joined together to declare their war aims • Called Atlantic Charter • Countries pledged to: collective security, disarmament, self-determination, economic cooperation and freedom of seas. • Atlantic Charter became basis for “A Declaration of the United Nations” • United Nations was a term Roosevelt suggested to express the purpose of the Allies • 26 nations signed the declaration “four-fifths of the human race”

Shoot On Sight • After a German submarine attack on a US ship, Roosevelt ordered Navy commanders to respond • Two weeks later, an American merchant ship was sunk off the coast of Greenland. Another two ships were attacked as well. These attacks in total killed over 111 sailors • The Senate had no choice but to repeal the ban against letting merchant ships be armed

Japan Attacks the United States • Japan was able to expand after Germany had conquered much of Europe • Hideki Tojo, who was the chief of staff of Japan’s army, launched an invasion into China • Many colonial lands were unprotected and Japanese leaders knew this • At this time, only the United States remained in Japan’s way

Japan Attacks The United States • Japan began a push southward in July of 1941 by taking over French military bases in Indochina • U. S. protested this by completely cutting off trade with Japan • Japan could not live without one of the goods, which was oil • Leaders declared that U. S. needed to be persuaded or seize oil fields in Dutch East Indies. That would mean war

Peace Talks Are Questioned • Tojo met with the emperor Hirohito • Tojo said that the Japanese government would attempt to preserve peace with Americans, while at the same time telling his Navy to prepare for an attack on the U. S. • U. S. was able to crack the codes Japan used and had learned about the attack but they were unsure where it would be • In late November, Roosevelt sent out a “War warning” to military commanders in places like Hawaii, Guam and the Phillipines • “If war could not be avoided, the U. S. desires that Japan commit the first overt act”

The Attack on Pearl Harbor • On December 6, 1941, Roosevelt received a decoded message that instructed Japan’s peace envoy to reject all peace proposals from the U. S. • Early on December 7, 1941, A Japanese dive bomber plane entered over Pearl Harbor • Pearl Harbor was the largest U. S. Naval base in the Pacific • The bomber plane was followed by over 180 Japanese warplanes that launched from six aircraft carriers • The Japanese were able to attack for over an hour and a half • The last plane left around 930

The Attack On Pearl Harbor • Less than two hours after they had started, over 2403 Americans had been killed and over 1178 more were injured • 21 ships had been sunk or damaged and this included 8 battleships • 300 aircraft were severely damaged or destroyed • The total losses were more than the damage done in WWI • Three aircraft carriers were able to survive

Reaction To Pearl Harbor • A day after the attack, Roosevelt gave his famous line: “Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the Japanese launched an unprovoked and dastardly attack. ” • Congress swiftly approved his request to declare war on Japan • Germany and Italy followed suit and declared war on the U. S. three days later • Former supporters of isolationism now wholeheartedly supported the American effort.