Chapter 16 Section 4 America Moves Toward War

Chapter 16 Section 4 America Moves Toward War

Moving Away from Neutrality • Sept 1939 -FDR revises Neutrality Acts • Asks Congress for a “cash and carry” provision- allow nations to buy weapons from the US as long as they paid in cash and shipped themselves

Moving Away from Neutrality • Providing arms would help France and Britain to defeat Hitler and hopefully keep the US out of war • Isolationists argued the opposite • Congress passes cash and carry in 1939

The Axis Threat • Cash and carry looked like too little too late • BY summer of ’ 40 France had fallen and Britain was under siege by the Luftwaffe

The Axis Threat • September 1940 Japan, Germany and Italy signed a mutual defense treaty-The tripartite Pact • These three nations became known as the Axis Powers

The Axis Threat • Tripartite Pact aimed at keeping the US out of the war • If the US were to declare war on one of the Axis nations, it would face a 2 ocean war

The Axis Threat • In response, FDR provided the British with “all aid short of war” • 1940 sent 500, 000 rifles, 80, 000 machine guns, 50 destroyers • A “decidedly unneutral act”

Building America’s Defenses • FDR asks Congress to increase spending for national defense • Due to isolationism, US was militarily weak • 18 nations had larger armies than the US – Weak navy – Small airforce

Building America’s Defenses • Congress boosts defense spending in 1940 • Passed 1 st peacetime military draft • 16 million men registered-1 million of which were drafted

FDR Reelected • FDR decides to run for 3 rd term in office • Both candidates wanted to support Britain • Both promised to keep the US out of war • With very little difference, FDR wins election

The Great Arsenal of Democracy • FDR says there is no hope of negotiation with Hitler • Warned that of Britain fell, Axis would be unchallenged to conquer the world • America would be “living at the point of a gun” • America had to become “the great arsenal of democracy

The Lend-Lease Plan • By late 1940 -Britain had no more cash to spend on American weapons • FDR proposed to lend or lease weapons to any country whose defense was vital to the US.

The Lend-Lease Plan • Isolationists argued bitterly against lendlease • Congress passes Lend-Lease Act in 1941 • Not only Britain received lend-lease aid

Nazi Invasion of the Soviet Union • June 22, 1941 - Nazis invade Soviet Union with 3 million troops • Hitler predicted victory in 6 weeks • Soviets resisted fiercely

Nazi Invasion of the Soviet Union • Soviets pulled back burning everything the Nazis could usescorched earth policy • Russian winter set in • German invasion slowed to a halt • FDR began send lend -lease supplies to the Soviets

German Wolf Packs • For lend-lease, supply lines had to be kept open across Atlantic • Hitler deployed hundreds of submarines to stop shipments • Wolf Packs (groups of 15 -20 subs) searched shipping lanes for cargo

German Wolf Packs • April-May 1941 -Germans sink 1. 2 million tons of British shipping • June 1941 -FDR orders US navy to protect shipments as far east as Iceland • American ships had permission to attack German subs in selfdefense

Planning for War-Atlantic Charter • Congress extends draft another 18 months • FDR & Churchill met secretly off coast of Newfoundland • Created a declaration of principles call the Atlantic Charter

Atlantic Charter • Spelled out causes for which WWII was foughtbefore the US ever entered it • 1. Seek no territorial expansion • 2. No territorial changes w/out consent of inhabitants • 3. Respect right of people to choose their own form of govmt. • 4. Promote free trade • 5. Encourage international cooperation • 6. Freedom from want and fear • 7. Disarmament of aggressors • 8. Establish a permanent system of general security

Atlantic Charter • Atlantic charter expresses common purpose of the Allies • Allies- nations joined together to fight the Axis-26 nations

Shooting Begins • Sept 4, 1941 -German U-Boat fires at USS Greer • FDR announces that US ships fire at German ships on sight

Shooting Begins • 2 weeks later the Pink Star-a US merchant ship was sunk with enough supplies to feed more than 3. 5 million British laborers for a week • Mid October US destroyer Kearny sunk

Japan’s Ambitions • Japanese expansionists wanted a vast colonial empire • Invaded Manchuria in 1931 and China in 1937 • Japan’s ambitions brought them into conflict with other colonial powers

Japan’s Ambitions • France, the Netherlands, Britain and the United States had colonies in Asia • By 1941 -France and the Netherlands had fallen to Germany • Britain was too busy fighting Hitler to fight off Japanese • Only the US was in the way

Japan’s Ambitions • Japanese begin pushing south of China in July of 1941 • Took French military bases in Indochina • US protested this action by cutting off trade with the Japanese

Japan’s Ambitions • US cuts off oil to Japan • With no oil, Japan could be defeated without its enemies ever attacking • New Japanese Prime Minister-Hideki Tojo – Said he would make one last attempt at peace with Americans – If this failed, Japan would go to war

Japan’s Ambitions • November 5, 1941 Tojo’s peace envoy flew to Washington for talks • On the same day. Tojo orders Japanese navy to prepare for an attack on the US

Japan’s Ambitions • US had broken Japan’s secret communication codes • Knew Japan was preparing for an attack • Didn’t know where or when it would come • Peace talks went on for a month

Japan’s Ambitions • December 6, 1941 Japanese peace envoy ordered to reject all American peace proposals • “This means war” – FDR

Attack on Pearl Harbor • December 7, 1941 more than 180 Japanese warplanes launched from 6 carriers attacked US naval base at Pearl Harbor • 90 minutes-Japanese planes barely disturbed by American guns

Attack on Pearl Harbor • Attack a stunning victory for Japan • US navy all but crippled • Japanese lost only 29 planes

Attack on Pearl Harbor • US losses – 18 ships sunk or badly damaged – 350 planes destroyed or badly damaged – 2, 400 people died – 1, 178 wounded More losses than the US Navy lost in all WWI

Attack on Pearl Harbor • December 8, 1941 -US declares war on Japan • December 11, 1941 Germany and Italy declare war on the US