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The US was the leading economic power after WWI
Overseas investment and exports increased dramatically
US financed allied and German debt
The US finally recognized the USSR in 1933
FDR enacted the “Good Neighbor” Policy
US renounces the Platt Amendment in 1934
US also forbids direct intervention in any Latin American country
FDR believed cooperation might lend more influence than
Intervention
Congress passes three neutrality acts beginning in 1935
First banned sales of arms to those at war (1935)
Second banned loans to countries at war (1936)
Third required cash and carry policies for munitions purchases
FDR signed all three bills and declared, “I hate war”
FDR later failed to invoke neutrality after Japan invaded Manchuria
Allowed China to buy US made arms
GB and France declare war on September 3
Nazi-Soviet Pact signed in August 1939
Russia received much of Eastern Poland
US began to realize that neutrality was costly
The German blitzkrieg through Denmark, Norway and France stunned the US
The US began to see GB as vulnerable
FDR announced destroyers for bases policy with GB
Isolationists declared this an “Act of War”
Isolationists included Charles Lindbergh and Robert Taft
Japan continued to make inroads into former French and Dutch colonies in East Indies and Indochina
US countered these territorial aggressions with quotas on sales of scrap metals
and bans on aviation fuel
Japan lobbied to end sanctions yet continue aggressions
US refused, negotiations broke off
US froze all Japanese assets in the US in July of 1941
Premier Hideki Tojo sent negotiators with impossible demands
US countered with demands for Japan to withdraw from China
Japan threatened retaliation
US intelligence revealed an impending attack, but work got to Pearl Harbor late
US declared war on Dec 8th, one day after the attack
The rest of the Axis declares war on the US on Dec 11 (Germany, Italy)
The Allies worked together while the Axis was uncoordinated
US and GB had combined military leadership directing operations
Roosevelt and Churchill formed a coalition of 26 nations
US and USSR had a lend-lease policy
American industry reached full employment and production quickly to support the war effort.
The huge increase in federal spending brought the nation out of Depression.
Centers of defense production saw a 50% population increase
5 million more women entered the workforce to fulfill their patriotic duty
1 million African-Americans served in a segregated military
Mostly in non-combat positions
Defense officials often did not believe that Blacks could maintain courage and discipline under fire
Racial discrimination was also present in the defense industry
A Philip Randolph planned a protest march but then compromised
At FDR’s request
In exchange for creation of the Fair Employment Practices
Committee
Not well funded or staffed
333,000 or so Mexican-American fought in WWII
These veterans had more awards than any other ethnic group
Less segregated, played a major role in Sicily
The Manhattan project proved successful in July of 1945
The US emerges from WWI as an economic and military world power.
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