United States and the War Objective: analyze how and why the US entered the war

United States and the War

Objective: analyze how and why the US entered the war

United States Most people wanted Allies to win,

but did not want war Roosevelt vowed to remain neutral 1938- Congress revised Neutrality

Acts allowing warring nations to buy US goods if they paid cash and moved the goods in their own ships

1940 – Roosevelt gave 50 destroyers to Britain in exchange for leases on 8 British military bases

1940 – Selective Training and Service Act – first US peacetime draft; called up men aged 21 – 35 to serve in the military

1940 Election Roosevelt runs for third term First president to break

Washington’s two-term tradition Promised not to send Americans

into foreign wars while he continued to prepare the nation for war

Involvement Grows March, 1941 –Congress passed Lend-

Lease Act Lend-lease Act – allowed the United

States to lend or lease raw materials, equipment, and weapons to any country vital to the defense of the United States (the Allied nations -$50 billion worth of war goods)

Isolationists opposed law Roosevelt instructs navy to protect

British ships close to American shores

Orders Americans to shoot German and Italian ships on sight in certain areas after Germans fired on US ships

Atlantic Charter August, 1941 – charter signed by

Roosevelt and Churchill Not a military alliance – set goals for

the world after the Nazis were defeated

Urged disarmament (giving up weapons)

Called for creation of permanent system for preserving peace

Japanese Threat Japan expands in the Far East Seized French Indochina after

France fell Planned to take the Dutch East

Indies, British Malaya, and American territory of the Philippines

US Responds Economic pressure used to halt

Japan’s expansion All Japanese funds (money) frozen

in US banks by Roosevelt Also stopped sale of gasoline and

other resources Japan needed

Konoye (Prime Minister) wants to hold talks with US; does not believe Japan could defeat US in a war

General Tojo disagreed; Konoye resigned

Nov. 20 – talks went forward; Tojo planned surprise attack on US

Attack on Pearl Harbor 7:55 am on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941

Japanese warplanes bombed Pearl Harbor, an American naval base in Hawaii

Ships anchored in a neat row, and airplanes grouped together on the airfield, made easy targets

More than 2,300 soldiers, sailors, and civilians were killed

More than 1,000 injured Many American warplanes and

ships were destroyed

Dec. 8. 1941 – President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan

Dec. 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.

View clip from Tora, Tora, Tora

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” Admiral Yamamota What does Admiral Yamamota

mean? With your group illustrate what you think the quote means.

Summary Explain why the US entered the war. What were the main goals of the

Atlantic Charter? Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?Activity suggestions: illustrate the Lend-

Lease program, create an announcement declaring war against Japan, illustrate the attack on Pearl Harbor