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Isolationism and the Road to World War II
April 22, 2014
International Diplomacy League of Nations Kellogg – Briand Pact
War won’t be used as a tool to settle conflicts
American Foreign Policy in 1930s Good Neighbor Policy
US out of many Latin American nations Generally Isolationist
Failure of Collective Security Rise of totalitarian regimes Japanese Expansionism
1931 – Manchuria Motives – raw materials, space, anger about post
war treaties 1934- naval build up 1936 – Anti-Comintern Pact with Germany 1940 – Tripartite Pact – Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis
Failure of Collective Security German Aggression
Withdrew from League of Nations 1933 Treaty of Versailles 1937 Absorbs Austria – March 1938 Munich Conference –Sept. 1938
US Isolationism Nye Committee = Neutrality Acts Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, 1937
35 - No arms to belligerent nations 35 - No travel on vessels 36- No money to warring nations 37 - Cash and Carry of non-military goods 37 - Banned involvement in Spanish Civil War
WWII Begins Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact Sept 1, 1939 – Germany invades Poland
Britain and France declare war Sept. 3 Sept. 5, 1939 – FDR proclaims US neutrality (not
in thought)
US Isolationism Continues Neutrality Act of 1939
Response to Poland Britain and France needed weapons Cash and Carry
US Response to War in Europe Arsenal of Democracy Speech Response to fall of France and Battle of
Britain Strategy change FDR asked for military build up
$37 billion = 5X larger than any New Deal Budget
1940 – Selective Service and Training Act
US Response to War in Europe Destroyers for Bases Deal
Sept 2 , 1940 FDR Reelected in 1940
Worried less about critics Four Freedoms Speech
Speech, Religion, From Want, From Fear
Congress Responds with Lend-Lease
Lend – Lease, April 1941 Military Supplies to any “vital nation” Debts paid after war Ends US neutrality Hitler starts sinking US ships $50 billion in arms and equipment – esp.
Britain and USSR
Atlantic Charter, August 1941 Secret Negotiation Self-Determination Permanent system of general security Gov’ts abolished by dictators regained
Japan Japanese expansionism = tensions Embargo of 1940 1941 – Pacific Fleet to Pearl Harbor Embargo of 1941 Negotiations fail Pearl Harbor – December 7, 1941
