The London Conference
· The London Economic Conference
o 66 nations participated
o Hoped to internationally stop depression through exchange rate destablization.
o But Roosvelt wanted to pursue inflationary policies at home to revive American economy.
o London Econ crisis failed.
§ Roosevelt’s selfish actions boosted nationalism and helped dictators get their power.
Freedom for (from?) the Filipinos and Recognition for the Russians
· Organized labor demanded exclusion of low-wage Filipino workers.
· Tydings-McDuffie Act which provided for independence of Philippines after 12 year period of economic and political tutelage in 1946.
o Was out of selfish concerns for their own welfare and isolationism.
o Japanese calculated that America was no longer threat as it abandoned check in Asia, and is increasingly isolationist.
· US also formally recognized Soviet Union
o Motivated by trade and to have it as an ally to check threat of Germany and Japanese.
Becoming a Good Neighbor
· Roosevelt in inaugural address: “I would dedicate this nation to the policy of the Good Neighbor”.
o Withdrawal in Asia, non-intervention in Europe suggested America no longer imperialist.
o Great Depression had depressed economic aggressiveness.
o Eager to encourage Latin Americans to defend Western hemisphere.
· 7th Pan American Conference
o US formally endorsed non-intervention.
o Departure from Haiti, Cuba from Platt Amend, Panama freed.
· Good Neighbor Policy tested when Mexico seized US oil properties
o Roosevelt successfully resisted intervention and settlement done peacefully.
o Characterized by success.
o High ratings of Roosevelt by Latin America.
§ Cheered when he went to Inter-American Conference. “Traveling salesman for peace”
Secretary Hull’s Reciprocal Trade Agreements
· Hull-Roosevelt leadership for better trade internationally
o Reciprocal Trade Agreement activated low-tariff policies, aimed at relief and recovery.
§ Lowered down most objectionable schedules of Hawley Smoot by amending them.
§ Prez could lower as much as 50%.
§ Resulting trade legislation to become effective w/o formal approval of Senate.
· Speedier legislation and high tariffs by getting them through Congress.
o Went through 21 countries by 1939.
o US foreign trade increased very well.
§ Reversed high-protective tariff policy.
§ Led to free-trade int’l econ system.
Impulses Toward Storm-Cellar Isolationism
· Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler gets to power.
o Rome-Berlin Axis formed as alliance between Germans and Italy.
· Japan was also a “have-not” power and terminated Washington Naval Treaty.
o Ended all hope of naval disarmament when, denied complete parify, walked out of multipower conference and accelerated construction of battleship.
· Mussolini wanted empire in Africa and attacked Ethiopia.
o League of Nations also too cowardly to embargo oil.
· America was meanwhile isolationist
o Johnson Debt Default Act which prevented debt dodging nations from borrowing any more money from US.
o Some aggressive sentiment reflected in Bonus March for Veternas of Future Wars
Congress Legislates Neutrality
· Many books condemning merchants as reason why WWI started.
· Senator Gerald Nye investigates this “blood business”.
o Literature argued that if money could be made out of war, then the merchants must have been responsible for starting the war.
· Responding to public opinion passed Neutrality Acts = when the president proclaimed foreign war, restrictions automatically go to effect.
o No sail on belligerent ship, or trade munitions w/ belligerent, or lend belligerent money.
o Was abandonment of policy of freedom of seas.
· Strictly to avoid another WWI.
· Said that US would not distinguish between aggressors and victims.
· Did not use its strength to curb dictators.
American Dooms Loyalist Spain
· Spanish Civil War had fascist Francisco Franco backed by Hitler and Mousoulini.
o Attempt to overthrow Loyalist regime which was backed by Soviet Union.
o Loyalist gov should have been free to purchase munitions from US, but amended neutrality legislation so that embargo to both Loyalist and rebels.
o Condemned fellow democracy to death.
o Also allowed its navy to decline in relative strength.
Appeasing Japan and Germany.
· Marco Polo Bridge accident started Sino-Japanese War.
o But refused to call China incident officially declared war or else would have cut off munition supplies.
· Quarantine Speech which called for economic embargoes on aggressors to quarantine aggressors.
· Public opinion from isolationists lots of protest, led to less direct means to curb dictators.
· Then American gunboat Panay sunk by Japanese.
o But Tokyo made apologies and paid proper amount, US avoided conflict.
· Hitler introduces compulsory military service in Germany.
o Would lead to the Holocaust.
o Mechanized, improved greatly Germany’s air force and army.
o Took Austria then began to demand for Sudentenland. Britain and France at conference gave up Czechoslovakia hoping it would stop there.
o But didn’t.
· “Appeasement” of dictators called Munich did not work. Hitler then took away Czechslovakiaentirely.
Hitler’s Belligerency and US Neutrality
· British and French, with Stalin had lots of feuds.
o Hitler Stalin Pact meant that Hitler now could attack Poland.
§ Demanded area taken from Germany from Poland.
§ 1939 Sep 1 sent troops.
o Britain and France honored commitment nd declared war.
· Stalin comes into aid of Stalin and takes part of old Russian Poland.
· US very anti-Nazi and anti-Hitler, but determined to stay out.
o Britain and France needed US airplanes despite Neutrality Act.
o Later FDR lifted arms embargo.
· Neutrality Act of 1939 provided that European democracies may buy American war materials but only on a “cash and carry basis”.
o They have to transport everything in their own ships.
o US could avoid loans, war debts and loss of US arms carriers.
§ FDR also authorized to proclaim danger zones.
· Neutrality act favored democracies against dictators.
o British and French controlled seas, so aggressors could not send ships to buy US munitions.
o Led to end of Great Depression for US.
The Fall of France
· After collapse of Poland WWII was “hony war”.
o Soviets attacked Finland partly b/c US only willing to donate non-military supplies.
o Hitler without warning takes Denmark and Norway, then Netherlands and Belgium, then severely attacked France.
o Later surrender of France.
· Led to Britain being last defender, and Winston Churchill now PM.
o Orator who encouraged people to fight off fear.
· Led to FDR calling on debt-burdened US to build air force and navy to also check on Japan.
o $37 billion to prepare itself.
· Passed conscription law later adapted to meet requirements of global war.
· After fall of Netherlands, Denmark, France, colonies abandoned in New World.
o Havana Conference agreed to share w/ 20 New World neighbors responsibility of upholding Monroe Doctrine.
o Largely in theory.
Bolstering Britain with the Destroyer Deal
· When Britain stood alone, Hitler launched air attacks against Britain in battle of Britain.
o Good defense = postponed invasion.
· Led to split in opinion.
o Supporters of supporting Britain in Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies.
o America First Committee proclaimed that America should concentrate on defending own shores.
§ Famous person Charles A. Lindbergh.
· FDR transferred 50 old model destroyers to Britain.
o British promised to turn over 8 valuable defensive bases.
o Very questionable, strained interpretation and didn’t really pay attention to Congress, but FDR didn’t want to delay everything.
o Public opinion = most US wanted to help British this way.
FDR Shatters the Two-Term Tradition
· Republican aspirants Robert A. Taft and Thomas E. Dewey but Windell L. Willkie got it in the end.
o Wilkie went from nothingness to fame in few weeks.
· Last minute FDR went to break 2 term tradition.
o Democrats saw that only FDR could defeat Wilkie, so nominated him.
· Both promised to stay out of war, strengthen nation’s defenses.
o FDR most specifically said US not going into any foreign wars.
· Election was close, and Democratic majorities in Congress remained about same.
· Congress Passes the Landmark Lend-Lease Law
· Britain rapidly running out of credit due to war.
· FDR > Lend-Lease Bill.
o Like a neighbor helps out another when there is a fire.
o Concept was “send guns, not sons”.
o Would send limitless supply of arms to those in war.
§ Would eventually send some $50 billion
· Lend-Lease abandoned all pretense of neutrality.
o Geared US factories for all out war production.
· Germany saw that this was unofficial declaration of war, so stopped not sinking US ships beginning with Robin Moor sinking.
Hitler’s Assault on the Soviet Union Spawns the Atlantic Charter
· Fall of France and Hitler’s invasion of Soviet Union significant events.
· USSR and Gemany
o Neither trusted each other. Stalin did not like dominant German control.
o Hitler attacks USSR for oil and other resources so that it could have free hands to attack Britain later.
· US makes some military supplies available
o $1 billion in lend lease, later to be lend-lease of $11 billion.
· Atlantic Conference held where FDR and Winston Churchill secretly met.
o Resulted in 8-point Atlantic Charter.
o Suggestive of Wilson’s 14 points.
§ No territorial changes
§ Affirmed right to self-determination, own form of government, regain gov abolished by dictators.
§ Disarmament and peace of security.
§ New system of general security.
US Destroyers and Hitler’s U-boats Clash
· Lend-lease shipments bound to be sunk by German ships.
o FDR sent for provisions to escort lend-lease shipments.
· Hitler’s orders were to only strike at US waships in self-defense.
o But still led to sinking of US Greer, Kearny and Ruben James.
· Neutrality no longer in public opinion.
o Merchants ships could then be legally armed, enter combat zones.
Surprise Assault on Pearl Harbor
· Japan’s war army fatally dependent on steel, iron, oil and gasoline from US.
· Assistance to Japan unpopular so first of embargoes late in 1940.
o Later insisted that Japan clear out of China and trade relations will renew.
o But Japan didn’t want to lose face.
· Pearl Harbor attack.
o December 7, 1941.
o “A day that will live in infamy”.
· Unanimous decision in Senate and House to declare war 4 days later.
America’s Transformation from Bystander to Belligerent.
o America wanted above all to stay out of the conflict and halt Japan’s imperialism.
§ Japan menaced American trade, security and int’l peace.
o Extended unneutral aid = German sub fights, more embargoes.
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