The Winds of War

America Remains Neutral?

The Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, & 1937.

• Could not sell or transport munitions (or make loans) to a belligerent.

• Ostrich mentality.

• Roosevelt “Quarantine Speech”. Punish aggressors by use of economic embargoes.

• Panay incident. 12/37.

Neutrality Act of 1939.

• European democracies could buy American war materials but only on a “cash and carry’ basis.

• September, 1940. The first peacetime draft takes place.

Election of 1940.

• Willkie v. Roosevelt

Closer to war

• Lend-lease Act: - “Send guns - not sons.”

• An economic declaration of war.

• Germany starts to take off the gloves.

Atlantic Charter

• August 1941.• Churchill and

Roosevelt.• Similar to Wilson’s 14

points.• Self-determination,

right to choose own gov’t, greater democracy.

Big troubles with little Japan

• China• Late 1940- 1941.

Embargoes on scrap iron, steel, assets, oil.

• Deliberate actions to instigate war?

December 7th, 1941. “A day which will live in infamy.”

Conspiracy Theory• Standard Japanese test question.

• Knew that war was inevitable due to the instruction given to Nomura. Code broken.

• Knew that a large Japanese task force had left Japan.

• Pac fleet sat at anchor. “the US desires that Japan commit the first overt act.” Marshall.

• Intercept order for the Japanese embassy to destroy papers and prepare to evacuate.

• Agents & reported sightings of the Japanese fleet.

• Marshall and Frank Knox missing on the 6th.

• The missing aircraft carriers.