U.S.Involvement

Moving Towards Involvement

• 1939: “Cash and Carry” policy. Allowed warring nations to buy U.S. arms. 1. Pay Cash 2. Provide Transport

• Aid Great Britain

Alliance• 1940: Germany, Italy, and Japan = Axis Powers

• Attempt to keep the U.S. out of the war

Building Defenses• Selective Service Act: men between ages 21-35

register for military service

• 1 million were drafted

FDR• 1940: President Roosevelt runs for third term

against Wendell Willkie.

• Very little difference between the candidates

Involvement• FDR believed that the U.S. must help Great

Britain to ensure the safety of America.

• Prevent the rise of the Axis Powers

Involvement• :1941-Lend-Lease Act lend arms and supplies to

countries who defense was vital to the U.S.

• Isolationist angered

Hitler’s Mistake• 1941: Hitler broke the nonaggression pact with

the Soviet Union

• U.S. sends supplies to Soviet Union

• Hitler deploys U-Boats to patrol the North Atlantic

• FDR grants permission to engage submarines in self defense

Atlantic Charter• FDR and Churchill formulate war aims for post

World War II

• Disarmament, self determination, freedom of the seas

• Become the basis for the United Nations

• Japanese leader Hideki Tojo seizes French, Dutch, and British colonies in Asia

• 1941: Take over Indochina

• U.S. places embargo on oil

Pearl Harbor• Dec. 7, 1941

• Surprise attack on U.S. naval base by Japanese bombers

• Over 2,000 Americans died and 21 ships destroyed

U.S. Enters World War II

• “A day that will live in infamy”

• Dec. 8, 1941 = FDR requests for a declaration of war against Japan.

• Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S.