U.S. Neutrality and the Beginning of WWII

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U.S. Neutrality and the Beginning of WWII
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U.S. Neutrality and Isolation

• Conferences to reduce armaments/keep peace were
  failures
• U.S. had 2 options
• 1. More energetic attempts at stabilizing world
• 2. More energetic attempts at isolating the
  nation
• - Americans chose Option 2
• U.S. Congress wanted to design safeguards from
  U.S. being dragged into another war, result was

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Neutrality Acts - 1935

• Goal Protect US from events which pressured US
  to enter WW1
• Requirements
• Can not sell weapons to Aggressor OR victim
• President has power to warn American citizens
  that traveling on ships of warring nations is at
  own risk.

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Neutrality Act of 1937

• Prohibited from transporting any passengers or
  articles to belligerents
• U.S. citizens forbidden from traveling on ships
  of belligerent nations.
• Cash and Carry Policy people in a fight could
  purchase only non-military goods from the US, but
  had to pay cash and carry goods away on their own
  vessels.

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Why do you think FDR/Congress added the cash and
carry stipulation?
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World War II Begins

• Germany invades Poland GB and France declare
  war on Germany
• Phony War no fighting between Allies and Axis
  (Winter-Spring 39-40)
• Germany invades Denmark, Norway, Belgium and
  France
• Threatens Great Britain

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FDR Video
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U.S. Becomes More Involved

• US extends Cash and Carry to military goods to
  help allies.
• Slowly, US becomes more and more involved on the
  side of Allies
• LEND-LEASE
• Britain is bankrupt cant pay cash for weapons,
  so U.S. lends weapons on promise G.B. will
  return or pay U.S. back after the war.

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1. Is the U.S. Neutral?
2. Why did the U.S. start to lean towards the allies?