Transcript America Enters the War

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Neutrality Act of 1939
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Cash and Carry – warring nations could purchase
weapons from the United States if they paid cash
and carried them on their own ships.
Destroyers for Bases - 1940
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United States traded 50 World War I destroyers for
key naval bases in Newfoundland, Bermuda, and the
Caribbean with Great Britain
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Most Americans sympathized with Great
Britain but did not want to go to war.
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America First Campaign
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“all aid short of war”
Group firmly opposed to any American intervention
or aid to the Allies
What are the benefits of remaining isolated?
What are the dangers?
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Lend-Lease Act of 1940
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Hemispheric Defense Zone
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U.S. would be able to lend or lease arms to any
country considered “vital to the defense of the
United States”
Navy was ordered to patrol the western Atlantic
Ocean which he considered neutral
Atlantic Charter – 1941
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Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met to discuss and
commit to a world of democracy, non-aggression,
free-trade, and freedom of the seas after the war.
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Embargo
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Put economic pressure on Japan to discourage them
from attacking British ships
Restricted the sale of “strategic materials” – fuel and
scrap metal
Japan formed alliance with Germany and Italy
U.S. provided lend-lease aid to China for protection
Japan attacked China and U.S. froze all Japanese
assets
U.S. gave Japan an ultimatum
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Although peace negotiations were under way,
Japan planned to attack the United States at
Pearl Harbor and seize the Philippines
Surprise attack sank 8 battleships, 3 cruisers, 4
destroyers, and 6 other vessels.
188 airplanes were destroyed
2,403 Americans killed and 1,178 injured
“Yesterday, December 7,
1941 – a day which
will live in infamy…”
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December 8, 1941 the United States declared
war on Japan
December 11, 1941 both Germany and Italy
declared war on the United States due to their
alliance with Japan