America's Foreign Policy: From Isolationism to World Engagement

1. FDR and the War, 1933-1945 Handouts not online: Randolph and Zoot Suit

2. Retreat, Reversal, and Rivalry • 1920s--American diplomacy permeated by a sense of disillusionment • U.S. refuses to be bound by League of Nations. • FDR withdraws from London Economic Conference in 1933 (isolationism) • Make arrangements for a free Philippines in 1946 (really “Freeing” ourselves from the Philippines)

3. Just Another Customer, 1933 The United States recognizes the Soviet Union.

4. Cooperation in Latin America • Coolidge, Hoover, FDR substitute cooperation for military coercion • FDR’s "Good Neighbor" policy renounces past imperialism – repeals Platt Amendment • Later passes the Reciprocal Trade Agreement (lowers tariffs) • Result: U.S. increases trade by 4 times.

5. FDR’s “Good Neighbor” Policy • Important to have all nations in the Western Hemisphere united against foreign aggressions. • Policy of non-intervention and cooperation. U.S. has given up worldly ambitions.

6. Rivalry in Asia 1920--Japanese occupy Korea, parts of Manchuria for resources U.S. Open Door policy “should” block Japanese dominance of China

7. Storm Cellar Isolationism • Stalin taking over the USSR; beginning horrific purges (millions killed) • Adolf Hitler – taking over Germany in 1933; withdrew from L.o.N. in 1933 • Benito Mussolini – taking over Italy in 1922 • All are Demagogues • Rome – Berlin Axis – treaty b/w Hitler and Mussolini • Japan ignores Naval conference and withdraws from L.o.N. in 1935 and agrees to Tripartite pact with Italy and Germany

9. Congress Legislates Neutrality • Most Americans resolved against another meaningless war (some had petitioned that war could only be agreed on by referendum) • 1935--Senator Gerald Nye (claimed that WWI was entered to make profits) leads passage of neutrality legislation • U.S. trade with nations at war prohibited • U.S. loans to nations at war prohibited • 1937--Japan invades China • FDR permits sale of arms to China

10. Francisco Franco has support from Hitler and Mussolini • FDR fails to aid Spain • US shrinks the Navy during the depression (hard to justify taxes to build up military) • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uk_6vfqwTA (2:50 to 8:37)

11. Japanese Attack Manchuria (1931) League of Nations condemned the action – But does nothing. Japan leaves the League. Hoover wanted no part in an American military action in the Far East.

12. Rape of Nanking (1937) Japanese brutality vs. China • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWxMLCYekuU

13. Appeasing Germany and Japan • FDR condemns Italy and Japan’s actions with his Quarantine Speech and is bombarded with Isolationistic protest.

14. Panay Incident (1937) Japan bombed USS Panay gunboat & threeStandard Oil tankers Japan was testing US resolve! Japan apologized, paid US an indemnity, and promised no further attacks. Most Americans were satisfied with the apology. Results  Japanese interpreted US tone as a license for further aggression against US interests.

15. More appeasement • Hitler violates Treaty of Versailles – builds up military • Hitler takes the Rhineland • Hitler takes Austria • Hitler invades Czechoslovakia • - leads to Munich Conference where Britain’s Neville Chamberlain “Appeases” Hitler.

16. The Foreign Ministry statement went on: "Russia acknowledges its responsibility for the lives of its compatriots and fellow citizens in Ukraine and reserves the right to take these people under its protection.“ (March 14, 2014) • Sound Familiar. • Seventy-five years ago, on March 15, 1939, Adolf Hitler ordered the Wehrmacht into the Sudetenland, a German-speaking part of Czechoslovakia. His justification was simple: "I am simply demanding that the oppression of three and a half million Germans in Czechoslovakia cease and that the inalienable right to self-determination take its place."

17. War in Europe • FDR approves appeasement of Hitler • July, 1939--FDR attacks neutrality acts • September 1939—Hitler invades Poland: W.W.II begins, Roosevelt declares the Neutrality acts of 1939 in force (authorizes “cash and carry”)

18. Hitler-Stalin Non-Aggression Pact

22. Fall of France • June, 1940 – France Falls • Popular sympathy for Allies begins and for support of England (if England falls, what next?) • distaste for Germany and Japan • Roosevelt openly expresses favor for Allies, moves cautiously to avoid isolationist outcry but begins preparing for war

25. Germany’s invasion of England

31. Winston Churchill • You should be ashamed of your slovenly, happy-go-lucky, harum, scarum style of work. . . . Never have I received a really good report of your conduct from any headmaster or tutor. . . . Always behind, incessant complaints of a total want of application to your work. . . . You have failed to get into the 60th Rifles, the finest regiment in the army. . . . You have imposed on me an extra charge of some 200 pounds a year. . . . Do not think that I am going to take the trouble of writing you long letters after every failure you commit and undergo. . . . I no longer attach the slightest weight to anything you may say. . . . If you cannot prevent yourself from leading the idle, useless, unprofitable life you have had during your school days, . . . you will become a mere social wastrel, one of the hundreds of public school failures, and you will degenerate into a shabby, unhappy and futile existence. . . . You will have to bear all the blame for such misfortunes. . . . Your mother sends her love.

32. German Blitzkrieg http://www.authentichistory.com/1939-1945/3-music/02-WarInEurope/19410310_Blitzkrieg_Baby-Una_Mae_Carlisle.html • Blitzkrieg baby, you can't bomb me 'Cause I'm pleading neutrality Got my gun, now can't you see Blitzkrieg baby, you can't bomb me Blitzkrieg baby, you look so cute All dressed up in your parachute Let that propaganda be Blitzkrieg baby, you can't bomb me • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jbapYZD_jQ

35. Showdown in the Pacific • 1937--Japanese occupation of coastal China • U.S. limits exports (sanctions) to Japan of strategic materials • 1940--Japan allies with Germany, Italy (Tripartite Act – Axis of Evil) • Japanese invasion of Indochina prompts U.S. to end all trade

36. Isolationists and Interventionists • America First Committee • -Lindbergh and Senator Nye • - advocate for US to stay out • Issues in Europe lead FDR to declare us a “arsenal for democracy” and we move on with Destroyers for Bases.

37. “Lend-Lease” Act (1941) Great Britain.........................$31 billionSoviet Union...........................$11 billionFrance......................................$ 3 billionChina.......................................$1.5 billionOther European.................$500 millionSouth America...................$400 millionThe amount totaled: $48,601,365,000

38. Land mark Lend Lease Law • U.S. gives or loans war supplies • Will be the “arsenal of democracy” • Basically an economic declaration of war • U.S. ships transport war supplies – sinking of the Reuben James and the Kearney • Eventual consensus that a Nazi victory in Europe would threaten western civilization • (War tunes; Blitz woof - http://www.authentichistory.com/1939-1945/8-toons/1942_Blitz_Wolf.html - https://vimeo.com/63467857 • https://www.teachertube.com/video/watch-seinfeld-history-lesson-jerry-seinfeld-on-snl-241598

39. The Coming of War: • August, 1941 – Atlantic Charter – FDR and Churchill – plans for Post WWII World based on ideas of collective security • 1941--U.S.-Japanese negotiations • Japan • Wants free hand in China • Wants restoration of normal trade relations • U.S. demands Japanese troops out of China – US freezes Japanese assets • December 7, 1941--Pearl Harbor attacked • December 8--War declared

40. Ticket in the Door. Please brainstorm this and be ready to discuss! • In a climate of isolationism, President Roosevelt provided a strong voice for interventionism. How did the president show his preference for American involvement abroad before Pearl Harbor?

41. American recognition of the Soviet Union in 1933 was a sign that under Roosevelt the country would have a wider world vision than it had during the Republican presidencies of the 1920s. • The Good Neighbor Policy ensured that the United States would pursue an activist approach in the Western Hemisphere but was willing to moderate the gunboat diplomacy practiced earlier. • In 1937, in the face of Japanese expansionism in Asia, Roosevelt proposed that the United States join with other nations to “quarantine” aggressor states. The public forced him to back down, but the speech gave evidence of his attitude. • From the start of the war in Asia in 1937 and in Europe in 1939, Roosevelt showed determination to assist friendly countries—especially Great Britain—in their wars against aggressors that threatened American interests. • Roosevelt used his personal popularity to set up justification for war by making his sympathies known, denouncing Japan as “the present reign of terror and international lawlessness,” and saying that he could not ask Americans to remain neutral in their thoughts about Hitler’s aggression. His “Four Freedoms” speech defined America’s ideological difference from its future enemies.

42. Pearl Harbor – Dec. 7, 1941 A date which will live in infamy!

43. Pearl Harbor Memorial 2,887 Americans Dead!

44. Wartime Partnerships • U.S.-English alliance cemented by personal friendship between FDR and Churchill – Germany is priority • Soviet Union unsatisfied with alliance and US failure to recognize USSR • Soviet Union often feels alone in conflict – US had promised to open 2nd front in 1942. • Wartime tensions persist after victory

45. Halting the German Blitz • November 1942--U.S. invades North Africa • May 1943--U.S., England invade Italy (don’t want to get bogged down in Europe) • Mussolini falls from power • Summer, 1943--Battle of Stalingrad • Russia defeats Germans - TP • USSR advances into eastern Europe

47. Checking Japan in the Pacific • Two-pronged drive against Japan • “Island Hopping” strategy • Douglas MacArthur leads drive to the Philippines • Chester Nimitz leads navy westward from Pearl Harbor to the Philippines • June, 1942--victory at Midway (TP) launches advance into Japanese-held territories • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oRy-Vl06kM

49. World War II in the Pacific

50. The Home Front • War ends depression • Economy geared for military output • Automobile factories converted to tank and airplane production • Women moved into the workplace – “Rosie the Riveter” • South and West see economic recovery • http://www.authentichistory.com/1939-1945/8-toons/1943_Scrap_Happy_Daffy.html • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8fjvfmnMqc (The Thrifty Pig)