America and the World, 1921–1945

1. 27 America and the World, 1921–1945

2. Retreat, Reversal, and Rivalry • 1920s: American diplomacy permeated by a sense of disillusionment • Did not join League of Nations • U.S. refused to be bound by any agreement to preserve international peace • Kellogg-Briand Pact outlaw war

3. Retreat in Europe • U.S. emerge as rich nation – creditor nation and banker of the world • U.S. quarreled with former allies over repayment of $10 billion in wartime loans • U.S. refused recognition of Soviet Union but increased trade – ideological differences with Soviet Union remain problem

4. Rivalry in Asia • U.S. and Japan on collision course • 1920: Japanese occupied Korea, parts of Manchuria • U.S. Open Door policy blocked Japanese dominance of China

5. Rivalry in Asia:Washington Conference of 1921 • England agreed to U.S. naval equality • Japan accepted as third largest naval power • All nations agreed to limit naval construction • Five Power Treaty – Nations agreed to limit navies

6. Rivalry in Asia:Washington Conference of 1921 • Nine-Power Treaty: Open Door Policy reaffirmed • Four-Power Treaty: Established alliance among U.S., Great Britain, Japan, France

7. Isolationism • Depression shifted focus to domestic affairs • Rise of militaristic regimes threatened war: • Germany • Italy • Japan

8. GERMANY • Rise of Adolph Hitler – Aryan Race • Blame Jews for WW I and problems • Left League of Nations • Denounced Treaty of Versailles • Reoccupied Rhineland • Wants to unit all Germans in Third Reich

9. ITALY • Benito Mussolini – Dictator of Italy • High unemployment/inflation • Wants to be the new Roman Empire • Invaded Ethiopia, Africa - got away with it • Mussolini has private army of blackshirts • Promise to help poor after war

10. JAPAN • Militarists dominate country – General ToJo • Left League of Nations • Repudiated Washington Treaties • 1931 - took Manchuria - puppet state of Japan • U.S. ignored Japan • 1937 Japan, Italy, and Germany sign anti-Comintern Pact (Axis Powers) • 1937 – Japan invaded China

11. LEADERS • Germany – Hitler (Nazism) • Italy – Mussolini (Fascism) • Japan – General ToJo (Military/Emperor) • Soviet Union - Stalin (Communism) • Great Britain – Churchill (Democracy/Capitalism • France – De Gaulle (exile government) • United States – Roosevelt (Democracy/Capitalism)

12. The Lure of Pacifismand Neutrality • Americans against another meaningless war • Pacifist movement strong on College Campuses • Blame Munitions Industry (Merchants of Death) • Senator Nye investigated munitions industry, led pacifist movement and passage of Neutrality legislation (1935) • Ban sale of arms to nations at war • Ban on loans to nations at war • All trade other than munitions be conducted on a cash and carry basis • Ban U.S. citizen travel on ships of countries at war

13. Munich Conference • 1938 – Hitler seized Austria • Demands Sudentenland of Czechoslovakia • France and Great Britain respond to Hitler’s aggression by appeasement • Chamberlain – “I have bought peace in our time” • Hitler seized Sudentenland

14. War in Europe • FDR approved appeasement of Hitler • 1938: Hitler seized Czechoslovakia • FDR attempts to revise the neutrality acts, to give edge to England, France • September, 1939: World War II began when Hitler invades Poland • FDR declares neutrality

15. The Road to War • U.S. remains at peace 1939–1941 • Popular sympathy for Allies, distaste for Germany and Japan • Roosevelt openly expresses favor for Allies, moves cautiously to avoid outcry from isolationists • Germany signs nonaggression treaty with Russia to stay out of war - allows Germany to avoid a two front war

16. From Neutrality to Undeclared War • 1939–1941: FDR sought help for England without actually entering the war • November, 1939: Belligerents may buy U.S. goods on “cash and carry” basis • 1940: German occupation of France • America drifts toward war realizing that Hitler’s victories could effect U.S.

17. From Neutrality to Undeclared War: Increased Aid to England • U.S. greatly increases military spending and begins a first-ever peacetime draft • Roosevelt gives fifty destroyers to England • German victories surprise U.S. – “blitzkrieg” - (lightening war) • Eventual consensus that a Nazi victory in Europe will threaten western civilization • Hitler may use British navy to attack America

18. LEND LEASE POLICY • Lend Lease way to help England without going to war and way to appease isolationists • Loan and give war supplies to England and allies • End Cash and Carry part of old policy • Ensure British access to American war supplies • U.S. Navy ships escort British ships

19. Showdown in the Pacific • 1937: Japanese occupation of coastal China • U.S. applies economic pressure on Japan through an embargo of certain supplies • 1940: Japan allies with Germany, Italy • Japanese invasion of Indochina prompts U.S. to end all trade

20. Showdown in the Pacific:Pearl Harbor • 1941: U.S.–Japanese negotiations • Japan’s demands • Free hand in China • Restoration of normal trade relations • U.S demands Japanese troops out of China • December 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor attack • U.S. caught by surprise because of human error and miscalculation • December 8: U.S. declares war on Japan

21. Turning the Tide Against the Axis • December, 1941: Axis on the offensive • 1941 Hitler invades Russia • 1942–1943: U.S., England, Russia fight to seize the initiative • U.S. major ally in war is England • Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe – Dwight D. Eisenhower • 1944–1945: Offensive to crush Axis

22. Wartime Partnerships • Personal friendship between FDR and Churchill cements alliance between U.S. and England • U.S. - Soviet Union relations strained by ideological differences • Soviet Union often perceives itself alone in conflict • Wartime tensions persist after victory

23. Halting the German Blitz • November, 1942: U.S. invaded North Africa • May, 1943: U.S., England invaded Italy • Mussolini fell from power • Slow advance up the Italian peninsula • Summer, 1943: Battle of Stalingrad • Russia defeated Germans • Russia advanced into eastern Europe

24. Checking Japan in the Pacific • Two-pronged drive against Japan • Douglas MacArthur and Chester Nimitz lead drive • June, 1942: Victory at Midway launches advance into Japanese-held territories • Pacific strategy is “Island Hopping”

25. World War II in the Pacific

26. The Home Front • War ends depression • Economy gears for military output • Automobile factories convert to tank and airplane production • Women move into the workplace

27. The Arsenal of Democracy • American factories turn out twice as many goods as German and Japanese factories • Rationing of scarce goods • Income of lowest-paid laborers increases faster than the rich

28. A Nation on the Move: Improving Conditions • Women’s income increases 50% • Mexican Americans take urban factory jobs • Migration from South and West

29. A Nation on the Move: Improving Conditions • African Americans • Fair Employment Practices Commission to insure equal opportunities in war-related industry • Surging migration from the rural South • Segregation and discrimination still problems • Wartime experience lays groundwork for postwar Civil Rights Movement

30. A Nation on the Move: Japanese Internment • 120,000 Japanese move from the West Coast to detention camps • 1944: Supreme Court rejects appeal for release • 1988: Congress votes indemnity of $1.2 billion for survivors

31. Japanese AmericanInternment Camps

32. Win-the-War Politics • New Deal became Win-the-War • 1944 election: • FDR names Truman as Vice President • FDR wins fourth term

33. Victory • Allies disagreed about when and where to open second front against Germany • June 6, 1944 – D-day • Battle of the Bulge – last battle and end of Hitler’s army • April 25, 1945: U.S., Russian forces are outside Berlin • May 7, 1945: Unconditional German surrender

34. War Aims andWartime Diplomacy • Soviets did bulk of fighting against Germany • 300 Soviet divisions, only 58 U.S. and British • Contribution larger than that of U.S. • Soviets decide to control Eastern Europe to prevent another German attack • U.S. wants collective security at the United Nations

35. War Aims andWartime Diplomacy • Yalta Conference February, 1945 • Agreement let Soviets control elections in Eastern Europe – victory for Soviets • Soviets agree to enter war against Japan 3 months after Germany surrendered • April 12, 1945: Death of FDR

36. World War II in Europeand North Africa

37. Triumph and Tragedyin the Pacific • June 21, 1945: U.S. captured Okinawa, complete control of Pacific, defeat of Japan only a matter of time • May–August: Intense air attacks on Japan

38. Triumph and Tragedyin the Pacific • Manhattan Project offered way to crush Japan without invasion and end war quickly • August 6: Atom bomb destroyed Hiroshima • August 9: Atom bomb destroyed Nagasaki • Result of bombs - August 14: Japan unconditional surrender – end of war – death of thousands – postwar arms race

39. The Transforming Power of War • U.S. the most powerful nation on earth • Unprecedented economic prosperity • Federal government a permanent force in daily life