Diplomacy & Foreign Policy Towards WWII

1. Diplomacy & Foreign Policy Towards WWII

2. Us Foreign Policy • The United States issued the Stimson Doctrine, named for Sec. of State Henry Stimson • -this doctrine stated that the US would refuse to recognize any government that was establish through force • Hoover pursued friendly relations with our Latin American neighbors • Hoover ended the interventionist policies of Wilson and Taft • Weaknesses of the League of Nations exposed as they were unable to prevent Japan’s aggression into Manchuria and maintain peace

3. Franklin Roosevelt 1933-1938 • Roosevelt pursued the “Good Neighbor Policy” with Latin America, a continuance of the policy of Hoover • The rise of militarist dictators in Europe (Hitler, Stalin) led the Latin American nations to seek out American aid & intervention • Roosevelt consented to Latin American requests in multiple ways • Pan-American Conferences-US pledges non-intervention • Cuba- US nullifies Platt Amendment (US troops still in Cuba after Spanish-American War) • Mexico- Roosevelt refused to intervene when Mexico seized corporate property, he urged negotiation

4. Economic Diplomacy • The London Economic Conference • This was meant to stabilize world currencies (Germany), but failed to reach any significant progress due to lack of US support • Recognition of the Soviet Union • Roosevelt thought this would improve trade and open new markets, ideology often takes a back seat to economics • The Philippines • The US passed a bill to grant the Filipinos independence by 1946 • Reciprocal Trade Agreements • The US would lower tariff rates for any country that also lowered theirs.

5. Rise of Fascism and Militarism • Military dictatorships arise in Italy, Japan and Germany • All pursued expansionist policies to get more land or natural resources • America responded with neutrality acts • Sen. Gerald Nye led a commission to investigate why we entered WWI • They found that it was largely based on the interest of manufacturers and bankers • The America First Committee was developed to sway public opinion toward islationism

6. Neutrality acts 1935, 1939 • Neutrality Acts of 1935 • If countries went to war, the US would not trade arms or weapons with them for 6 months • Any nonmilitary goods sold to nations at war would have to be paid for up front and would have to be transported in non-American ships (aka. “cash and carry”) • 1939: FDR asks Congress to pass this to allow the cash and carry sale of arms to countries at war, (Britain, France)

7. America First!!!!

8. America First!!!

9. Appeasement • the policy of giving in to the demands of a potentially hostile nation in the hope of maintaining peace • Did this work?

10. The Folly of Appeasement • Ethiopia (1935) • Mussolini invaded the African nation and conquered it as a show of fascist might • Rhineland (1936) • A DMZ according to the Versailles Treaty, Hitler marched troops in open defiance • China (1936) • Japan invades China, Japan sunk a US vessel, we quickly accepted an apology • Sudetenland (1938) • Hitler asserts Germany’s right to take over this strip of Czechoslovakia because of its German speaking population

11. Munich conference • An agreement in Munich, Germany permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czecholslovakia’s Sudetenland among the major powers of Europe without the presence of Czechoslovakia. • The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. • Today, it is widely regarded as a failed act of appeasement toward Nazi Germany.

12. The American Response • Roosevelt was limited in his responsive capabilities by American isolationist sentiment • Like Wilson in 1916, Roosevelt argued and got a build-up of military budgets and material

13. The Road to War • In March of 1939 Hitler violates the Munich Treaty (Sudetenland) and occupies all of Czechoslovakia • In August of 1939 Germany signed a non-aggression pact with Soviet Union (agreed not to attack each other) • In September of 1939, Germany invades Poland with their blitzkriegtactic (a swift intensive military attack, especially using tanks supported by aircraft, designed to defeat the opposition quickly) starting WWII • Britain & France declare war on Germany & the Axis powers • Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan • Allies: British, French, US (later), USSR • The war resumed full scale in 1940 as the Germans overwhelm the French in a week

14. Changing times in the United States • Most Americans were stunned and alarmed at the quick success of the German military • Britain remained the only Allied nation free from German troops • Roosevelt felt that keeping Britain free was vital to Allied success • He arranged a less restrictive neutrality act that said that belligerents could pay cash and buy American weapons if they would pick them up • This policy greatly favored Britain • In 1940 Congress enacted the Selective Service Act for compulsory military service

15. The Election of 1940 • Roosevelt breaks with tradition and runs for a 3rd term • His opponent is WendallWilkie, whose main opposition to Roosevelt stemmed from the 2 term limit • Roosevelt won with 54% of the popular vote • He was aided by a recovery based on defense spending, validating Keynesian Economics and a fear of war which led voters to the more experienced Roosevelt

16. Results of the Presidential Election 1940

17. America: The Arsenal of Democracy • The Four Freedoms • Speech, Religion, Want, Fear • Lend-Lease Act • Permitted Britain to obtain all resources on credit, signed in 1941 • Atlantic Charter • Agreed to free trade, self-determination and no territorial expansion • There’s a need for another world organization to replace League of Nations—one to “secure” the world • Shoot on Sight • American ships should sink German ships/U-Boats on sight

18. Japan and Pearl Harbor • The US cut off Japan from key raw materials after they joined the Axis powers • Negotiations regarding the embargo proved fruitless • Japan felt that a quick strike against unprepared and limited American forces in the Pacific would be the best tactic • American military officials felt the attack would come in the Philippines and Hawaii was caught off guard • Japanese planes sunk and disabled the entire American fleet in the Pacific

19. Pearl harbor http://www.history.com/topics/pearl-harbor/videos#attack-pearl-harbor

20. America enters the war • Men drafted into the armed forces after the bombing of Pearl Harbor called them selves “GI’s” • Referred to the Government Issued stamp on their uniforms, tools, weapons, etc. • America is forced to fight the war in Europe & the Pacific • Battle of the Atlantic: over 500 US ships were sunk by German submarines between January & August 1942 as they brought food and supplies to Great Britain • Americans infantry’s 1st battles were in N. Africa • June 1944, Rome surrenders to Americans

21. WWII Battles • D-Day invasion (Saving Private Ryan) on June 6, 1944 • Germany had moved in France • Dwight D. Eisenhower, Commander of the Allied Forces planned to invade France by sea • This was the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany • By the end of July, over 2 million allied forces moved into France and were liberating French cities & towns, moving east • Paris was liberated in August

22. Battle of the bulge • The last German offensive • Almost 85,000 American soldiers killed, wounded or captured • Gen. George S. Patton led reinforcements out from Belgium, forcing Germans to retreat • Germans knew defeat was near

23. The holocaust • Germany’s “Final Solution” to the Jewish “problem” • 1941-1945, over 6 million Jews were killed • When Allied forces found camps, they usually shot Nazi soldiers on the spot • During the 1930s, the US State Department made it difficult for European Jews to immigrate to the US, due to Great Depression • FDR knew camps existed in 1943, but chose not to bomb them, even though Jews wanted them bombed

24. Role of the middle east in the war: • Americans & British did not want oil reserves to fall to Germans • Fears that Germany & Japan would unite & block British access to India • US est. diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia • Americans convinced Turks to stay neutral, allowing continued allied access to the Mediterranean • American troops land in N. Africa in 1942 to plan an invasion of Italy • Americans est. ports in Iran to help Soviets: Iranians were thankful for the jobs, but complained about disregard for local customs

25. Yalta Conference • FDR, Stalin & Churchill met after FDR was elected to a 4th term in 1944 • Discussed how to structure post-war Europe • Germany would be split into 4 zones governed by US, France, Britain & Soviet Union, Berlin (located in Soviet zone) would also be divided • Stalin agreed to allow free elections in countries once controlled by Germay • Soviets joined war against Japan, once Germany surrendered • Failure of Soviet Union to adhere to these decisions leads to the Cold War • FDR gave concessions on Korea, Manchuria & outer Mongolia to Soviets in exchange for Soviet help in fighting against Japanese • FDR knew about atomic bomb at this time

26. The war against japan • By April 1942, Japan took Hong Kong & Singapore from Britain • Gen. Douglas MacArthur controlled a large American & Filipino force in the Philippines • Japanese forces land in Philippines & MacArthur forced to abandoned troops & went to Austrailia • Bataan Death March: 75,000 American & Filippino troops forced to march 60 miles in Bataan Peninsula • Over 10,000 were executed or died from weakness

27. War against japan • Battle of the Coral Sea: America’s 1st victory in Pacific, American planes launched from aircraft carriers to defeat Japanese troops planning to attack Austrailia • Battle of Midway: June 1942, Japan lost 4 aircraft carriers & over 200 planes, turning point in the war in the Pacific • Battle of Guadalcanal: August 1942 • Strategy of Island-hopping: allied ships & planes would attack by sea & air, while marines went in on foot • Japan used kamikaze pilots • 1944 Battle of Iwo Jima: America lost 25,000 soldiers • 1944 Battle of Okinawa: 50,000 American soldiers died

28. March 1945 • Allied troops crossed the Rhine River & met Russians to move into Berlin • April 25, Russians take Berlin • Hitler committed suicide on May 1 in his bunker in Berlin, & Germany surrendered 1 week later • V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) celebrations in London & Paris

29. Decision to drop the atomic bomb • After FDR died in 1945, President Truman was informed about the atomic bomb • Manhattan Project: secret project to build an atomic bomb that began in Los Alamos, NM (Aug. 1942) • 1st successful drop in NM desert in July 1945 • Aug. 6, 1945 the plane Enola Gay dropped the 1st atomic bomb on Hiroshima • Over 75,000 were killed • 3 days later, another a-bomb dropped on Nagasaki • Japan surrenders next day & America celebrates V-J Day

30. Dropping the bombs