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THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES 1877-1945

Explore the history of the United States between 1877-1945 and the events that shaped America's foreign policy, including isolationism, efforts to ease international tensions, and the rise of totalitarian dictatorships. Learn about the international background to World War Two and the factors that led to America's entry into the war.

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THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES 1877-1945

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  1. THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES 1877-1945 LECTURE 8 AMERICA AT THE EVE OF WORLD WAR TWO

  2. ABOUT THE WAR • Wartimecasualties: 17 million • 70 millionservedinarmedservicesworldwide • Death toll: 7,5 millionSoviets, 3.5 millionGermans, 1,25 millionJapanese, 400,000 Americans • 70 countriesparticipated • Total war, societiesfightingagainsteachother • Soldiers, warworkers----victims (persecutionviaoccupation, bombing, massmurder)

  3. U.S. FOREIGN POLICY BETWEEN THE WARS • -Isolationism • Rejection of Wilsonian internationalism, especially the League of Nations • Main tendencies: • -Reduction of military forces • -promotion of private enterprise instead of governmental involvement • -the use of economic means, money and trade, to achieve international stability (DollarDiplomacy)

  4. ISOLATIONISM BETWEEN THE WARS • 1936: Veterans of FutureWars: 1000 USD foreveryonebetween 18-36 toenjoybeforethenextwar • ”The people have had all the war, all the taxation, and all the military service they want," Calvin Coolidge (1925) • 1935: Students’ StrikeforPeace • Poll: 39% of studentswouldrefusetoservein a war

  5. ISOLATIONISM IN POPULAR CULTURE • "We didn't win a thing we set out for in the last war,“ "We merely succeeded, with tremendous loss of life, to make secure the loans of private bankers to the Allies” (SenGeraldNye, North Dakota) • Merchants of Death-BookoftheMonth Club • Condemnation of profiteering, U.S. wasdrawninto World WarOnebytheinternationalweaponindustry • 1935: 70% of Americanswouldreject American involvementin Europe

  6. POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD • 1921-22: Nine Asian and European nations meet • Aim: to decrease tensions in the Pacific • Result: 10 year moratorium on the construction of battle ships • Limiting the number of battle ships—first disarmament treaty

  7. EFFORTS AT EASING INTERNATIONAL TENSIONS • 1924:DawesPlan-CharlesDawes • Providing economic assistance to Germany • Reduction of reparationfrom 33 billionto 2 billion USD • -200 million dollarsloan and easier reparation terms • 1928: Kellogg-BriandPact: outlawingwaras a means of resolvingdisputes, 62 nationssignit • No legalforce, ”an internationalkiss”

  8. THE FINANCIAL MERRY-GO-ROUND • Fordney-McCumberTariff of 1922 from 27% to 35% • U.S. largestcreditor and debtor, loaned out 16 billion USD afterwar • Duringwaralliesweregivenloansintheamount of 10 billion USD • France, Britainwantloansto be writtenoff • Duetohightariffs France and BritaincannotsellgoodsinAmerica • 1931: Hoover approvesdebtsuspensionforoneyear • U.S. nevergetsrepaid

  9. INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUND TO WAR • 1922: Mussolini’s rise in Italy • 1931: Japan invades Manchuria • 1932: Hoover condemns aggression • 1933: Change of foreign policy, open alliance system, and nations are admitted to this system according to their compliance with the rules of the economic alliance. • According the Trade Reciprocity Act of 1934, the President has the authority to grant most favored status to certain nations. FDR usesthisas a weaponindealingwithbelligerentnations

  10. TOTALITARIAN DICTATORSHIPS • Communism in Soviet-Russia • Formation of the Soviet Union • Formation of the Comintern • Threats from the left • All economic and social activity is controlled by the state • Repression of individual rights, civil liberties • Governmental or common ownership of economic resources

  11. FASCISM IN ITALY • Italian empire in North Africa. • In 1912 and 1913, Italy had conquered Libya. In 1935, provoked war with Ethiopia, conquering the country in eight months. • Two years later, Mussolini sent 70,000 Italian troops to Spain to help Francisco Franco defeat the republican government in the Spanish Civil War

  12. FASCISM IN GERMANY • Hitler pulls Germany out of the League of Nations • Begins rearmament • 1935: Starts to build army and air force • 1936: Rome-Berlin Axis, reoccupation of the Rhineland

  13. FASCIST IDEOLOGY • Antisemitism • Replacement of religion with worship of the state • Totalitarian dictatorship • Racism • Extreme militant nationalism • Suppression of civil liberties

  14. COMPARISON OF FASCISM TO AMERICAN BELIEF SYSTEM • American values are against the elements of fascism • Religious tolerance • Political freedom • Representative democracy • Respect of civil liberties • Respect of the individual

  15. INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUND TO WAR • 1933: U.S. establishes diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union • 1933: Hitler assumes power in Germany • 1936: Germany reoccupies the Rhineland • 1936-1939 Spanish Civil War • 1937: Japan attacks China, armed clash at the Marco Polo Bridge, near Peking, the beginning of World War Two in Asia

  16. INTERNATIONAL BACKGROUND TO WAR • 1937: Japan joins Germany, and Italy in the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis • 1938: Hitler annexes Austria, Anschluss • 1938: Munich Conference: Britain and France allow Hitler to keep his newly occupied territories, in return for giving up on further aggression • This policy is called appeasement, giving in to the demands of the aggressor, in return for promises of ending aggressive behavior • 1939 Germany attacks Poland, • Britain and France declare war on Germany, World War Two begins in Europe

  17. THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR • 1936-1939 • Nationalists, led by Franco, helped by Germany and Italy • Republican forces, helped by Russia • First aerial attack against the city: Guernica

  18. EL VALLE LOS CAIDOS

  19. EARLY CONFLICTS IN THE PACIFIC • 1931: JapaninvadesManchuria, Hoover refusestorecognizepuppetgovernment • 1934: JapanterminatestheFivePowerNavalAct limiting thenumber of itswarships • 1937: JapanattacksChina • Brusselsconference: Action wascondemned • 1937: Japaneseattackagainst American gunboatPanay • Japanapologizes, U.S. Acceptsapology

  20. AMERICAN RESPONSE • Neutrality • 1935-1937Neutrality Acts • 1935-1938Prohibiting sale of arms and munitions to belligerents • 1937: highest neutrality sentiments • But Cash and Carry plans to help Allies, primarily Britain, France, later China and Russia • Roosevelt reelected for a third term in 1940: • U.S. must become the great arsenal of democracy

  21. AMERICAN RESPONSE • Four Freedom Speech: In the shadow of the threat of Fascism and totalitarianism U.S. fights for Four Freedoms • Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear • Lend-Lease Bill of 1940 “President can sell, transfer, exchange, lend, lease, or otherwise dispose of any arms and other equipment and supplies to any countrywhose defense he deems vital to the defense of the U.S”. First beneficiaries, Britain, China

  22. AMERICAN RESPONSE TO THE CONFLICT IN THE PACIFIC • After 1937: Deterioration of relations between Washington and Tokyo • 1940: Japan occupies Northern Indochina (obtaining oil reserves) • Response: embargo on oil, aviation fuel, scrap metal, Japanese bank accounts are frozen • 1941: Hideki Tojo, leader of militants seizes power

  23. AMERICAN RESPONSE • -JapaneseexpansioninthePacific--Militarism • Japan’s goal: the establishment of theGreater East-Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere • U.S response: embargo • 1941 December 7, Pearl Harbor • Kermit Tyler: ”Don’tworryaboutit” assumed B-17 fighterplaneswerecomingin, musicwasonradio, had no training, nostaff, cleared of wrongdoingornegligence • Followingtheattack U.S. declareswaronJapan

  24. PEARL HARBOR • Tora, Tora, Tora • Attack at 7.53. AM • 2400 servicemen and civilians were killed • 19 ships sunk, disabled, 150 planes destroyed, but Japanese could not destroy aircraft carriers and fuel depots

  25. PEARL HARBOR SPEECH • To the Congress of the United States: • Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. • Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. • With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God. • I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uCGxk-v-Mc

  26. INFAMY SPEECH

  27. PEARL HARBOR MEMORIAL USS ARIZONA

  28. ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR

  29. USS ARIZONA

  30. CAUSES OF U.S. ENTRY TO WORLD WAR TWO • Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor • Freedom of the seas doctrine • Protection of allies • Protection of international trade • Protection of democracy • Rejection of totalitarianism

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