The US & World War II�Who’s to blame for US Involvement ?

U.S. Policy: Isolation & Neutrality

• Responding to the isolationist sentiment, Congress passed the Neutrality Act of 1935. The Act:

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• Prohibited the sale of weapons to warring nations and was meant to keep the U.S. from forming alliances that might drag the nation to war.

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U.S. Policy: Isolation and Neutrality

President Roosevelt— FDR

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Knew that it would be difficult for the U.S. to stay out of a conflict in Europe.

World War II Begins in Europe

• Hitler believed the German people needed lebensraum, which means “living space”.
• He intended to achieve this goal by conquering the Soviet Union, use its land for the German people, and control its rich natural resources.

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WWII Begins in Europe

• Hitler signed a non-aggression pact with Joseph Stalin.
• The pact was an agreement that neither country would attack the other.
• Both men believed the pact was a strategic move:
• Hitler saw it as a way to keep the USSR from attacking Germany
• Stalin saw it as a way to provide the USSR with time to prepare for Germany’s possible invasion.

Turn & Talk:

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Why did Hitler and Stalin sign the non-aggression pact?

WWII Begins in Europe

• On September 1, 1939 Hitler’s army invaded Poland.
• The new type of military strategy the Germans used is called blitzkrieg (meaning “lightning war”).
• This strategy involved striking fast and hard with tanks and airplanes, catching other nations off guard and allowed Germany to quickly overwhelm the nations it invaded.

The Lend-Lease Act

• 1941: Roosevelt is convinced that the U.S. cannot stay out of the war much longer, even though most citizens favor neutrality.
• Evokes the policy of Cash and Carry – must buy with cash and pick it up yourself.
• March 1941: Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act, which enables the president to send aid to any nation whose defense is considered vital to the United States’ national security. This enables the U.S. to aid Great Britain.

The Lend-Lease Act

• One of the greatest dangers to the U.S. Lend-Lease policy was the German U-boats,
• which were submarines that traveled underwater and could torpedo and sank ships believed to be carrying weapons and supplies to Great Britain.

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The Lend-Lease Act

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• To help carry out Lend-Lease trade, the United States manufactured Liberty Ships,
• which were cargo ships especially for the purpose of transporting U.S. goods to Great Britain to support its war effort against the Nazis.

Turn & Talk:

1.How did the US help the Allies without getting officially involved in the war?

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2. What are the differences and similarities between US pre-WWI and pre-WWII?

The U.S. Enters War: �Pearl Harbor

The U.S. Enters War: �Pearl Harbor

• Japan had become an imperialist force in Eastern Asia.
• Its military invaded foreign territories in the region with the goal of gaining resources.
• In 1941, when Japan set its sights on conquering more of Eastern and Southeast Asia, the United States imposed an embargo on oil and steel.
• After the embargo, Japan set its sights on going after the rich natural resources of the Dutch East Indies.

Events Leading to the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor Hawaii

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• The attack on U.S. military forces of the at Pearl Harbor Hawaii did not just happen nor was it a quick reaction to initiatives instituted by President Roosevelt.
• The Japanese believed that they were being pushed into a corner by Roosevelt and felt that they must act to protect the Empire.

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1938 - October

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• With the continued German military rearmament program and European leadership capitulation at the Munich conference, President Roosevelt asked Congress for $500 Million to increase America's defence forces.

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• This action was done because he believed that Germany was a threat to the U.S. The Japanese saw this build up as a direct threat to their Empire because, the U.S. was the only country in the Pacific which could impede their expansion.

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1939 - February

• Japan continues its conquest of China by occupying Hainan Island of the Southern coast.
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• Because the U.S. was the primary military threat in the Pacific, Japan had prepared war plans to deal with this problem, the U.S. had similar war plans aimed at Japan.
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• The Japanese plan was to conduct one large naval battle against the American Navy, destroying it, resulting in the inability of the U.S. to interfere with Japanese expansion throughout Asia.

1940 - January

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• Some time between January and March 1940 Yamamoto devised his plan to destroy the U.S. Navy in Hawaii and demoralize the American people.
• When asked the question 'Why did Yamamoto think that this attack would crush American morale since he knew them?' but he does not answer his own question.
• No actions were implemented to put the plan in action.

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1941 - July

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• Trade sanctions followed by a trade embargo were imposed resulting in increased ill-will and additional political problems with Japan.
• These trade actions were imposed because Roosevelt was attempting to stop Japanese expansion.

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1941 - March

• Nagao Kita, Honolulu's new Consul General arrives on Oahu with Takeo Yoshikawa, a trained spy.
• As the military of both countries prepared for possible war, the planners needed information about the opponent.
• The U.S. knew that Hawaii was full of Japanese intelligence officers but because of our constitutional rights very little could be done.
• Untrained agents like Kohichi Seki, the Honolulu consulate's treasurer, traveled around the island noting all types of information about the movement of the fleet.
• When the attack occurred the Japanese had a very clear picture of Pearl Harbor and where individual ships were moored.

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1941 - November

• Tokyo sends Saburo Kurusu, an experienced diplomat to washington as a special envoy to assist Ambassador Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura, who continued to seek a diplomatic solution.
• Japan wanted the U.S. to agree to its southern expansion diplomatically but if they were unsuccessful , they would go to war.
• On the 16th the first units,submarines, involved in the attack departed Japan.
• On the 26th the main body, aircraft carriers and escorts, began the transit to Hawaii.

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December 7, 1941

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• At 0750, Hawaiian time, the first wave of Japanesee aircraft began the attack.
• Along with the ships in Pearl Harbor, the air stations at Hickam, Wheeler, Ford Island, Kaneohe and Ewa Field were attacked.
• For two hours and twenty minutes, Japanese aircraft bombed and shot up these military targets.
• When the second wave returned to their carriers ,
• 2403 people had been killed and 1178 were wounded. Eighteen ships of different sizes had been sunk or damaged and 77 aircraft of all types had been destroyed.

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The U.S. Enters War: �Pearl Harbor

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Summarized

• Japan viewed the U.S. naval fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii as a threat to its ability to conquer the territories it wanted.
• It didn’t want war, but it didn’t want to be shown up either

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The U.S. Enters War:�Pearl Harbor

• The United States believed the Japanese would attack but did not know where.
• They believed that the waters of Pearl Harbor would be too shallow for Japanese planes to drop torpedoes.

December 8, 1941

• Both houses of Congress approved a declaration of war against Japan and later against Germany and Italy as well.

December 8, 1941