Global War and Confrontation

Recommendations

Overview

America and the World in the 1930sWar at HomeWar AbroadEmerging Cold War

Isolationism and Neutrality Public opinion - General disillusionment with Europe

and European politics Administration:

muted criticism of Anti-Jewish laws in Germany diplomatic recognition of Soviet Union (1933) no interest in reorganizing global economy “good neighbour policy” towards Latin America Promise to effect Philippine independence within the next

decade Construction of warships

Congress: Neutrality Acts (1935-1937)

No weapons and munitions deliveries to aggressors and victims

No loans to belligerent countries No weapons and munitions deliveries to countries

suffering from civil war (Spain 1936-39) Americans should not travel on ships owned by

companies from belligerent countries, Purchase of military hardware and munitions only on

a ‘cash and carry’ basis.

Turn-Around

Fascist aggression in EuropeJapanese aggression in ChinaFDR: America can no longer be indifferent

towards “international lawlessness”

FDR: Deceiver and Preparer Aim: to prevent Hitler from dominating

Europe New conception of national security Steps:

Declaration of Panama (1939) establishes „Security Zone“ in the Americas

Loosening of Neutrality Acts June 1940: FDR declares „state of

nonbelligerency“ Sept. 1940: Destroyer-for-bases deal with

Britain Ogdensburg Agreement with Canada Introduction of the draft in peace time Promises to turn the US into „the arsenal of

democracy“

The Four Freedoms (January 1941)

freedom of opinion and speech freedom of religion freedom from want freedom from fear

Preparations for War

Lend-Lease AgreementManhattan Project

The Atlantic Charter(August 1941)

No territorial aggrandizements Self-determination (US: also for

colonies; GB: designed for Europe) “Open Door” and international

economic cooperation Just peace Disarmament Freedom of the seas

Japanese Expansion

Raw materials Expansion in China Expansion in Southeast Asia

(Indochina) Embargo against Japan by

Netherlands, Britain and US after July 1941

Pearl Harbor December 1941 Japanese invasion of Southeast

Asia (fall of Singapore February 1942)

The Home Front Overwhelming support for the war Internment of Japanese-

Americans

Strong commitment to all partners

Mobilization and Propaganda

Economic Mobilization War financing Increase in wages, net income

(135%), consumption and production

Mobilization of labor (esp. women)

Character of economy: corporate liberalism

Aircraft and Armaments Production (left graph: aircraft – right graph: total armaments)

0200004000060000

80000100000120000

140000160000180000

1939 1941 1943 1945

AlliesAxis

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1940 1941 1943

Germany

Britain

USSR

United States

Total AlliedCombatantsJapan

Total AxisCombatants

Politics and Strategy

Germany-first strategyConference at Teheran 1943: grand coalition

agrees not to make separate peace treaties.Unconditional surrender

Military Strategy Early creation of a western

front (therefore: landing in North Africa in November of 1942, landing on Sicily in the summer of 1943)

Decision to invade France in 1944

Successes were evident at first against Japan (naval battle at Midway, June 1942)

Battle in the Atlantic: high point in 1943

Legacy of FDR Believed wrongly

that cooperation with Stalin would be possible

Death of FDR on 12 April 1945

Successor: Harry S. Truman

The Decision to Drop the Bomb Japanese cities already heavily destroyed American scientists suggest a demonstration detonation Tokyo signals willingness to end the war but under

“honourable conditions” Secretary of War Stimson warns of “race war” in the event of

U.S. landing on Japanese territory Truman: wanted to save American lives A very expensive project had to be successfully concluded Helps to bring about world peace in the future Warning to the Soviets (developing cold war)

Global War and Confrontation

Results of the War (U.S. Perspective)

Lowest number of casualties produced highest degree of success 300.000 dead and 670.000 wounded Only country which emerged economically strengthened from the war Only country which had weapons of mass destruction Isolationism in the US was dead Strengthening of the office of the Presidency (executive leadership) Bureaucratization of politics (from 1.1 million to 3.4 million federal

officials) More government interference in private and public life

Results of the War: Promises and Challenges

Victory seemed to confirm the superiority of liberal capitalism and American-style democracy

Charta of the U.N. seemed to promise world peace System of Bretton Woods established dollar as leading currency and

reserve currency of the world economy Growing problems with the Soviet Union over Eastern Europe, Germany Growing problems in China and in South- and Southeast Asia War solved many problems of the international system but created new

ones

The Onset of the Cold War Growing distrist in Soviet

policies Increasing problems in

Germany Truman Doctrine Containment policy Marshall Plan Problem of Eastern Europe Founding of NATO Civil war in China Korean war