Text chapter 25

Critics of foreign policy in the 1920s often cite ISOLATIONISM as the trend, since many Americans were disillusioned as a result of involvement in “Europe’s War”

ISOLATIONISM implies that the US is not involved in international affairs

In reality, the US played a very active role in world affairs during the 1920s– even if not aligned with Wilson’s vision:

League of Nations

ISOLATIONISM: MYTH OR ISOLATIONISM: MYTH OR REALITY?REALITY?

The Washington Conference (1921)Limiting the Naval raceFive-Power PactNine-Power PactFour-Power PactThese actions limited armament of Italy and Japan, secured Japanese dominance in Asia, maintained China’s Open Door, and re-established territorial agreements among those who signed

PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED … PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED …

The Kellogg-Briand PactFrance and US officials propose a multi-lateral treaty

WARS of AGGRESSION ARE UNACCEPTABLE

Circular LoansProposed by Charles Dawes

PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED … PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED …

Montevideo (Uruguay)Conference, 1933US renounces (gives up) right to intervene in the affairs of Latin American countries

GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICYThis might be interpreted as a retreat from the Monroe Doctrine and Pan-Americanism

Also might be interpreted as signaling a movement back toward the isolationism of the 1920s

The Road to WWII: LATIN The Road to WWII: LATIN AMERICAAMERICA

Cuban revolution, 1933 Brought Fulgencio Batista to power US did not intervene Batista served as president until 1940,

then left office. He staged a coup in 1952, remained in power until the Castro revolution of 1959

After the revolution, US did grant Cuba a “favorable status” involving a US pledge to purchase Cuban sugar

US continued to keep naval base at Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo)

LATIN AMERICA

Japan invaded Manchuria

Immediate purpose was to obtain coal

Violated Kellogg-Briand Pact

Hoover refused to go along with League of Nations sanctions

Hoover refused to grant diplomatic recognition to the “new” country of Manchukuo that Japan had created out of the conquered country

MANCHURIA, 1931

Unsuccessful attempt to stabilize the currencies of nations undergoing depression.

FDR refused to let the dollar “float” in value relative to European currencies

Insisted on an objective gold standard.

Conference failure was thus blamed on Americans.

London Economic Conference, 1933

US granted diplomatic recognition to the USSR November 1933Had refused to recognize the Communist government since the 1917 Revolution

But now it was in US strategic interests to do so to counter Japanese expansion in the Pacific.

First US ambassador to the USSR was

Clarence Birdseye Birdseye tried to market his new product, quick-frozen vegetables, to Russia

USSR Relations

Tydings-McDuffie Act, 1934Filipinos had sought dominion status, which would give them some level of independence.

US promised to give it, but not immediately; promised they would become independent by July 4, 1946.

Philippines

Pledged to lower Hawley-Smoot Tariff rates for any country that would lower its tariff with the USA

By 1936, had lowered mutual tariffs with 13 countries.

Negotiated by Cordell Hull

Reciprocal Trade Agreement, 1934

Made public what many Americans had suspected: That financial considerations had played a big part in Wilson’s decision to enter WWI

German “threat” overstated Caused even more isolationist

spirit among Americans.

Nye Committee, 1934-35

Any European nation that defaulted on its debts could not sell stock in any of its companies to Americans, as long as the debt was outstanding

This affected Germany significantly, as it owed huge debts to the US

Johnson Act, 1934

USA would not sell weapons to any warring nation in Europe, regardless of who started the war

American ships carried no weapons

US Citizens urged to avoid travel to warring nations

Neutrality Act, 1935

Gave US president authority to decide what constitutes a state of war

Lets him invoke the neutrality provisions even if the warring nations never actually declared war

US won’t even lend money to a warring nation

Neutrality Act, 1935

Extended previous neutrality acts to include even civil wars

No weapons sales to belligerents No sales of any kind (food, medicine,

etc.) to belligerents unless . . .Nation paid cash (no loans) . . .And carried the merchandise on their own ships…

And no US ships were to be involved

Neutrality Act, 1937

Fascism continued to grow in Europe and Asia

Western insistence on neutrality convinced fascist countries that the non-fascist world lacked the motivation or power to stop fascist aggression

FASCISM

1936: Fascist Italy took advantage of the opportunity to take over Ethiopia

Ethiopia was rich in gold, in those days

Emperor Haile Selassie I, (“Power of the Trinity, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Lord of Lords, King of Kings of Ethiopia and Elect of God”)

The League of Nations failed to protest, as did the United States.

FASCISM

Emperor Haile Selassie I

ROME-BERLIN AXIS, 1936Benito Mussolini

Adolf Hitler

1937: Japan invaded China US gunboat Panay sunk by

Japanese during this attack. US refused to prosecute as an

“attack,” insisting instead on an apology from Japan

Many Americans urged FDR just to withdraw all Americans from China

“Don’t get involved”

CHINA

US GUNBOAT, PANAY

Chicago, 1937FDR advocates “quarantine of the aggressors”

Public reaction very unfavorable.FDR withdrew this ideaBut FDR still recognized that at some point, the US would have to act.

QUARANTINE, 1937

A NEW GERMAN THREAT

Hitler’s aggressive expansion of The Third Reich across central Europe continued

1938: Germany reunited with AustriaThis had been prohibited by the 1919 Treaty of Versailles

1938: Germany took part of Czechoslovakia (the Sudetenland) with the consent of western EuropeThe Munich Pact

A NEW GERMAN THREAT

Munich pact was hailed by Europeans and Americans

Many believed it had secured “peace in our time.”

1939: Hitler broke the pact

Claimed the rest of Czechoslovakia as German territory

Britain’s policy of “appeasement” was clearly ineffective

MUNICH FAILS

FDR and his cabinet were alarmed

The mood in the USA was generally “that’s not our affair”

But FDR knew we would have to get involved sooner or later

August 1939: Secret non-aggression pact between Hitler and Stalin

Pledged not to attack each other Each man secretly planned to break the pact Each man understood that the other was going to do

that eventually

The Road to WWII

Another corrupt bargain…

The Hitler-Stalin pact also included plans for Hitler to overtake Poland, then divide Poland between Germany and USSR.Stalin agreed only because it bought him time to get his country ready for the inevitable war with Germany.

HITLER-STALIN PACT

Hitler’s army made “Blitzkrieg” (lightning-fast war)Invaded Poland in September 1, 1939, just days after signing the pact with Stalin.FDR realized the war to wou come, and that it was his

task to get the USA mentally and militarily prepared.

LIGHTNING WAR

October 1938 – January 1939: nearly $2 billion additional appropriated for defenseFDR created a War Resources Board to plan an industrial response to future war needsDiplomatically FDR began to look for loopholes in the Neutrality Acts

ESCALATION

First step: September 1939, FDR urged Congress to allow sales of arms to nations under attack by fascism, but only on a cash-and-carry basisSecond step: FDR urged Congress to allow loans to countries being attacked by fascismOfficially, the US was still “neutral”

PREPARATION

June, 1940: Hitler’s armies quickly conquered FranceFrance was an old ally of the USMost Americans now saw Germany as a threatAmerican attitudes began to shift regarding involvement in the war to assist “our old friends.”

MEANWHILE IN EUROPE…

The “America First” Committee ardently opposed these new attitudes.Recommended that the US consider objectively whether the interests of America were served by joining the warFriendship with old allies not enough of a reason.Some anti-Semitism among “America Firsters”

AMERICA FIRST

FDR proposed the first peacetime draft in American history in September 1935Passed by CongressCalled in all men between the ages of 21 and 35

YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS HAVE SELECTED YOU…

FDR sought to aid Britain in any possible legal way

Began “lend-lease” – literally gave warships to Britain

Sometimes in exchange for promise of land

Sometimes in exchange for promise of payment “someday”

Rationale: “Don’t withhold your garden hose if your neighbor’s house is on fire”

LEND-LEASE

Polls showed Americans’ opinions gradually shifting toward involvement, away from isolationism during this time.Added bonus: stepped-up production of war materials was putting Americans back to workHelped end the Depression once and for all.

SHIFTING IDEALS

1940 electionRepublican Wendell Willkie vs. FDRFDR broke with precedent to run for a 3rd term, because of impending war.

1940 ELECTION

Willkie basically agreed with FDR on almost everythingBut by the end of the campaign he had begun to call FDR a “warmonger”But by fall of 1940 many Americans agreed with FDR regarding the war.

1940 ELECTION

August 1941: FDR and British PM Winston Churchill met secretly near NewfoundlandIssued the “Atlantic Charter”Not a declaration of war but a vision of a postwar world without fascism, with freedom and democracy for all world citizensFDR and Churchill pledged to uphold the Charter

1941

American warships patrolling the North Atlantic (to guard British shipping) were attacked by German submarinesFDR authorized all American defense ships to “shoot on sight.”1941: FDR urged all merchant ships to arm themselves against possible German attack.

1941

After conquering part of China in 1937, Japan announced that China was part of its “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity sphere.” Ended “Open Door Policy” with the West.FDR urged US loans to China for their defenseUrged Americans not to buy Japanese products.

MEANWHILE IN ASIA…

September 1940: The Axis powers (Italy and Germany) invited Japan to join the Axis via the Tripartite Pact.July 1941: USA closed the Panama Canal to traffic by any Axis nationUS ordered embargo of coal, oil, and all food products to Japan.

RELATIONS WITH JAPAN

Summer of 1941: Secretary Cordell Hull attempted negotiations with Japan to get these trade concessions restored IF Japan would remove forces from China.Japan pledged to do so, also not to make war on the US should the US join the war on the side of the Allies – even though the Tripartite Pact obligated Japan to fight the US if US entered the war

RELATIONS WITH JAPAN

Japan offered to host a summit meeting between

Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and FDR

FDR said he would attend no such meeting while Japanese troops were in China.

Meeting was never held.

RELATIONS WITH JAPAN

Peace talks continuedBut secretly Japan was planning to attack US naval forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.Purpose of the attack

Damage the newest ships in the US fleet

Intimidate the US by a demonstration of Japan’s military might

Discourage US involvement to aid European allies

RELATIONS WITH JAPAN