THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S

From Isolationism to Interventionism

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S The U.S. was about to experience one of the

most turbulent decades in our young nation’s history

From financial collapse of the stock market, to the environmental drought of the dust bowl, to having a President elected for the 3rd time, the U.S. would experience highs and lows not seen before

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S The decade begins with the impact of the Stock

Market Crash of 1929

It brings record unemployment (25 million), people were reduced to living in Hoovervilles and waiting in breadlines, but a new President arrives as well.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt elected in 1932

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S FDR: The President of the U.S. throughout all of WWII

-Serves from 1933 until his death in 1945 -Only man ever elected to more than two terms -Suffered from Polio from childhood and was bound to

a wheelchair, which he hid from the public -Democrat from New York -Regarded as one of our greatest Presidents of all

time

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S To get us out of the Great Depression, FDR

implements a new policy known as the New Deal

American citizens are concerned with problems at home, so FDR must remain focused on domestic issues.

FDR continues the policy of Isolationism: The foreign policy of remaining apart or alone from other countries problems

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S This policy would work for the first half of the

decade, but as tension rose, and the Axis powers aligned, our help would be needed by our allies

The two oceans would only save us for so long from being dragged into World War II

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S

Problems first start in 1931 when Japan invades Manchuria, China. We condemn this move and our relationship with Japan starts to unravel.

Then Italy invades Ethiopia in 1935. The U.S. citizens want reassured by FDR that the U.S. will remain neutral

First Neutrality Act: 1935 law signed by FDR that forbade the U.S. from trading arms and war materials with all countries at war

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S The U.S. passed two more neutrality acts in 1936

and 1937 as the Spanish Civil War broke out, and Hitler started taking land

These acts furthered the U.S. policy of isolationism by:

1. Outlawing travel on the ships of countries at war 2. Forbade all loans to countries at war 3. No ships could transport people or articles to

warring nations

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S

As tension builds in Europe, FDR is feeling pressure to help our two biggest allies, England and France

He finds middle ground by appeasing the American people and helping our allies in 1937

Cash-n-Carry Act: Any nation at war could get supplies and materials from the U.S. if they paid cash, and carried it away on their ships (Went against the Neutrality Acts)

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S

As England and France bought supplies, the money coming in helped the U.S. slowly climb out of the Great Depression

America responds by providing military aid to the victims of aggression. This makes the U.S. the “Arsenal of Democracy”

But to this point, the U.S. still was not building up its military because they believed this would be a European war

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S By September 1939 Hitler had started WWII and

people believed it was important to help England and France, but more important to stay out of the war

FDR needs to start preparing for war, but has an election to win in November 1940

FDR easily wins the election, his third term, and immediately increases aid going to England

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S Lend-Lease Act: 1941, the U.S. could sell,

transfer, exchange, lend, or lease any equipment or arms to any country whose defense was vital to the defense of the United States

Designed to support England’s war effort without the U.S. getting involved in the war

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S

THE UNITED STATES IN THE 1930S When the war started, the hard feelings of

isolationism started to fall away

American people were still split on this war. People either claimed to be an isolationist, or an interventionist

All of that changes on December 7th, 1941