Chapter 34 The shadow of war
US declines to attend the London Conference in 1933- 66 nations were meeting to try and ease depression. FDR wanted to be able to manipulate our currency and didn’t want any agreement to tie his hands. The conference adjourned without doing anything.
To divest ourselves of the Philippines, passed Tydings-McDuffie in 1934. Phil would be indep in 1946. This was not out of the goodness of our hearts- we didn’t want the burden of safeguarding them.
Proclaims US to be a Good Neighbor in our hemisphere. Considering the ominous political conditions in Europe, FDR felt cultivating relations with LA would protect us. To show our good faith and commitment to nonintervention- we remove troops from Haiti 1934. We released our grip on Cuba- keeping Gitmo
Also in foreign policy- SoS Hull’s Reciprocal Trade Agreements. Lowered some of the barriers erected by Hawley-Smoot, by as much as 50%- if the other nation would do so in return (reciprocate) By 1939- deals with 21 countries.
Alarms from Germany, USSR, Italy and Japan boosted our isolationism. Not surprising that we opted for neutrality- the Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937. When the President proclaimed the existence of a foreign war: no American could sail on a belligerent ship (to avoid another Lusitania), could not sell or transport weapons (munitions), or make loans to a belligerent. This was a shortsighted position- had we involved ourselves earlier, the damage could have been different, and we did not distinguish between aggressors and attacked. We can see this in the Spanish civil War- which resulted in a victory for fascist Franco.
We watched while Hitler claimed land, negotiated the Non-Aggression Pact with USSR and invaded Poland. Once war was declared- we raised the neutrality flag- even though we were very anti-Hitler.
Neutrality Act of 1939 est “cash and carry” European democracies could have any weapons they could come and get (paid for in cash). These weapons sales would help our economy. The fall of France shocked us. Britain was all that stood between Hitler and the end of constitutional govt in Europe.
FDR called for the US to get ready- building weapons, passing a conscription law (draft). When Britain endured the bombings we came up with the Destroyer Deal- to send them our used ships.
FDR re-elected in 1940- what two term tradition?
Late 1940-Lend-Lease Law- to keep us out of war- sending guns to Europe- after war, they are returned or replaced. Really the end of neutrality. Now Germany will attack US shipping.
1941- Hitler attacks USSR. We offer aid to USSR. Atlantic conference- August- Churchill, FDR. A plan for a better world at war’s end. Self-determination, disarmament, new organization (UN).
Dec 7, 1941- following an embargo and freezing of Japanese assets, US insisted the Japanese get out of China. We were made aware that their choice was going to be war- but never believed they would strike Hawaii. Pearl Harbor will bring a declaration of war on Dec 11.
Would we have entered without PH? Probably.