Text B    The Origins of World War II

America and Isolationism

When events began happening in Europe that would eventually lead to World War II, many Americans to an increasingly hard line towards getting involved. The events of World War I had fed into America’s natural desire to isolationism, and this was reflected by the passage of Neutrality Acts along with the general hands off approach to the events that unfolded on the world stage.

 

Increasing tensions

While America was wallowing in neutrality and isolationism, events were occurring in Europe and Asia that were causing increasing tension across the regions. These events included:

 

    ●Totalitarianism as a form of government in the U. S. S. R. (Joseph  

      Stalin), Italy (Benito Mussolini), Germany (Adolf Hitler), and Spain 

      (Francisco Franco).

●A move towards fascism in Japan.

    ●The creation of Manchukuo, Japan’s puppet government in M 

       anchuria, beginning the war in China.

●The conquest of Ethiopia by Mussolini. 

●Revolution in Spain led by Francisco Franco. 

●Germany’s continuing expansion including taking the Rhineland. 

●The worldwide Great Depression. 

●World War I allies with large debts, many of which were not           

   paying  them off.

 

America passed the Neutrality Acts in 1935--1937. These created an embargo on all war item shipments. Americas were not allowed to travel on belligerent ships and no belligerents were allowed loans in the United States.

 

The Road to War

The actual war in Europe itself began with a series of events:

●Germany took Austria (1938) and the Sudetenland (1938)

    ●The Munich Pact was created (1938) with England and France agreeing 

       to allow Hitler to keep the Sudetenland as long as no further expansion 

       occurred.

    ●Hitler and Mussolini created the Rome-Berlin Axis military alliance to  

      last 10 years (1939)

    ●Japan entered an alliance with Germany and Italy (1939)

    ●The Moscow-Berlin Pact occurred promising nonaggression between 

      the two powers (1939)

    ●Hitler invaded Poland (1939)

    ●England and France declared war on Germany (September30, 1939).

 

The Changing American Attitude

At this time despite Franklin Roosevelt’s desire to help the “allies" (France and Great Britain), the only concession（让步） America made was to allow the sale of arms on a “cash and carry” basis. Hitler continued to expand taking Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Belgium. In June, 1940，France fell to Germany. Obviously, this quick expansion got America nervous and the military began to be built up.

 

The final break in isolationism began with the Lend Lease Act (1941) whereby America was allowed to “sell, transfer title to（转让给）, exchange, lease, lend, or otherwise dispose of, to any such government… any defense article.” Great Britain promised not to export any of the lend lease materials: After this, America built a base on Greenland and then issued the Atlantic Charter (August 14, 1941) — a joint declaration between Great Britain and the U.S. about the purposes of war against fascism. The Battle of the Atlantic began with German U-Boats wreaking havoc. This battle would last throughout the war.

 

The real event that changed America into a nation actively at war was the attack on  Pearl Harbor. This was precipitated（突然降临） in July 1939 when FDR announced that the U.S. would no longer trade items such as gasoline and iron to Japan who needed it for their war with China. In July 1941, the Rome Berlin-Tokyo Axis was created. The Japanese began occupying French Indonesia and the Philippines. A11 Japanese assets were frozen in the U.S. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor killing over 2,000 people and damaging or destroying 8 battleships greatly harming the Pacific fleet. America officially entered the war and now had to fight on two fronts: Europe and the Pacific.

 

 

1. Questions for Discussion or Reflection

(1) Why did Americans take an attitude of not getting involved in the 

     world events?

(2) What were the Neutrality Acts about?

(3) How did America feel about German expansion in Europe?

(4) What move did America make to break isolationism?

(5) What is the casualty of the attack on Pearl Harbor?

 

2. Multiple-Choice Questions

   (1) The events that occurred in Europe and Asia and caused increasing 

         tension across the regions do NOT include ___________.

   A. the worldwide economic recession

   B. revolution in Spain led by Francisco Franco

   C. the continuing expansion of Germany

   D. the surrender of Japan in China

(2) The war in Europe began with a series of events which 

      included __________.

   A. declaration of war by England and France on Japan

   B. Japan's entry into the Fascism alliance with Germany and Italy.

   C. German occupation of Austria and the Sudetenland

   D. the Moscow-Berlin Pact

(3) Which of the following descriptions is NOT attributable to the change 

      of  the American attitude?

   A. America sold arms based on a “cash and carry” policy.

   B. The Lend Lease Act finally broke the isolationism.

   C. Great Britain built a base on Greenland and then issued the 

       Atlantic Charter.

   D. The attack on Pearl Harbor turned America into a nation active in 

        the war.