AMERICA AND THE WORLD, 1921-1945

America: Past and Present

Chapter 27

Retreat, Reversal, and Rivalry

1920s--American diplomacy permeated by a sense of disillusionment

U.S. refuses to be bound by any agreement to preserve international peace

Retreat in Europe

U.S. quarrels with former allies over repayment of $10 billion in wartime loans

U.S. never joined the League of NationsU.S. refuses recognition of Soviet Union

Cooperation in Latin America

Coolidge, Hoover, FDR substitute cooperation for military coercion

FDR’s "Good Neighbor" policy renounces past imperialism

U.S. continues political, economic domination of Latin America

Rivalry in Asia

1920--Japanese occupy Korea, parts of Manchuria

U.S. Open Door policy blocks Japanese dominance of China

Rivalry in Asia:Washington Conference of 1921

England agrees to U.S. naval equality Japan accepted as third largest naval

powerAll nations agree to limit naval constructionNine-Power Treaty--Open Door Policy

reaffirmedFour-Power Treaty--establishes alliance

among U.S., Great Britain, Japan, France

Isolationism

Depression shifts focus to domestic affairs

Rise of militaristic regimes threatens war– Germany– Italy– Japan

The Lure of Pacifism and Neutrality

Most Americans resolved against another meaningless war

1935--Senator Gerald Nye leads passage of neutrality legislation – U.S. trade with nations at war prohibited– U.S. loans to nations at war prohibited

1937--Japan invades ChinaFDR permits sale of arms to China

War in Europe

FDR approves appeasement of Hitler1938--Hitler seizes CzechoslovakiaFDR attempts to revise the neutrality

acts, to give edge to England, FranceJuly, 1939--FDR attacks neutrality actsSeptember 1939--W.W.II begins,

Roosevelt declares the acts in force

The Road to War

U.S. remains at peace 1939-1941Popular sympathy for Allies, distaste for

Germany and JapanRoosevelt openly expresses favor for

Allies, moves cautiously to avoid isolationist outcry

From Neutrality to Undeclared War

1939-41--FDR seeks help for England without actually entering the war

November, 1939--belligerents may buy U.S. goods on "cash and carry" basis

1940--German occupation of France

From Neutrality to Undeclared War: Increased Aid to England

U.S. gives or loans war supplies U.S. ships transport war suppliesEventual consensus that a Nazi victory

in Europe would threaten western civilization

Showdown in the Pacific

1937--Japanese occupation of coastal China

U.S. limits exports to Japan of strategic materials

1940--Japan allies with Germany, Italy Japanese invasion of Indochina

prompts U.S. to end all trade

Showdown in the Pacific:Pearl Harbor

1941--U.S.-Japanese negotiations Japan’s demands

– free hand in China – restoration of normal trade relations

U.S. demands Japanese troops out of China

December 7, 1941--Pearl Harbor attackedDecember 8--War declared

Turning the Tide Against the Axis

December, 1941--Axis on the offensive 1942-43--U.S., England, Russia fight to

seize the initiative1944-45--offensive to crush Axis

Wartime Partnerships

U.S.-English alliance cemented by personal friendship between FDR and Churchill

Soviet Union unsatisfied with allianceSoviet Union often feels alone in conflictWartime tensions persist after victory

Halting the German Blitz

November 1942--U.S. invades North Africa

May 1943--U.S., England invade Italy– Mussolini falls from power– slow advance up the Italian peninsula

Summer, 1943--Battle of Stalingrad – Russia defeats Germans– begins advance into eastern Europe

Checking Japan in the Pacific

Two-pronged drive against Japan– Douglas MacArthur leads drive through

New Guinea to the Philippines– Chester Nimitz leads navy westward from

Pearl Harbor to the Philippines

June, 1942--victory at Midway launches advance into Japanese-held territories

World War II in the Pacific

The Home Front

War ends depression Economy geared for military outputAutomobile factories converted to tank

and airplane productionWomen moved into the workplaceDemographic shifts

The Arsenal of Democracy

Scarce goods rationed Income of lowest-paid laborers

increases faster than the rich High savings rate lays basis for postwar

prosperity

A Nation on the Move

Wartime migration South and WestEarly marriages, increased birth ratesFamily-related social problems

– housing shortages– more divorces– neglected children

A Nation on the Move: Improving Conditions

Women’s income increases 50%African Americans

– equal opportunities in war-related industry– surging migration from the rural South

Mexican-Americans take urban factory jobs

A Nation on the Move: Japanese Internment

120,000 Japanese moved from the West Coast to detention camps

1944--Supreme Court rejects appeal for release

1988--Congress votes indemnity of $1.2 billion for survivors

Japanese American Internment Camps

Win-the-War Politics

1942--Republican-Southern Democrat coalition controls Congress

November, 1944--Truman attracts moderates, FDR wins fourth term

Victory

June 6, 1944--Normandy InvasionApril 25, 1945--U.S., Russian forces

meet at TorgauMay 7, 1945--unconditional German

surrender

War Aims and Wartime Diplomacy

Russia claims eastern Europe as prize for conquest of Germany

U.S. seeks collective security arrangement including the United Nations

Yalta, Potsdam conferences clarify U.S., Soviet differences

April 12, 1945--FDR dies

World War II in Europe and North Africa

Triumph and Tragedy in the Pacific

June 21, 1945--U.S. capture Okinawa, complete control of Pacific

May-August--intense air attacks on JapanAugust 6--atom bomb destroys HiroshimaAugust 9--atom bomb destroys NagasakiAugust 14--Japan surrenders

The Transforming Power of War

U.S. the most powerful nation on earthUnprecedented economic prosperityFederal government a permanent force

in daily life