us foreign policy from 1920 to 1941

Foreign Policy TensionsForeign Policy Tensions

InterventionisInterventionismm

DisarmameDisarmamentnt

• Collective Collective securitysecurity

• ““Wilsonianism”Wilsonianism”

• Business Business interestsinterests

• IsolationismIsolationism

• NativistsNativists

• Anti-War movementAnti-War movement

• Conservative Conservative RepublicansRepublicans

American American IsolationismIsolationism

5 Isolationists like Isolationists like Senator Lodge, Senator Lodge, refused to allow the refused to allow the US to sign the US to sign the Versailles Treaty.Versailles Treaty.

5 Security treaty with Security treaty with France also rejected France also rejected by the Senate. by the Senate.

5 July, 1921 July, 1921 Congress passed a Congress passed a resolution declaring resolution declaring WW I officially over!WW I officially over!

Sen. Henry Cabot Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr. [R-MA]Lodge, Sr. [R-MA]

Four-Power Pact (December 13, 1921).

Britain, France, Japan and the United States agreed to submit disputessubmit disputes

among themselves over Pacific issues to a conference for resolution.

Pledged mutual respect for the possessions and mandates of other

signatories (participants) in the Pacific.

Five-Power Naval Limitation Treaty (February 6, 1922).

The leading naval powers, Britain, France, Italy, Japan and the United States pledged adherence to limitations on the tonnage of

capital ships and accepted a moratorium on new naval construction. 5-3-1 ration5-3-1 ration

Britain could only have 1 ship for every 3 ships in Japan, and Japan could only have 3

ships for every 5 ships in the U.S. Britain, U.S. and Japan agreed to dismantle some

existing vessels to meet the ratio.

Five-Power Naval Limitation Treaty

(February 6, 1922).

Agreed on a series of rules for the use of submarines in future warfare and also outlawed the use of poisonous gases as

a military weapon.

Nine-Power Treaty (February 6, 1922).

Big Four, plus Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and China endorsed the Open Door PolicyOpen Door Policy and pledged mutual respect for Chinese territorial integrity and

independence.

In the following months, the U.S. Senate ratified all of the treaties from the Washington

Conference.

The Kellogg-Briand Pact provided for outlawing waroutlawing war as an “an instrument of national policy,” and was further

notable for the following: The pact was signed in August 1928 by 15

nations.In the following months, more than 60 countries

joined in this renunciation of war. The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee

studied the matter and issued a report that maintained that the pact did not impair the nation’s

ability to act to protect the Monroe Doctrine. US Senate ratified this treaty.

Afghanistan Finland Peru

Albania Guatemala Portugal

Austria Hungary Rumania

Bulgaria Iceland Russia

China Latvia Kingdom of the Serbs

Cuba Liberia Croats and Slovenes

Denmark Lithuania Siam

Dominican Republic Netherlands Spain

Egypt Nicaragua Sweden

Estonia Norway Turkey

Ethiopia Panama

Additional countries which join by July 24, 1929. Persia, July 2, 1929; Greece, August 3, 1929; Honduras, August 6, 1929; Chile, August 12, 1929; Luxemburg

August 14, 1929; Danzig, September 11, 1929; Costa Rica, October 1, 1929; Venezuela, October 24, 1929.

The Kellogg-Briand Pact provided for outlawing war as an “an instrument of

national policy,” and was further notable for the following:

Major problems with this treatyMajor problems with this treaty 1. No enforcement mechanism was provided for changing the

behavior of warring signatories.

2. The agreement was interpreted by most of the signatories to permit “defensive” war.

3. No expiration date was provided.

4. No provision existed for amending the agreement was included.

FDR’s “Good Neighbor” PolicyFDR’s “Good Neighbor” Policy

Important to have all nations in the Western Hemisphere united in lieu of foreign aggressions.

FDR The good neighbor respects himself and the rights of others.

Policy of non-intervention and cooperation.

Hoover-Stimpson DoctrineHoover-Stimpson Doctrine(1932)(1932) US would not recognize any territorial

acquisitions that were achieved by force.

Japan was infuriated because the US hadconquered new territories a few decades earlier.

Japan bombed Shanghai in 1932 massive casualties.

FDR Recognizes the Soviet FDR Recognizes the Soviet UnionUnion (late 1933)(late 1933)

FDR felt that recognizing Moscow might bolster the US against Japan.

Maybe trade with the USSR would help the US economy during the Depression.

Ludlow Amendment (1938)Ludlow Amendment (1938)

A proposed amendment to the Constitution that called for a national referendum on any declaration of war by Congress.

Introduced several times by Congressman Ludlow.

Never actually passed.

Congressman Louis LudlowCongressman Louis Ludlow[D-IN][D-IN]

•1935: prohibited arms shipments to all belligerent countries.

•1936: forbid loans to all belligerents

•1939: prohibited Americans from

traveling on ships of belligerent nations

•1935: prohibited arms shipments to all belligerent countries.

•1936: forbid loans to all belligerents

•1939: prohibited Americans from

traveling on ships of belligerent nations

Neutral

•FDR responds to Fascist aggression in Europe by protecting democracies and preparing the US for

war…..BUT TRYING TO REMAIN ISOLATED AND NEUTRAL

•FDR responds to Fascist aggression in Europe by protecting democracies and preparing the US for

war…..BUT TRYING TO REMAIN ISOLATED AND NEUTRAL

1939 Cash – Carry Program Any nation can 1939 Cash – Carry Program Any nation can buy from US as long as they pay cash and buy from US as long as they pay cash and Carry it back to EuropeCarry it back to Europe

1940 Destroyer for Bases deal - Brits need 1940 Destroyer for Bases deal - Brits need submarine hunters, US has a bunch of old submarine hunters, US has a bunch of old destroyers in dry dock. destroyers in dry dock.

•US trades the Brits the ships for leases and US trades the Brits the ships for leases and bases in the Caribbeanbases in the Caribbean

•FDR talking neutrality but prepares for warFDR talking neutrality but prepares for war

•Americans wanted to remain neutral.

•America First Committee

•Committee to Defend America by Aiding the

Allies

•Feb. 21, 1940:Feb. 21, 1940: If Germany is defeating

England & France, should the U.S. declare war on Germany and send our

Army and Navy to Europe to fight against Hitler?

Yes: 23% Yes: 23% No 77%No 77%

•Americans wanted to remain neutral.

•America First Committee

•Committee to Defend America by Aiding the

Allies

•Feb. 21, 1940:Feb. 21, 1940: If Germany is defeating

England & France, should the U.S. declare war on Germany and send our

Army and Navy to Europe to fight against Hitler?

Yes: 23% Yes: 23% No 77%No 77%

Neutral

LEND LEASE

•RENTING, LEASING, GIVING BRITAIN AND LATER SOVIET UNION AND CHINA, MILITARY WEAPONS TO

ARM THEM AGAINST THE GERMANS AND JAPANESE…

•FDR’s FINAL ATTEMPT TO REMAIN NEUTRAL!

•USA BECOMES THE “ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY”

•“If your neighbor’s house is on fire you lend them a garden hose, you do not ask when you are going

to get it back” FDR

Great Britain.........................$31 Great Britain.........................$31 billionbillionSoviet Union...........................$11 Soviet Union...........................$11 billionbillionFrance......................................$ 3 France......................................$ 3 billionbillionChina.......................................$1.5 China.......................................$1.5 billionbillionOther European.................$500 Other European.................$500 millionmillionSouth America...................$400 South America...................$400 millionmillion

The amount totaled: The amount totaled: $48,601,365,000$48,601,365,000

Great Britain.........................$31 Great Britain.........................$31 billionbillionSoviet Union...........................$11 Soviet Union...........................$11 billionbillionFrance......................................$ 3 France......................................$ 3 billionbillionChina.......................................$1.5 China.......................................$1.5 billionbillionOther European.................$500 Other European.................$500 millionmillionSouth America...................$400 South America...................$400 millionmillion

The amount totaled: The amount totaled: $48,601,365,000$48,601,365,000

U. S. Lend-Lease Act,U. S. Lend-Lease Act,1941, “ US becomes the arsenal 1941, “ US becomes the arsenal

of democracy”of democracy”

U. S. Lend-Lease Act,U. S. Lend-Lease Act,1941, “ US becomes the arsenal 1941, “ US becomes the arsenal

of democracy”of democracy”

US offered Lend Lease as a last defense to stay out of war. It was given to Britain during the Battle of Britain in 1940, the Soviet Union after Hitler’s invasion in 1941 and China. The US became the “arsenal of democracy”.

lend lease

atlantic1

•FDR and Winston

Churchill meet on the USS

Augusta in the North Atlantic to sign the Atlantic Charter, August

12, 1941.

•They met together to make known certain common principles of their respective

countries on which they base their hopes for a better future

for the world.

atlantic1

FIRST, we seek not conquest of land or territory…..

SECOND, no territorial changes of land between nations.

THIRD, Restoration of sovereign rights and self-government

FOURTH, Access to raw materials for all

FIFTH, World economic cooperation

SIXTH, Freedom from fear and want

SEVENTH, freedom of the seas

EIGHTH, Disarmament of aggressors

NINTH, a United Nations for world peace.

• Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

• Commander of the Japanese Navy

• Responsible for the success of the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor.

WWII Military Leaders

• Captain Mitsuo Fuchida

• Led the attack at Pearl Harbor.

• “Tora, Tora, Tora”

• “Attack, Attack, Attack”

In less than 2 hours, the Pacific Fleet lost two battleships, six others were heavily battered and nearly a dozen

lesser vessels put out of action.More than 150 planes were wrecked; over 2,300 servicemen were killed and

1,100 wounded.Blame was widespread, both on the

Officials in Washington and on the Admiral and the General in Hawaii.

•After FDR’s Day of Infamy speech

asking for a declaration of war

against Japan, Congress approved the declaration….

•FDR signed the declaration of war against Japan on

Dec. 8, 1941

•After FDR’s Day of Infamy speech

asking for a declaration of war

against Japan, Congress approved the declaration….

•FDR signed the declaration of war against Japan on

Dec. 8, 1941