Road To Pearl Harbor

The Road To Pearl Harbor Chapter 26: The United States in a Troubled World, 1920–1941

Ch. 26: United States in a Troubled World, 1920–1941 ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

Pursue stable world order via independent internationalism, not withdraw from world Isolationist only in that USA want to avoid war/entanglements, esp. in Europe Try non-military methods to shape world Depression & foreign aggression undermine US efforts to build stable world FDR & others argue German/Japanese expansion (for autarky) threaten USA

I. Searching for Peace & Order in the 1920s ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

WWI devastates Europe; new League weak Many peace societies form in USA Peace groups differ over how to prevent war Washington Conference (1921–22) = US attempt to slow arms race & stabilize Asia 5-Power Treaty (on capital ships) slow arms race between USA, England, and Japan

I. Searching for Peace & Order in the 1920s (cont.) ➲ ➲

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9-Power Treaty affirms Open Door in China In 4-Power Treaty, USA, England, Japan, & France respect each other’s Pacific possessions Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) outlaws war Like Washington Treaties, no enforcement power Washington Conference & Kellogg Pact reflect popular disillusionment with war

II. Economic & Cultural Expansion ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

US leaders assume US economic expansion abroad will create stable world By 1920s, USA = prominent world creditor, manufacturer, exporter, investor US products, including movies, saturate globe Foreign reaction to “Americanization” mixed USGov’t assists cultural & economic expansion ITT, RCA, AP, Pan American

III. War Debts & German Reparations ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

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Allies owe $9.6 billion to US Gov’t Want USA to forgive debt; US leaders refuse German reparations to Allies = $33 billion USA fear German default, then radicalism Triangle: US banks make loans to Germany; Germans pay Allies; then Allies pay US Gov’t When US banks prefer stocks, system weaken Collapse with onset of Depression

IV. Decline in Trade ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

In response to high US tariffs, other nations hike tariffs; global trade declines Hull (FDR’s Secretary of State) insist lower tariffs will help US economy Prevent wars caused by economic competition Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act (1934) institute most-favored-nation principle US Export-Import Bank help trade with loans

V. US Recognition of the Soviet Union (1933) ➲

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During 1920s, US Gov’t refuses to recognize USSR Late 1920s, US businesses trade with USSR FDR hopes recognition will increase trade Also hopes to deter Japanese

VI. US Dominance in Latin America ➲ ➲

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US dominance (economic, military, political) grows after 1920 (see Map 26.1) In response to growing nationalist protests, USA uses less overt means to keep control FDR’s Good Neighbor Policy Withdraw troops (Haiti, Nicaragua) Endorse non-interventionism, consultation

VI. US Dominance in Latin America (cont.) ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

USA backs local dictators (Trujillo, Batista) Use dictators to protect/promote US interests Mexico offers most serious challenge to USA Mexico seeks control of its raw materials Fearing Mexican-Axis trade, FDR compromises Mexico can control its land/oil (1942) FDR reduces anti-Americanism without loss of US power/influence

VII. German Aggression under Hitler ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

During Depression, Germans turn to Hitler (1933) & fascism (supremacy of state) Nazis revive economy/military for expansion Reject Versailles Treaty; ally with Italy, Japan, ‘36 England & France respond with appeasement Hitler continue to expand (Rhineland, 1936; Austria, 1938; Sudeten, 1938; Czech, 1939) Hitler & Mussolini help Franco win, 1936–39

Anschluss ➲

Voting ballot from 10 April 1938. The ballot text reads "Do you agree with the reunification of Austria with the German Reich that was enacted on 13 March 1938, and do you vote for the party of our leader Adolf Hitler?," the large circle is labelled "Yes," the smaller "No."

Reichgaue

VIII. Isolationist Views in the USA ➲ ➲ ➲

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Oppose another war; diverse movement Attract majority of Americans Nye Committee (1934–36) reflects suspicions about WWI & animosity to war industries Neutrality acts try to avoid repeat of WWI 1935 Act bans arms sales to belligerents 1936 Act bans loans to belligerents 1937 Act bans US travel on belligerent ships

IX. Roosevelt’s Evolving Views ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

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1937 Act also mandates cash-&-carry trade Prior to WWI, FDR an interventionist After WWI, FDR shares isolationist views But FDR increasingly worries that German, Italian, & Japanese aggression threaten USA Begins rearmament Cautious in response to Hitler’s antiSemitism Voyage of St. Louis (1939)

X. Poland & the Outbreak of World War II ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

After Munich agreement fails in 1939, France & England warn Hitler not to invade Poland FDR agree appeasement dead with fall of Czech Hitler & Stalin agree to divide East Europe Hitler attack Poland (Sept. 1939) England & France declare war on Germany USA repeal ‘35 Act to allow arms sales (1939) FDR want to aid Allies with methods short of war

The Blitzkrieg into Poland

Stuka dive bombers over Poland

XI. Japan, China, & a New Order in Asia ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

US interests: possessions, missionaries, trade, Open Door, & “friend” to China Like Japanese, Chinese resist westerners Anticommunist Jiang (Chiang) gains US support (late 1920s) but this threaten Japan Japan want to secure control of raw materials Also push white imperialists out of Asia Japan/USA conflict over immigration & trade

Japanese Invasion of Manchuria, 1931

XII. Manchurian Crisis; FDR’s Quarantine Speech ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

Japan’s conquest (1931) upsets USA No power to stop it; use nonrecognition Sino-Japanese tensions result in war (1937) FDR allow China to buy arms (not invoke Neutrality Acts); denounce aggressors Late 1930s, USA helps China (loans) Hesitates on economic sanctions against Japan Fear provoking war when Hitler greater threat

XIII. Foreign Policy Debate, 1939–1941 ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

Public opinion ambiguous Oppose aggression, aid Allies, but stay out of war Vigorous debate with widespread participation New organizations (America First Committee) Debate escalate after dramatic German victories, esp. Fall of France (May/June, 1940) Many Americans fear that if England fall, Germany could threaten USA

America First!

XIV. FDR & Aid to Allies ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

FDR gradually move USA from neutrality to undeclared war against Germany Fall 1940: USA swap 50 destroyers for bases Also institute first peacetime draft Spring 1941: pass Lend Lease (loan materials to Allies without US entry into war) FDR order Navy to patrol ½ of Atlantic Offer Lend Lease to USSR after June 1941

Royal Navy “Tars” learn the ropes of their newly acquired ex-USN destroyers

Lend-Lease & Flow of Materials

XV. Atlantic Charter (Aug. 1941); USS Greer Incident (Sept.), USS Reuben James (Oct. 31, '41) ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

FDR & Churchill agree on war aims FDR tell Churchill he will “force an incident” FDR uses German attack on USS Greer Announce Navy will escort ships to England and will “shoot on sight” Congress scrap cash-&-carry completely Allow armed US merchant ships to transport munitions to England USS Reuben James sunk off Iceland

XVI. FDR & Japan, 1940–41 ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

Not want war with Japan (Hitler = greater threat) But oppose Japanese expansion Embargo aviation fuel & scrap metal after Japan sign Tripartite Pact (Sept. 1940) When Japan take French Indochina (July ‘41), USA embargo oil Reject Konoye-FDR summit Before any summit, insist Japan honor Open Door (withdraw from China)

US Fuel Embargo vs. Japan

XVII. US Demands on Japan; Attack on Pearl Harbor (1941) ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

FDR accept Hull’s hard-line policy on Japan Risk war to thwart further aggression Japan launch surprise air attack (Dec. 7) Kill 2403; wound 1178 Sink/damage 8 battleships; destroy 160 aircraft US carriers escape damage

Movements of Imperial Japanese Naval Task Force For Pearl Harbor Attack

Japanese carrier Kaga in heavy seas on way to attack Pearl Harbor

Imperial Japanese Naval Air Forces Planes preparing attack

Battleship Row, 7 Dec 1941

USS West Virginia being hit by torpedo (from attack plane)

Battleship Row after the attack

USS Utah took a torpedo early on in the attack

USS Oklahoma

FDR signing the congressional declaration of war, 8 Dec 1941

XVIII. Explaining Pearl Harbor ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

Mistakes & lack of information explain tragedy No “back door” conspiracy by FDR Intercepts tell USA war imminent, but no military plans & no mention of Pearl Harbor Assume Hawaii safe because it’s so far from Japan US leaders expect attack in Southeast Asia Warning message to put Pearl Harbor on red alert mistakenly sent by slow method

XIX. Clash of Systems ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

Germany & Japan want to divide world into closed spheres of influence (autarky) USA seek liberal capitalist world with free trade Want to expand democracy Axis embrace authoritarianism & militarism Axis charge USA with double standard USA claim its expansion/empire (Latin America) benefit USA and whole world

XX. Avoidable War? ➲ ➲ ➲ ➲

Incompatible objectives block diplomacy Still debate on whether the USA could have avoided war Esp. with Japan via greater US flexibility, fall ’41 Delay war with Japan to concentrate on Europe