AMERICA ON THE SIDELINES: The U.S.

and World Affairs 1931-1941

EQ: How much did U.S. foreign policy in the 1930s help to promote World War II?

Directions: Today you will be examining U.S. foreign policy and world events from 1931-1941 by
accessing an interactive timeline: http://teachingamericanhistory.org/static/neh/interactives/neutrality/
This interactive timeline allows you to read descriptions of events during the time period and prompts you
to choose a possible response. Guess which action you think the U.S. took in each case. Continue
guessing until you choose the correct response. Once you choose the correct response, it will provide you
with further information about the outcome of each event and response. Write down the correct course of
action taken by the United States in each case. This worksheet will help you to organize the events as
they occurred. You are expected to fill out the worksheet completely and save this worksheet as it will
be used in upcoming lessons. It will count for 10 homework points.

First, ENTER EUROPE…

October 1933 – Germany withdraws from disarmament talks

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

[April 1934 – After investigating the causes of U.S. involvement in WWI, a Senate committee (the Nye
committee) determined that munitions profits caused U.S. entry into WWI which led to American anger
and increased support for isolationism in foreign affairs.]

March 1935 – Hitler repudiates Versailles Treaty

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

October 1935 – Italian invasion of Ethiopia

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What was the president now authorized to do? _________________________________________

March 1936 – Germany reoccupies the Rhineland

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

July 1936 – Civil war breaks out in Spain (1936-1939)

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What specific changes were made? ______________________________________________
Who was in power after the Spanish Civil War? ____________________________________

March 1938 – Germany annexes Austria (Anschluss)

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

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 AMERICA ON THE SIDELINES: The U.S. and World Affairs 1931-1941

September 1938 – Czech Crisis and Munich Conference

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What was decided at the Munich Conference? _________________________________________

What do you think of this decision? _________________________________________________

October 1938 – Germany threatens Poland

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

March 1939 – Germany dismembers Czechoslovakia

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What did this show about the Munich conference? __________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

April 1939 – Italy invades Albania

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

[August 1939 – Germany and the Soviet Union sign a Non-Aggression Pact, secretly agreeing to divide
Poland once invaded.]

September 1939 – Germany invades Poland – WORLD WAR II BEGINS

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What specific changes were made? ______________________________________________

April 1940 – Germany invades Denmark and Norway

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

Who became prime minister in Great Britain? _____________________________________

May 1940 – Germany invades Low Countries and France

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What specifically did the U.S. do? _______________________________________________

June 1940 – France surrenders

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What deal was made? _________________________________________________________

September 1940 – Start of the “Blitz”

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

October 1940 – Italy invades Greece

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

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 AMERICA ON THE SIDELINES: The U.S. and World Affairs 1931-1941

Dr. Seuss criticizes

American
isolationism, 1941

January 1941 – British gold reserves run low

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What did FDR propose and what metaphor did he use? ______________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

April 1941 – Germany invades Yugoslavia and Greece

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

May 1941 – British suffer staggering losses at sea

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What was Hitler’s response? ___________________________________________________

June 1941 – Germany invades Soviet Union

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

September 1941 – Greer incident

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What did the administration later admit about the Greer? _____________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

October 1941 – Kearny incident

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What specific changes were made? ______________________________________________

December 1941 – Germany and Italy declare war on the United States

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

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 AMERICA ON THE SIDELINES: The U.S. and World Affairs 1931-1941

NOW ENTER EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC…

September 1931 – Japan invades Manchuria

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What did Henry Stimson say regarding this (Stimson Doctrine)? _______________________
___________________________________________________________________________

December 1932 – Japan invades Jehol province

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

December 1934 – Japan renounces naval treaty restrictions

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

November 1935 – Japan promotes “autonomy movement” in North China

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

November 1936 – Japan signs Anti-Comintern Pact (with Germany and Italy)

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

July 1937 – War breaks out between Japan and China

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What specifically did the U.S. do? _______________________________________________

December 1937 – Panay incident

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

May 1938 – Japanese offensives in China

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

What specifically did the U.S. do? _______________________________________________

October 1938 – Japanese offensive in southern China

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

July 1939 – Fighting between Japanese and Soviet forces (ended mid-September)

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

July 1940 – Closing of the Burma Road

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

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 AMERICA ON THE SIDELINES: The U.S. and World Affairs 1931-1941

September 1940 – Japan occupies northern Indochina

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

July 1941 – Japan occupies southern Indochina

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

Why would this hurt Japan? ____________________________________________________

September 1941 – Japan proposes East Asia settlement

 Does U.S. ACCEPT or REJECT?

Why was this decision important for the U.S.? _____________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

November 1941 – Japan proposes “Modus Vivendi” (which would allow for oil purchases to resume)

 Does U.S. ACCEPT or REJECT?

What offer was made by Secretary of State Hull? ___________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

December 1941 – Attack on Pearl Harbor

 U.S. course of action = __________________________________

How much did U.S. foreign policy in the 1930s help to promote World War II? Explain.
_________________________________________________________________________________
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