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.)
➲ 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
➲ 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)

➲ 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
➲ 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

➲ 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
➲ 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 anti-
Semitism
➲ 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