Warm-up:

Explain the meaning of this

cartoon

The U.S. Goes to The U.S. Goes to WarWar

The U.S. on the Brink of War• American policy in the early years of the

war was to remain neutral but still making war supplies for the Allies, such as Great Britain

• The US began to emerge from the depression by producing goods for the Allies

• FDR focused on domestic issues surrounding Great Depression in 1930s

• Congress passes Neutrality Acts• 1st…bans providing weapons to nations at

war• 2nd…banned loans to nations at war• 3rd…permits trade of nonmilitary goods with

fighting nations…cash and carry• Prevented US from selling arms even to

those nations that were trying to defend themselves from aggression

U.S. Involvement Grows• After Poland,

Americans shared interests with allies

• Roosevelt asked for revision of Neutrality Acts…make them more flexible

• Isolationists formed the America First Committee to protest increasing aid to Britain

•The Lend Lease Act•Britain confessed inability to pay cash for supplies•FDR announced new plan…no payment in return•Authorized President to aid any nation whose defense he believed was vital to American security

Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor• July 1940, FDR

began limiting what Japan could buy from US

• General Tojo Hideki became Prime Minister of Japan in October 1941

• US military leaders knew of an attack in Pacific by Nov. 27, just not where

• On morning of December 7, 1941 Japan attack US naval base on Oahu

• In less than two hours, thousands of Americans were killed or wounded, and hundreds of ships and planes were destroyed

United States Declares War• The attack on Pearl Harbor stunned

Americans

• Roosevelt declared December 7, 1941 as “a date which will live in infamy”

• On December 8, 1941, Congress passed a war resolution and FDR signed a declaration of war on Japan

• On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.

• America, once again was involved in a world war as a result of Pearl Harbor

• FDR signing the declaration of war on Japan

(National Archives)

Activity:• Pearl Harbor DVD by National

Geographic With guided questions