T3C: WWII IDs: #1-23

Good Neighbor Policy (1933)

The foreign policy of the administration of United States President Franklin Roosevelt towards Latin America.
Although the policy was implemented by the Roosevelt administration, President Woodrow Wilson had previously
used the term—but subsequently went on to invade Mexico. The policy's main principle was that of non-intervention and non-interference in the domestic affairs of Latin America. It also reinforced the idea that the United States would engage in reciprocal exchanges with Latin American countries. Overall, the Roosevelt administration expected that this new policy would create new economic opportunities in the form of reciprocal trade agreements and reassert the influence of the United States in Latin America; however, many Latin American governments were not convinced.

Buenos Aires Conference (1936)

Called by the United States, also known as a Special Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, was held 3-26 December in the capital of Argentina. It was prompted by U.S. concern over the attacks of Japan and Italy on China and Ethiopia, respectively, and the Spanish Civil War and the possibility of global war. A major question was the possibility of neutrality if war resulted. An important Latin American interest was the absolute acceptance of nonintervention by the United States. This was achieved because the latter had continued to implement the Good Neighbor Policy—for example, the occupation of Haiti had ended in 1934.

Spanish Civil War

Took place from 1936 to 1939 and was fought between the Republicans, who were loyal to the democratic, left-
leaning Second Spanish Republic, and the Nationalists, a fascist group led by General Francisco Franco. The Nationalists won, and Franco then ruled Spain for the next 36 years, from April 1939 until his death in November 1975. The Nationalists and the Republican government fought for control of the country. The Nationalist forces received munitions and soldiers from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, while the communist Soviet Union and socialist Mexico offered support to the "Loyalist" or "Republican" side. Other countries, such as Britain, France, and the United States operated an official policy of non-intervention, but "substantial unofficial aid flowed from France to the
Loyalists." Volunteers, including Americans, assisted the Republicans without the backing of their governments. The
war ended with the victory of the Nationalists and the exile of thousands of leftist Spaniards, many of whom fled to refugee camps in southern France. Those associated with the losing Republicans were persecuted by the victorious Nationalists. With the establishment of a dictatorship led by General Francisco Franco in the aftermath of the war, all right-wing parties fused into the structure of the Franco regime, which lasted until 1975.

Eighth Pan-American Conference, Lima (1938)

FDR wanted to avoid any entanglements in Europe so he convened this conference. Due to the precursor events of World War II and the prospect of fighting a two front war, the United States was attempting to ensure its security through gaining support and defense in Latin America. This caused Mexican President Lazaro Cardenas to put forward a non-intervention policy in the Americas in order to prevent involvement by the United States military. Permanently established the Inter-American Commission of Women.

Nye Committee

Officially known as the Special Committee on Investigation of the Munitions Industry, was a United States Senate committee. The committee investigated the financial and banking interests which underscored United States' involvement in World War I, and was a significant factor in public and political support for American neutrality in the early stages of World War II.

Neutrality Acts (1935-1939)

These were passed by the United States Congress in the 1930s, in response to the growing turmoil in Europe and Asia that eventually led to World War II. They were spurred by the growth in isolationism and non-interventionism in the US following its costly involvement in World War I, and sought to ensure that the US would not become entangled again in foreign conflicts. The legacy of the Neutrality Acts is widely regarded as having been generally negative: they made no distinction between aggressor and victim, treating both equally as "belligerents"; and they limited the US government's ability to aid Britain and France against Nazi Germany. The acts were largely repealed in 1941, in the face of German submarine attacks on U.S. vessels and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

First Neutrality Act (1935)

Roosevelt's State Department had lobbied for embargo provisions that would allow the President to impose sanctions selectively. This was rejected by Congress. The 1935 act, signed on August 31, 1935, imposed a general embargo on trading in arms and war materials with all parties in a war. It also declared that American citizens traveling on
warring ships traveled at their own risk. The act was set to expire after six months. When Congress passed this, the State Department established an office to enforce the provisions of the Act. Roosevelt invoked the act after Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in October 1935, preventing all arms and ammunition shipments to Italy and Ethiopia. He also declared a "moral embargo" against the belligerents, covering trade not
falling under this act.

Ludlow Amendment (1935-1940)

A proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States which called for a national referendum on any declaration of war by Congress, except in cases when the United States had been attacked first. A representative from Indiana introduced the amendment several times between 1935 and 1940. Supporters argued that ordinary people, who were called upon to fight and die during wartime, should have a direct vote on their country's involvement in military conflicts. The amendment was proposed several times, but always met with defeat.

Second Neutrality Act (1936)

This renewed the provisions of the 1935 act for another 14
months. It also forbade all loans or credits to belligerents. However, this act did not cover "civil wars," such as that in Spain (1936–1939), nor did it cover materials such as
trucks and oil. U.S. companies such as Texaco, Standard Oil, Ford, General Motors, and Studebaker exploited this
loophole to sell such items to General Franco on credit. By 1939, Franco owed these and other companies more than
$100,000,000

Third Neutrality Act/Cash & Carry (1937)

In January 1937, the Congress passed a joint resolution outlawing the arms trade with Spain. This included the provisions of the earlier acts, this time without expiration date, and extended them to cover civil wars as well. Furthermore, U.S. ships were prohibited from transporting any passengers or articles to belligerents, and U.S. citizens were forbidden from traveling on ships of belligerent nations. In a concession to Roosevelt, a special provision was added: the President could permit the sale of materials and supplies to belligerents in Europe as long as the recipients arranged for the transport and paid immediately with cash, with the argument that this would not draw the U.S. into the conflict. Roosevelt believed that this would aid France and Great Britain in the event of a war with Germany, since they were the only countries that controlled the seas and were able to take advantage of the provision. The special clause was set to expire after two years.

Fourth Neutrality Act (1938)

President could determine what could & could not be bought (other than munitions), to be paid for on delivery. Made travel on ships of countries at war unlawful.

Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)

Conflict that broke out in 1937 when China began full-scale resistance to the expansion of Japanese influence in its
territory (which had begun in 1931). In an effort to unseat the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek, the Japanese occupied large areas of eastern China in 1937–38. The Rape of Nanking was the major atrocity of this conflict. A stalemate then ensued, and Japanese forces were diverted to Southeast Asia and to the Pacific theatre of World War II against the Western Powers and their allies beginning in late 1941. Japan’s defeat in that by the Allies in 1945 ended its occupation of China.

FDR’s “Quarantine Speech” (1937)

This was given by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt on October 5, 1937 in Chicago, calling for an international "quarantine of the aggressor nations" as an alternative to the political climate of American neutrality and non-intervention that was prevalent at the time. The speech intensified America's isolationist mood, causing protest by non-interventionists and foes to intervene. No countries were directly mentioned in the speech, although it was interpreted as referring to Japan, Italy, and Germany. Roosevelt suggested the use of economic pressure, a forceful response, but less direct than outright aggression.

Munich Agreement (1938)

This was a settlement permitting Nazi Germany's annexation of portions of Czechoslovakia along the country's borders mainly inhabited by German speakers, for which a new territorial designation "Sudetenland" was coined. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Germany, among the major powers of Europe, excluding the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. Today, it is widely regarded as a failed act of appeasement toward Germany. The agreement was signed in the early hours of September 30, 1938. The purpose of the conference was to discuss the future of the Sudetenland in the face of ethnic demands made by Adolf Hitler. The agreement was signed by Germany, France, Britain, and Italy. Sudetenland was of immense strategic importance to Czechoslovakia, as most of its border defenses, and banks were situated there, as well heavy industrial districts.

Belligerents

Nations or people engaged in war or conflict, as recognized by international law.

Hemisphere Neutrality Belt (1939)

Roosevelt declared that the Atlantic, 300 miles out from the eastern U.S. coast, was part of the Western Hemisphere
and therefore neutral.

Fifth Neutrality Act/Cash & Carry (1939)

Early in 1939, after Nazi Germany had invaded Czechoslovakia, Roosevelt lobbied Congress to have this provision renewed. He was rebuffed, the provision lapsed, and the mandatory arms embargo remained in place. In September 1939, after Germany had invaded Poland, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany. Roosevelt invoked the provisions of the Neutrality Act but came before Congress and lamented that the Neutrality Acts may give passive aid to an aggressor country. Congress was divided. Nye wanted to broaden the embargo, and other isolationists like Vandenberg and Hiram Johnson vowed to fight "from hell to breakfast" Roosevelt's desire to loosen the embargo. An "outstanding Republican leader" who supported helping nations under attack, however, told H. V. Kaltenborn that the embargo was futile because a neutral country like Italy could buy from the US and sell its own weapons to Germany, while US companies would relocate factories to Canada. Roosevelt prevailed over the isolationists and this was passed, allowing for arms trade with belligerent nations (Great Britain and France), thus in effect ending the arms embargo.

Flying Fortress (B-17)

A four-engine heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC).

Stimson Doctrine (1931)

American response to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. Stated that the United States would not recognize any treaty or agreement between Japan and China that violated
U.S. rights or agreements to which the United States subscribed.

Sanctions

The withdrawal of customary trade and financial relations for foreign and security policy purposes. They may be comprehensive, prohibiting commercial activity with regard to an entire country, like the long-standing U.S. embargo of Cuba, or they may be targeted, blocking transactions of and with particular businesses, groups, or individuals.

London Naval Conference (1934)

Where powers discussed naval disarmament and reviewed the treaties of the Washington Conference of 1921–22. Hosted by Great Britain, it included representatives of the United States, France, Italy, and Japan. At the end of three months of meetings, general agreement had been secured on the regulation of submarine warfare and a five-year moratorium on the construction of capital ships. The limitation of aircraft carriers, provided for by the Washington Five-Power Treaty (1922), was extended. The United States, Great Britain, and Japan signed, on April 22, a treaty limiting battleship tonnage in the ratios of 10:10:7. France and Italy, opposed respectively to the concept of ratios and to the acceptance of any inequality, declined to
sign.

Panay Incident (1937)

A Japanese attack on an American gunboat while it was anchored in the Yangtze River outside Nanking (Nanjing), China on December 12, 1937. Japan and the United States were not at war at the time. The Japanese claimed that they did not see the American flags painted on the deck of the gunboat, apologized, and paid an indemnity. Nevertheless, the attack caused US opinion to turn against the Japanese.

Moral Embargo

The Export Control Act of 1940 was one in a series of legislative efforts by the United States government and initially the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to accomplish two tasks: to avoid scarcity of critical
commodities in a likely pre-war environment, and to limit the exportation of materiel to pre-World War II Imperial Japan. The act originated as a presidential proclamation by Roosevelt forbidding the exporting of aircraft parts, chemicals, and minerals without a license, and was intended to induce Japan to curtail its occupation of the Indo-Chinese coast