WWII U.S. Foreign Policy, Key Events, and Impact Lecture 9

United We Win Poster

Propaganda image showing an African American and white worker side by side, symbolizing unity and shared effort in the war.

Collective Security

Idea that nations work together for mutual defense; however, the U.S. avoided such commitments by not joining the League of Nations.

Japan Invades Manchuria (1931)

Japan staged an attack and blamed China as a pretext for invading; early sign of aggression and imperialism.

Hitler Comes to Power (1933)

Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany, beginning the Nazi dictatorship and expansionist agenda.

Rhineland (1936)

Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles by remilitarizing the Rhineland, testing Allied response.

Invasion of Ethiopia (1935)

Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, the last independent African nation, violating treaties and using banned chemical warfare.

Chemical Warfare in Ethiopia

Italians used poison gas on Ethiopians; demonstrated the weakness of international law enforcement.

Isolationism

U.S. foreign policy of avoiding involvement in foreign wars or alliances; dominant attitude before WWII.

Internationalism

Woodrow Wilson's idea that nations should cooperate to solve problems before they escalate into wars.

Neutrality Act of 1937

Banned trade in war materials with warring nations except on a 'cash and carry' basis to keep the U.S. out of foreign conflicts.

'Cash and Carry' Policy

Allowed sale of goods to nations at war if they paid in cash and transported the goods themselves, avoiding risks like sunk ships.

Senator Gerald Nye

Investigated arms manufacturers and promoted isolationism, suggesting the U.S. entered WWI for profit.

Quarantine Speech (1937)

FDR compared aggressive nations to a disease that needed to be quarantined by supporting threatened democracies.

Blitzkrieg

'Lightning war' strategy used by Germany combining tanks, planes, and infantry to quickly overwhelm enemies.

Invasion of Poland (1939)

Germany invaded Poland using Blitzkrieg tactics; Britain and France declared war, starting WWII.

Fall of France (1940)

Germany's rapid victory over France shocked the world and dispelled belief in French military strength.

The Battle of Britain (1940)

Germany bombed Britain heavily but failed to break its spirit; British resolve marked a turning point.

War for Public Opinion

Films, speeches, and propaganda shaped American views on the war and the need to defend democracy.

William Allen White Committee

Group advocating for U.S. support of Allies before official entry into the war.

Destroyers for Bases (1940)

U.S. traded 50 old destroyers to Britain in exchange for military base rights; early step toward aiding Allies.

America First Committee

Isolationist group opposed to U.S. entry into WWII; claimed 'Liberty is war's first casualty.'

Charles Lindbergh Controversy

Lindbergh admired Nazi Germany's military and made anti-Semitic remarks; hurt his reputation in the U.S.

Sgt. York (Film)

Anti-Nazi film showing Americans as reluctant warriors fighting only for just causes.

Casablanca (Film)

Set in a café during WWII; symbolized resistance to Nazi occupation and moral courage.

Lend-Lease Act (1941)

Allowed the U.S. to lend or lease war materials to Allied nations, supporting them before officially joining the war.

Garden Hose Analogy

FDR compared Lend-Lease to lending a neighbor a hose to put out a fire — help allies now to prevent greater danger later.

USS Reuben James (1941)

American destroyer sunk by a German submarine before U.S. entered the war, marking an undeclared naval conflict.

The Four Freedoms

FDR's vision of a postwar world: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

World Order Vision

FDR's goal for a peaceful world with a United Nations, self-determination, and free trade.

Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941)

Japanese surprise attack on U.S. naval base in Hawaii; brought the U.S. officially into WWII.

The Home Front

Mass mobilization of industry and labor to support the war; led to major social and economic changes.

Women in Wartime

Women entered factories, cut hair short, wore practical clothes, and filled industrial jobs; symbolized by 'Rosie the Riveter.'

New Deal Connection

Programs and infrastructure from the New Deal made massive wartime production possible.

Japanese Internment

Over 110,000 Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps despite lack of evidence of disloyalty.

Tuskegee Airmen

First African American military pilots; served with distinction despite segregation and discrimination.

Zoot Suit Riots (1943)

White sailors attacked Mexican American youth in Los Angeles; police sided with attackers, exposing racial tension.

D-Day (June 6, 1944)

Allied invasion of Normandy, France; turning point in the European theater leading to liberation from Nazi control.

Codebreaking and 'Magic'

U.S. intelligence cracked Japanese military codes, giving crucial strategic advantages in the Pacific.

Battle of Midway (June 1942)

Major U.S. naval victory that crippled Japan's fleet and marked the turning point in the Pacific War.

Island Hopping Strategy

Allied plan to capture key islands while bypassing others to get closer to Japan.

The Manhattan Project

Secret U.S. program to develop atomic weapons; involved scientists like Einstein and facilities at Los Alamos and Oak Ridge.

Los Alamos Laboratory

Top-secret site in New Mexico where the atomic bomb was designed and built.

Oak Ridge Calutron

Particle accelerator used to separate uranium for the atomic bomb.

Dropping the Atomic Bomb

U.S. dropped bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945; race and fanatical Japanese resistance influenced decision.

Kamikaze Attacks

Japanese suicide pilots who crashed into U.S. ships, showing Japan's desperation near the war's end.

Soviet Invasion of Japan (Aug 1945)

Soviet Union declared war on Japan days before surrender, hastening Japan's defeat.

Victory Over Japan (V-J Day)

Japan surrendered in August 1945, officially ending WWII.

U.S. as a Superpower

After WWII, the United States emerged as the world's leading economic and military power.

Technology and Production

Wartime innovation and massive industrial output transformed the U.S. economy and global influence.

Return to Wilsonianism

Postwar American policy emphasized democracy, collective security, and free trade, echoing Wilson's ideals.

Industrial Production and the New Deal

New Deal investments laid the foundation for the industrial power that won WWII.

A New World Order

WWII ended with hopes for lasting peace through cooperation, the UN, and American global leadership.