THE MARCH OF FASCIST AGGRESSION AND THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR II

Fascism

Communism breathes out of poverty. Fascism goes hand in hand with racism. Fascism was the product of the unique conditions produced by WWI 

Article 48 of the German constitution

Helped to undermine the republican government by allowing the president to rule by decree in case of national emergency 

Neutrality Acts

Reluctantly signed by FDR. Prohibited arms sales and US citizens to travel to belligerent nations. Forbade loans and credits to belligerent nations and those involved in civil war like Spain

Policy of Appeasement

In hopes to avoid open conflict, Democracies adopted a policy of Appeasement, allowing Hitler to get away with small acts of aggression and expansion to keep the peace

The Munich Conference 1938

Hitler now focused on German expansion in the western region of Czechoslovakia. Hitler “promised” to leave rest of Czechoslovakia alone. The Munich conference marked a turning point in History

Start of WW2

September 1, 1939. Hitler launches a full-scale invasion of Poland.  

All these policies favored Britain

Cash and Carry- A belligerent nation could buy US arms and supplies if it used its own ships and paid cash 

Lend-Lease Act- lend or lease arms and supplies to any country whose defense was vital to the US.  

Shoot-On-Sight- Protect American ships that were protecting British lend-lease ships in the Atlantic from German submarines 

US Oil Embargo

If the oil embargo did not end, then Japan would most likely attack and seize the oil reserves. US tried to negotiate for Japan to pull its troops out of China, which they refused.  Japan’s only options were to persuade the US to end the embargo or seize more oil fields in the East Indies (which would mean war) because the US owns the Philippines.  

PEARL HARBOR

Over 300 Japanese planes from aircraft carriers launched a surprise attack they lasted less than 2 hours.  US lost 17 ships (7 battleships) and 2403 men