FDR Foreign Policy

FDR Foreign Policy in the 1930s

Manchuria (1931)

Japan invaded Chinese Manchuria due to its resources and Japan's need for power.
Manchuria was converted into the puppet state of Manchukuo.
Chian Kai-Shek appealed to the League of Nations and the US for help.
Hoover responded with the Nine-Power Treaty and the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which lacked enforcement power.

Cordell Hull

FDR’s first Secretary of State.
Advocated for free trade and international cooperation as key to financial recovery.
Believed tariff policies of the previous administration were detrimental.
Promoted the idea that global recovery was essential for economic recovery, aligning with FDR's views.
Instrumental in the Reciprocal Trade Act.

London Economic Conference (1933)

Aimed to tackle world financial problems through international participation.
Cordell Hull represented the US.
FDR vetoed Hull's authority to act for the US government at the last minute, fearing national commitment would disrupt US interests.
Other countries followed suit, leading to minimal progress.
Hull was frustrated, feeling undermined by FDR.
The action potentially set a negative precedent for global cooperation.

Soviet Union (1933)

US formally recognized the government of the Soviet Union.
FDR believed recognizing the Soviet Union was crucial for US economic recovery through trade.
Past presidents had refused recognition, but FDR saw its importance.

Reciprocal Trade Act (1934)

Conceived by Hull to encourage free trade.
Granted the president power to levy tariffs.

Neutrality Acts

Prohibited the US from conducting business with belligerents (countries at war).
Renewed throughout the 1930s to maintain US neutrality.

Benito Mussolini

Fascist leader of Italy (II Duce).
FDR acknowledged Mussolini's improvements to the Italian economy.

Ethiopia (1935)

Invaded by Italy.
The League of Nations condemned the action but took no effective measures.
Reflected a general fear of engaging in deadly conflicts.
The US response was insignificant.

Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Francisco Franco’s Nationalist (fascist) forces rebelled against Republicans.
Spain ultimately fell to fascism.

Invasion of China (1937)

Japan attacked the rest of China.
Neither side declared war, allowing FDR to avoid invoking neutrality acts.
Supplies were sold to both sides.

Quarantine Speech (1937)

FDR hinted at potential US action to limit aggressor nations.
Public backlash due to strong isolationist sentiment.
Isolationists perceived it as an aggressive stance.

Appeasement

Yielding certain points to an aggressor in hopes of avoiding a larger conflict.
Analogy: "Giving a cannibal your finger in the hopes of saving your arm."
Associated with Neville Chamberlain.

Munich Conference (1938)

Czechoslovakia was not present.
Key powers: Germany, France, UK, Italy.
Concept of Lebensraum: Nazi Germany's idea of needing more 'living space' for German-speaking peoples.
After annexing Austria (Anschluss), Hitler demanded the Sudetenland (German-speaking area of Czechoslovakia).
Powers agreed, contingent on Hitler's promise to cease further demands, which he broke by seizing all of Czechoslovakia.

Good Neighbor Policy

Emphasized non-interference in Latin American internal affairs.
Sought improved relations with Latin American countries, many of which harbored resentment towards the United States.
Motivations: To prevent potential alliances between Latin American nations and fascist/communist countries, and to improve the US image.
Effectiveness was limited, but represented an effort to engage constructively.

World War II Begins

Started in September 1939 with Hitler’s invasion of Poland.

Phony War

A roughly six-month period of inactivity after the invasion of Poland.

France Falls

Denmark and Norway attacked in April 1940.
France fell by June 1940 due to Blitzkrieg (lightning war) tactics.

US Response to WWII (Early Stages)

Maintained neutrality.
Congress allocated $37$ billion to bolster air fleets and naval vessels.
Selective Service Act (1940): first peacetime draft for US defense only; Americans would not fight outside the US.
Havana Conference: aimed to reinforce the Monroe Doctrine.

Battle of Britain (August 1940)

Air attacks on England as preparation for a German land invasion.
British resistance led to the postponement of the invasion indefinitely.

Election of 1940

FDR ran for a 3rd term and won against Wendell Wilkie.

FDR: The Juggler - Key Events Timeline

November 1939: Cash and Carry policy for the UK - US provided supplies, but the UK had to transport them and pay in cash.
September 1940: Destroyers for Bases deal with the UK - The US gave destroyers in return for military bases.
November 1940: FDR elected for the 3rd time - Debated whether reluctance or ambition.
January 1941: Four Freedoms Speech - Freedom of speech, religion, from want, and from fear, "everywhere in the world".
March 1941: Lend-Lease Act.
August 1941: Atlantic Charter.
December 7, 1941: Pearl Harbor attack.

Pearl Harbor attack - December 7, 1941

December 6: good economy, holiday shopping, strong isolationism due to ocean separation.
December 7: rumors of attack - waiting for FDR to speak.

FDR: The Juggler - Additional Points

Eleanor arranged Marian Anderson's performance on the Lincoln Memorial steps on Easter Sunday.
Winston Churchill and FDR exchanged secret messages for over a year.
Lend-Lease was initiated by FDR before Congress officially passed it.

Atlantic Charter

An eight-point document like Wilson’s 14 points.
Outlined a democratic vision for a better world and served as the basis for the United Nations.
Agreed to continue the "Europe First" policy.
FDR insisted the Soviet Union receive Lend-Lease assistance to prevent its fall to Hitler and maintain a two-front war.

ABC-1 Agreement

US met with Britain and Canada.
US interest was with the Western Hemisphere
Clear communication protocols b/w allied powers

Offensive Policies

Italy seen as the weakest link.
Building up forces against potential offense with Hitler

Pearl Harbor

Ships were out on maneuvers, which was crucial since aircraft carriers weren't attacked.
Survival of aircraft carriers were very crucial
Navy soon recovered and attacked Japan.

Japan's Motivations for Attacking Pearl Harbor

Japan lacked natural resources, while the US had plenty.
Japan aimed to industrialize and become a major power.
Desired to scare the US into retreating further into isolationism.
Hoped to demoralize the US, similar to the Lusitania reaction.
Sought to prevent US entry into the war due to its strength.

FDR's Pearl Harbor Speech

Referencing the people in the statement - speak in will of the people
Leads into a proposal for war (believes they're ready for it)
Vague with specifics (only specifics is bombing)
Heavy emphasis that Japan attacked
Repetition - “last night Japan attacked” - puts emphasis / frames aggression of Japan
Getting the public enraged at this attack
Constant theme of blaming Japan
Not US, it's Japan (that they'd be in this situation)
US was isolationist before, so it was unprovoked
Took a LOT of planning (proximity, fuel/resources)
Purposeful vagueness.
End with - “…a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.” Japan already fighting (for war).

America in WWII (1941-1945)

The Allies traded space for time.
The US had to feed, clothe, and transport its forces all over the world.
26 allied nations vowed to defeat the Axis in 1942 with focus on Hitler first.
Part of the ABC-1 Agreement.
Planned to invade France July 1, 1943.
US needed 215 divisions of 20,000 men each and 40 billion rounds of ammo.
US war production at home centered on industrial potential.

The Shock of War

Assimilation from immigrants (German) to show loyalty.
Almost no govt witch-hunting of minority groups in WW2.
110k Japanese-Americans on the Pacific (west) Coast forced into internment camps.
2/3 were Nisei (American born).
Executive order No. 9066 allowed for this force into camps.
Fear that japanese descented would help the Japanese.
Korematsu v US (1944) - Supreme court upheld the camps.
“It is a state of war”.
Japanese and Internment Camps - To watch over, not violent.
They formed communities - flower shops, schools, neighbors.
Many of japanese descent served in the military and earned high honors.
A year later FDR makes the 442nd Infantry - fought in europe.
Won 21 medals of honor.
Nicknamed the “Purple Heart Battalion”.
For the size and duration - most decorated unit in US military history.

Building the War Machine

War Production Board - making as many things as possible.
Conversion of industry to war production.
Office of Price Administration - talk about prices, prevent inflation.
National War Labor Board - kept workers working, no strikes or slow downs.
Smith-Connally Act (1943) - govt had power to seize industries where there might be strikes.
US factories built 70k ships, 100k tanks and planes, millions of guns
Making sacrifice to make production happen.
Separation of loved ones.
Shortages of products.
Mandatory rationing.

Rationing

Ration coupons for gas, shoes, tires, sugar, and meat.

Manpower and Womanpower

1942: Thousands of Braceros (Mexican Agricultural Workers) were brought to work.
Bracero program - increase immigrants discussion.
Important to supply for everyone.
15 mil Americans served in the armed forces.
216k women served in WW2 (as nurses, helpers, in the forces).
WAACs (army) - WAVES (navy) - SPARs (Coast Guard).
Millions of women took jobs in factories and still worked hard at home.
3/4 were married and many (>30%) had kids.
Some women joined labor unions and their success on the job helped erase some of the prejudices against the capabilities of female workers.
Lanham Act - law that provided federals subsidies for kids, only served $130k$ kids despite the fact that almost 6 mil women (many w kids) were working.
Problems were made worse by the fact that finding a job during WW2 often required commuting or moving far to work.

Wartime Migrations

Many black americans moved to the North and West for work & also to escape Jim crow laws.
FDR created the Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC) after A. Philip Randolph threatened a March on Washington.

Black American in WW2

A. Philip Randolph - president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car porters (an important black union).
Insisted that the govt must require companies receiving defense contracts integrate their work forces (include black workers).
Great Migration produced racial tensions - Detroit Race Riot of 1943 - 34 people died, including 25 african-americans, when black people began to move into a formerly all-white neighborhood. Several hundred people were injured & >1k people arrested.
Military - black people were forced to serve in segregated units.
Barred entirely from the Air Force and Marines.
Double V campaign - made sacrifices in effort to trade military service and wartime support for measurable social, political, and economic reforms.
92nd Infantry Division - an african american infantry division that served in WW2.
Tuskegee Airmen - pilots who helped protect American bombers.
During WW2, FDR gave the south a disproportionate share of defense contracts to help it become more economically developed.
1944 - the invention of the mechanical cotton picker - made the Cotton South's need for cheap labor disappear - millions of black Americans moved north.

Native Americans in WW2

Thousands of Native Americans served in the armed forces.
Comanches in Europe and Navajos in the Pacific made valuable contributions as "code talkers”.
Not talking in code, the axis powers never learned how to speak native languages, so the native americans’ “code” were them speaking native languages.

Zoot Suit Riots

Zoot suits - considered unpatriotic b/c everything it about conserving and the zoot suits are huge and baggy which was seen as “wasting” material.
Worn by young mexican american boys
June 1943 - 10 nights of fighting.
Exposed tension between Mexican-American and white culture in Los Angeles and beyond

Holding the Home Front

Need to finance the War.
US spent $320$ billion for the War Revenue Act of 1942 (raises taxes to pay for the financing).
National debt rose from $49$ bil to $259$ bil from 1941 to 1945
Sold war bonds.
US economy grew everywhere.
Civilian sector grew 15%.
Macy's Dec 7, 1944 sale was the most lucrative day in its history (biggest day for them).
Helping the war effort.
Victory gardens.
Kids collected scrap metal for drives.
Civil defense
Office of War information promoted patriotism - films, posters, music, and movies.

The Allied Halting of Hitler

George Marshall (chief of staff) - logistics of sending food and supplies to troops.
He had the idea of not sending as many troops to europe like churchill thought we should
Delayed invasion of france by 1 yr (Scale back to 90 divisions)
Keep men at home for industry

North African Campaign (Operation Torch)

Secure North Africa and push Nazis out, then move towards Italy (soft underbelly).
Stalin wanted an invasion in Europe (they were fighting the brunt).
FDR and Churchill chose N. Africa.
Nazis led by Erwin Rommel.
Key Battle: Nov. 1942, El Alamein - The British stopped the Nazis from capturing the Suez Canal and oil fields - 1st defeat of the Nazis
Americans landed in Algeria and Morocco - led by Eisenhower.
Kasserine Pass German defeat led to promotion of Patton.
Drove the Germans out in May 1943 with a victory at El Guerreta.

Battle of the Atlantic

Fought between U-Boats and Allied shipping.
Protected by allied navies.
Air patrols and radar eventually helped the allies win this battle.
Important battle in moving to invade France.

Air War Over Germany

British and america bombings pounding german factories and cities
Rouen, France - Aug 17 (1942) - B-17 bombers hit a rail yard successfully
Killed thousands
Tried to break their people’s morale (30k died in fire bombing of hamburg)
British flew nights (cant see the targets) (so did germans)
America flew day raids (enemy can fight back)
Bomber lifespan was 7 missions in 1943

Eastern Front

Stalingrad - Feb 1943 - Key battle

Nazis got to moscow’s outskirts - then the Russian winter hit
Just when the germans thought they won, soviets surrounded them
Estimated 1.7-2 million casualties
Soviets launched a counteroffensive after the victory
On avg society lost more men every 3 months than america did in the history of all its wars

A Second Front from North Africa to Rome - Invasion of Italy

Took sicily in the summer of 1943.
Landed on the mainland in sept.
Mussolini overthrown.
Hitler sent troops to keep italy (not to let allies get the victory).
Nazis fall behind the gustav line (german defensive line) but don’t back down
Fierce resistance to break through
Americans incorrectly think the nazis fortified monte cassino - Destroyed it
10th mountain division
Jan 1944 - allies landed further north at Anzio - Pinned down for 4 months.
Liberated rome in June 1944
Nazis fall back to the Gothic Line for the rest of the war (another german offensive line).

World War II conferences

Casablanca - Jan 1943

Discuss and reinforce the idea of unconditional surrender
WWI was a stalemate and surrender bc of the 14 pts. Lots of back and forth negotiating, don’t want to negotiate with nazis and fascists.

Tehran Conference - Nov 1943

First meetings of the Big 3 - Stalin, Churchill, FDR
Promised an opening of a 2nd front in 6 months

Yalta - Feb 1945

Take germany and divide into 4 sectors - US, England, Soviet Union, and France (first to go).
Balance of power remains to counter balance Germany and remain an ally (traditional ally)
Stalin promised he would ensure free elections in Europe
Berlin (capitol city) - will be shared - In the russian sector so kind of part of the Cold War

US in WW2 (Cont.) - Operation Fortitude (Slide 65-end)

Nearly 1 yr to prep for the Nazis troops for D-Day
Trick the Nazis into thinking that the Allies are going to land somewhere else so that the nazis will maybe more their troops to the “new landing point”
Turns some german spies and make them start putting out fake communication for the British know the germans are falling for it bc they’ve broke the codes
American General George Patton moved to a different spot bc the nazis thought he was the allies’ best commander
Allies put him somewhere else to trick the Nazis, spent a long time making a phantom troops with fake radio communication

D-Day - June 6, 1944

Headed by future president Dwight Eisenhower.
Invasion of France (Normandy) - Once they start, they can’t stop (send waves and waves of troops one after another).
Largest amphibious invasion ever - Fierce to establish a beachhead.
Within weeks, 1 million troops landed in france (Extremely tough fighting through france
Allied soldiers invading france, pushing eastwards towards Berlin and Russians invading france, pushing westwards towards Berlin

Roosevelt Defeats Dewey - Election of 1944

Very sick - Feels he can’t abandon this now and in denial.
Republicans”: Thomas E. Dewey, John W. Bricker VP
Democrats: FDR, and Senator Harry S. Truman VP (for loyalty and geographic location)
Roosevelt won a sweeping majority of the states as Dewey wasn't totally crushed

The Last Days of Hitler

Victory in Europe - Germany fought for survival on 2 fronts

*Battle of the Bulge (Belgium) - Largest US land battle.

101st Airborne held Bastogne until Patton’s 3rd Army rescued them (Last real gasp of Germany in the west).

Yalta Conference Feb 1945

Last meeting of the Big 3 - Post war: germany would be divided into 4 military occupation zones (so would Berlin)

The Last Days of Hitler (Cont.) - Victory in Europe

Soviets get to Berlin

Soviets retook Poland and now invaded germany - surround Berlin in April 1945
Hitler killed himself on April 30th Germany signed the unconditional surrender on May 7th
May 8th: V-E Day (victory in Europe)

Death of a President

April 12, 1945 - cerebral hemorrhage
Harry S. Truman took over (doesn’t know what’s happening, wasn’t informed of anything)

The Rising Sun in the Pacific

Philippines fall (American possession) - April 1942

MacArthur had to give it up, but said, “I shall return.”
Japanese forced prisoners to march 60 mi in the Bataan Death March - Very low point of the american military
Battle of philippines - 22k killed
Japan’s High Tide at Midway

Allied strategy

Island Hopping lead frogging
Going after certain islands (less defended and fortified) - Get close enough to Japan to first bomb, then land invasion
Bombed tokyo - Doolittle Raid (bombing attack on Japan)
First major Allied victory - beginnings of a tide change (May 1942 - Battle of the Coral Sea).
Done entirely with aircrafts and aircraft carriers

Battle of Midway (June, 1942) - Key Battle

Yamamoto wanted to finish off america and occupy Hawaii (bargaining chip)
Code breakers uncovered plan - US ambushed Japan at Midway
Smaller carrier force under Admiral Raymond A. Spruance.
Technically a draw but Allies destroyed 4 japanese aircraft carriers - japan can’t continue
Allies isolated Japan from colonial islands, cut off supplies (Oct 1942 - Battle of Leyte Gulf - largest naval battle in history).

American Leapfrogging Towards Tokyo

MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz started island hopping - Taking islands closer to Japan to launch more offensives and bombings
Kept Japan off balance - Skipped heavily defended islands for weaker targets
Island Hopping.
New B-29 superbombers were able to carry out round-trip bombing raids on Japan's home islands at Guam (June 1944: Half of Tokyo Destroyed).

Japan Dies Hard

2 pronged attack by sea and air
Destroyed most of Japanese fleet (Battle of Leyte Gulf - Largest naval battle ).
March 1945, the U.S. seized Iwo Jima
June - Allies took Okinawa - Very difficult to take over
Japan didn’t surrender and Started using kamikaze pilots.
US started preparing for invasion of Japan.

VE

Potsdam conference - july 45
Bulge
VJ
D-Day dates
Elections of 1944 - FDR vs Who
Dates

Here's a timeline of key battles and events of World War II, along with the U.S. presidents during that period:

Key Battles and Events Timeline:

1931: Japan invades Manchuria.
1935: Italy invades Ethiopia.
1936-1939: Spanish Civil War.
1937: Japan invades China.
September 1, 1939: World War II begins with Hitler’s invasion of Poland.
April 1940:Germany attacks Denmark and Norway.
June 1940: France falls to Germany.
August 1940: Battle of Britain begins.
December 7, 1941: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor.
April 1942: Philippines fall to Japan; Bataan Death March.
May 1942: Battle of the Coral Sea.
June 1942: Battle of Midway.
November 1942: Key Battle- El Alamein.
February 1943: Battle of Stalingrad concludes.
May 1943: North African Campaign concludes with the Allied victory at El Guettar.
Summer 1943: Allies invade Sicily.
September 1943: Allies land on the mainland of Italy.
January 1944: Allies land at Anzio.
June 6, 1944: D-Day invasion of Normandy.
June 1944: Allies liberate Rome.
October 1944: Battle of Leyte Gulf.
December 1944: Battle of the Bulge.
February 1945: Yalta Conference.
March 1945: US seizes Iwo Jima.
April 1945: Allies take Okinawa; Hitler commits suicide.
May 7, 1945: Germany signs unconditional surrender.
August 6, 1945: US drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
August 9, 1945: US drops atomic bomb on Nagasaki.
September 2, 1945: Japan formally surrenders, marking the end of World War II.

U.S. Presidents During World War II:

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945): Led the United States through most of World War II until his death in April 1945.
Harry S. Truman (1945-1953): Became President upon Roosevelt's death and oversaw the end of World War II and the initial post-war period.