BethanyWarner

History1700
ePortfolioAssignment
Chapter22Question#1
Q:
DiscussAmericasshiftfromisolationismtointervention.Whatweretheforcesand
influencesoneachsideandwhydidinterventionwinout?
A:TomostAmericanstheJapaneseandGermanaggressivebehaviorseemedverydistant.
HitlerhadalotofadmirersintheU.S.ThethreatoftheSovietUnionmadesomeAmericans
approveofGermanysexpansionagainstcommunism.Businessmendidnotwishtogiveup
profitableoverseasmarkets.HenryForddidbusinesswithNaziGermanythroughoutthe
1930s.TradewithJapanalsocontinuedincludingshipmentsofAmericantrucks,aircrafts,
andoil.AlotofAmericanswereconvincedthatinvolvementinWorldWarIhadbeena
mistake.EthnicgroupsofGermanandItaliandescentcelebratedtheexpansionoftheir
nativecountries.Isolationismwasalongstandingdesiretoavoidfurtherentanglementsin
the1930s.Congresspassedaseriesofneutralityactsthatbannedtravelonwarringnations
shipsandthesaleofarmstonationsatwar.Congresshopedthatthesepolicieswouldavoid
conflictsoverseasandnotmakethesamemistakesthattheUnitedStatesdidinWorldWarI.
BritainandFrancecavedintoHitlersaggressionandmadetheMunichagreementof1938.
TheydidnottrusttheSovietUnionandsawGermanyasasolutiontothespreadof
communism.ThismoreorlessgaveHitlerafreeridetotakeovermanynations.Roosevelt
viewedHitlerasagangsterwhoseaggressionposedadirectthreattotheUnitedStates.Most
Americanswantedtostayoutoftheconflict.AfterafiercebattleinCongress,theyagreedto

allowthesaleofarmstoBritainonacashandcarrybasisthatistheypayedforthegoods
whentheygotthem.Theyalsoapprovedplansformilitaryrearmament.Soonafter
RooseveltsdecisivevictoryforhisthirdterminofficeRooseveltannouncedthattheUnited
Stateswouldbecomethearsenalofdemocracy,providingBritainandChinawithmilitary
suppliesagainstGermanyandJapan.During1941theUnitedStatesbecamemoreclosely
alliedwiththecountriesfightingGermanyandJapan.CongresspassedtheLandLeaseAct
whichgavemilitaryaidsolongastheyreturnitafterthewar.Thishelpedfunnelbillionsof
dollarsworthofarmstoBritain,China,andtheSovietUnion(In1939,theSovietUnion
proposedaninternationalagreementtoopposefurtherGermandemandsfortheterritory.
StalinastonishedtheworldbysigninganonaggressionpactwithHitler,hisformersworn
enemy.ImmediatelyafterthesigningoftheNaziSovietpact,GermanyinvadedPoland.This
madeStalinangrywithGermanythattheybroketheirnonaggressionpact.Thisiswhy
Britain,China,andtheSovietUnionbecamealliesandarmswereshippedtothem.).FDR
alsofrozeJapaneseassetsintheUnitedStatesandstoppedalltradebetweenthecountries,
includingthesaleofoilwhichwasvitaltoJapan.UntilNovember1941,theadministrations
attentionfocusedonEurope.However,attheendofthatmonthJapanesemessageswere
intercepted,revealingthatanassaultinthePacificwasimminent.Nooneknewwhereit
wouldcome.TheJapaneseattackedthenavalbaseatPearlHarborinHawaiionDecember7,
1941.PearlHarborwasacompleteanddevastatingsurprise.Inashorttime,morethan2,000
Americanservicemenwerekilled,manyaircraftsandnavalvesselsweredestroyedor
damaged.WhenPresidentRooseveltwastoldoftheattackbySecretaryofLabor,Frances
Perkins,thepresidentsmoralproblemwasresolved.HewenttoCongressaskingfora

declarationofwaragainstJapan.Congressvotedalmostunanimouslyforthedeclaration.
ThenextdayGermanydeclaredwarontheUnitedStates.Americanhadfinallyjoinedthe
largestwarinhumanhistoryendingisolationthoughtsbymostAmericans.

IchosethisquestionbecauseIhaveaninterestinstudyingWorldWarIIandallsidesofthe
war.IthinkWorldWarIIisveryinterestinginallofthewarsaspectsandhowtheUnited
Statesdealtwithmanyofthethingsthatcameatthem.Ithinkthatitisinterestinghowthey
wereforcedoutofisolationismbyhowJapanbombedPearlHarbor.Ialsothinkthatitis
interestinghowandwhytheUnitedStateschosetoendthewar,bydroppingbombson
Japan,liketheydid.