Ch+27+-+America's+Policies+during+the+Global+Crisis


 * __American Isolationism __**

When [|**George Washington**] gave his **farewell address**, he warned all Americans of the dangers of getting too involved in global affairs. Although the nation had fought alongside the Allies in the **First World War**, American politicians decided that this involvement had been a mistake. Congress passed three Neutrality Acts during the 1930s to ensure this mistake would not be repeated:


 * **Neutrality Act of 1935** - authorized the president to prohibit all arms shipments and to forbid U.S. citizens to travel on the ships of belligerent nations.
 * **Neutrality Act of 1936** - forbade the extension of loans and credits to warring nations.
 * **Neutrality Act of 1937** - forbade the shipment of arms to either side involved in the Spanish civil war.

**__From Neutrality to War __**

As fascist governments began their aggression, America and the League of Nations objected but made no moves to stop anything. **Roosevelt** foresaw the dangers of **fascism**, but public opinion strongly favored isolationism, and he was unable to make a move. In 1938, Roosevelt convinced Congress to begin an arms buildup - for defensive purposes, of course. When **Adolf Hitler** invaded Poland in 1939, the Allies realized that their policy of appeasement had failed. As European countries rapidly fell to the Germans, American public opinion began to shift away from **isolationism**. When Great Britain was the only remaining Allied country, Roosevelt began to use a series of loopholes to support them:


 * **Cash and Carry –** Roosevelt convinced Congress to allow belligerent nations to buy arms if they used their own ships and paid cash. While this may seem a fair practice, Britain’s navy controlled the seas.
 * **SelectiveService Act** **–** This act instituted the first peacetime draft, providing for the registration of all American man between the ages of 21 and 35, and for the training of 1.2 million troops in one year’s time.
 * **Destroyers for Bases –** Roosevelt arranged a trade which provided Britain with 50 American destroyers in exchange for the right to build naval bases in the Caribbean.
 * **Lend Lease Act –** By 1941, public opinion allowed Roosevelt to propose replacing the Cash and Carry act with the Lend Lease act. This new decree permitted lending arms to Britain on credit.
 * **Shoot on Sight –** Roosevelt further extended U.S. Support for Britain by enabling American ships to protect British ships carrying goods received via the Lend-Lease act.

The main disagreement that led to direct U.S. involvement in **World War 2** concerned Japan and oil. When Japan violated the <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">**Open Door Policy** and invaded China, the United States retaliated with an oil embargo unofficially aimed at Japan. The latter nation protested this act as unfriendly and the two sides began a series of negotiations. Neither budged, and Japan needed oil for its fleet. This led to the infamous attack on <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">**Pearl Harbor** – December 7, 1941. The following day, America entered the war.

[]