US Neutrality in the 1930’s /early 1940’s
Neutrality in general
- The Neutrality acts were passed by the US in the 1930’s in response to the issue in Europe and Asia that eventually led to ww2
- They were caused by the desire to be isolationist in the US following ww1
- Passed to ensure that the US would not become involved in world conflicts(war)
- US in the past had always had a very strong history isolationism
Neutrality act of 1935
- signed in august 31, 1935
- it was designed to last six months
- banned US trade of arms and war materials with any country at war
- it also declared that US citizens traveling on warring ships traveled at their own risk
Neurality act of1936
- February 1936
- renewed the provisions of 1935 act for another 14 months
- it also forbade all loans or credits to belligerents
- the act did not cover “civil wars” such as the Spanish Civil War
- the act also didn’t cover materials such as trucks and oil
1937
- 14 months later 1937
- Set to empire after 2 years
- Included provisions of the earlier acts this time without expiration date
- This time it also included civil wars
- US ships were prohibited from transporting any passengers or items to belligerants
- US citizens forbidden from traveling on ships of belligerent nations
- A “cash carry” system that was set up
1939
- Passed November 39
- Allowed for arms trade with belligerent nations on cash-and-carry basis
- US citizens and ships were barred from entering the war zones designated by the president
- The president could permit the sle of supplies to beligerents in Europe as long as the paid immediantly in cash and transported the goods on their own ships
- FDR believed that cash-and-carry would help France and Great Brittain in the event of a war with Germany
- FDR chose not to invoke the neutrality acts on Japan and China since they had not formally declared war
End US Neutrallity, Lend-Lease act
- The end of neutrality for the US came with the Lend-Lease act, passed march 1941
- This act allowecd the US to sell, lend or give war materials to nations the US wanted to support
- US gave 50 billion dollars(650 million in these days) to allied nations throughout the war.
German U Boats
- After repeated attacks by Germany U boats on US ships in the fall of 19401, FDR announced that he had ordered the US Navy to attack German and Italian war ships in the “waters which we deem necessary for our defense.
Bases for destroyers
- Passed in September, 1940 between the US anfd great Brittain
- Fifty US destroyers weee given to Great Brittain in exchange for land rights(for 99 yrs) on brittish colonies for naval or airbase purposes
- Newfoundland, eastern side of the Bahamas, southern coast of jamaca, western coast of St.Lucia, west coast of Trinidad, Antigua, Brittish Guaania and burmuda were the areas the USrecieved
Selective training service act
- Septemwber 1940 and emded in 47
- Required that men between 21 and 35 register for the draft
- Extended to all men aged 18 to 45 once US entered war
- First peace draft time in US history
How did draft work?
- Lacal draft noards were set up from coast to coast
- Numbered each man 1-7,836
- In Washington, papers with the numbers 1 through 7,836 printed them were put into capsules, one number to each capsule
- The capsules were dumped into a giant fish bowl then stirred
- Finally the capsule were drawn by a the bowl one by one to establish the draft order
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