US neutrality in the 1930s/Early 1940s
Neutrality in General
-The neutrality acts were passed by the US in the 1930s in response to the issues in Europe and Asia that eventually led to WW11
-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
-US had very strong history of isolationism
Neutrality Act of 1935
-signed on 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
Neutrality Act of 1936
-signed in February 1936
-renewed the provisions of the 1935 act for 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 did not cover materials such as trucks and oil
Neutrality Act of 1937
-passed in may, 1937
-set to expire after two years
-included the 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 belligerents
-US citizens were forbidden from traveling on ships of belligerent nations
-a cash and carry system was set up
Neutrality Act of 1939
-Passed in November 1939
-Allowed for arms trade with belligerent nations on a cash-and-carry basis
-US citizens and ships were barred from entering war zones designated by the President
-The President could permit the sale of supplies to belligerent in Europe as long as they paid immediately in cash and transported the goods on their own ships
-FDR believed that cash-and-carry would help France and Great Britain 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 Of US Neutrality-Lend Lease Act
-The end of neutrality for the US came with the Lend-Lease Act, passed in March 1941
-This act allowed the US to sell, lend or give war materials to nations the US wanted to support
-US gave $50 billion to Allied nations throughout the war
German U-Boats
-After repeated attacks by German Uboats on US ships in the fall of 1941, 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"
-War was imminent
Bases for Destroyers
-Passed in September, 1940 between the US and Great Britain
-Fifty US destroyers were given to Great Britain in exchange for land rights on British colonies for naval or air base purposes
-Newfoundland, eastern side of the Bahamas, southern coast of Jamaica, western coast of St. Lucia, west coast of Trinidad, Antigua, British Guiana and Bermuda were the areas the US received
Selective Training and Service Act
-Passed in September, 1940 and ended in 1947
-Required that men between the ages of 21 and 35 register for the draft
-Extended to all men aged 18 to 45 once US entered war
-First peacetime draft in US history
How did the draft work?
-Local draft boards were set up from coast to coast
-Each male registered was given a number
-In washington, papers with the number printed on them were put into capsules, one number to a capsule
-The capsules were dumped into a giant fishbowl and then stirred
- Finally the capsules were drawn from the bowl one by one to establish the draft order
Comments