Thursday 3/14

US neutrality in the 1930's/early '40's

US passed 4 neutrality acts; caused by the desire to stay out of war

1935 neutrality act- This put an arms embargo upon any country that were at war. This basically means the US wouldn't trade with foreign countries

1936 neutrality act- forbid any loans to belligerents (hostile country)

1937 neutrality act- forced countries to pay upfront for anything we traded with them; any country that traded also had to carry anything they bought with their own ships. This was called the cash-and-carry system.  It helped Britain and Free France more

1939 neutrality act-ended arms embargo with any country. allowed trade with belligerent nations. banned US ships from hostile areas. Repealed acts of 1935 and 37.

bases for destroyers- between US and Britain, US would give 50 destroyers to Britain in  exchange for naval/military bases

lend-lease act- allowed the president to send supplies to any country we wanted(mainly Britain); brought the US into conflict.

selective training and service act- men between ages18-35 were required to register for the draft. no more than 900,000 men were to be in training at a time. First peacetime draft in US history

Atlantic Charter-defined the Allied goals for the post war world. between US and Great Britain. 8 points:

1.no territorial gain

2. no territorial changes without support from those countries

3. self-determination

4. free trade

5. destruction of the Nazis and then setting up a peaceful gov't in Germany

6. freedom of the seas

7. abandon the use of force, disarmament

8. a stronger League of Nations

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