Thursday, March 14

[3taylor]

Discussion day.

US Neutrality in the 1930's/ Early 40's:

Neutrality in General:

• Caused by the desire to be isolationist in the US following WWI
• Passed to ensure that the US would not become involved in world conflicts.
• US had a strong history of isolationism.

Neutrality Act of 1935:

• Stopped trade with other countries that were at war.
• Wouldn't trade weapons with other countries because it would bring us closer to coming into war.

Neutrality Act of 1936:

• Banned loans with countries at war or with belligerents (the bad guys) (Did not include civil wars.)
• Banned trading with countries at war.

Neutrality Act of 1937:

• Same as last two acts but included Civil wars, no expiration date.
• Set up a cash and carry system. Allowed belligerent countries to trade as long as they pay in cash straight up and ship it on their own ships.

Neutrality Act of 1939:

• Ended the arms embargo. (you can sell weapons.)
• Trade with countries.
• Banned shipping out.
• Repealed acts of 1935 and 1937.

Lend-Lease Act

•  Allowed the transfer of war materials to Britain.
• Brought the US into conflict.
• 50.1 billion dollars worth of things were shipped (650 billion today.)
• Helped more than just Great Britain, helped all of the countries.
• We weren't neutral anymore.

Bases for Destroyers:

• Between the US and Britain.
• We would give Britain 50 of our naval destroyers and they would allow us to use their naval/military bases in the Caribbean and Canada for 99 years.

Atlantic Charter:

• Between US and Great Britain.
• Setting war goals. Which was weird since we weren't in the war yet.
• Things that it did:
  • No territorial gain.
  • No territorial changes without the support from those countries.
  • Self-determination. *Choose whatever government you want. (As long as its not communist.)
  • Free-trade.
  • Destruction of the Nazis and then setting up a peaceful government in Germany.
  • Freedom of the seas.
  • Abandon the use of force, disarmament and a stronger league of nations.

Selective Training and Service Act

• How the draft worked:
  • Give you a number between 1 and 7,836 but the numbers in a bowl and the number that was picked were the people to go out. 158 was the first number picked.