America Re-enters the Arena: Franklin Delano Roosevelt” Essay

Roosevelt and the Congress felt the need to focus on the poor domestic economic conditions in the US. As American businesses needed new markets to sell their goods throughout the world, Roosevelt formally recognized the Soviet Union in 1933 in order that the US could trade there (591). As other countries experienced the effects of the Great Depression, fascist leaders such as Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini rose to power through promises of ending Bolshevik radicalism, improving the economy, and instilling nationalist pride (591). When Hitler began his imperialist plan through remilitarizing the Rhineland and annexing Austria, Congress passed multiple neutrality acts to protect US foreign trade while staying out of the oncoming European crisis (591). Moreover, many citizens were strongly against war, pushing for peace at all costs including appeasing Hitler’s aggressive political and military moves. Japan began imperialistic actions in 1931 when they attacked Manchuria and later launched a full-out invasion of China in 1937. Instead of stepping in to protect China, FDR merely ignored the issue. Polls in 1941 confirmed that the majority of citizens wanted to continue isolationist policies, hence Roosevelt had the difficult task of helping China and Great Britain and arming the US while appearing to take a neutral stance on international matters.

In the book, America’s Great War: World War I and the American Experience, Robert H. Zieger discusses the events between 1914 through 1920 forever defined the United States in the Twentieth Century. When conflict broke out in Europe in 1914, the President, Woodrow Wilson, along with the American people wished to remain neutral. In the beginning of the Twentieth Century United States politics was still based on the “isolationism” ideals of the previous century. The United States did not wish to be involved in European politics or world matters. The U.S. goal was to expand trade and commerce throughout the world and protect the borders of North America.

The end of World War I left much of America confused on the country’s role in world affairs. Many people believed that the United States should primarily worry about its own issues and problems, and let the world handle their own problems. But President Woodrow Wilson was not one of those people. He believed that the United States should be directly involved in the issues affecting all of the countries of the world. He also wanted the United States to be the country to make a push for a League of Nations. “The people of the United States could act upon no other principle; and to the vindication of this principle they are ready to devote their lives, their honor, and everything that they possess. The normal climax of this the culminating and final war for human liberty has come, and they are ready to put their own strength, their own highest purpose, their own integrity and devotion to the test.” Wilson believed that if the United States needed to be a part of a League of Nations in charge of keeping peace around the world, this would keep America

Theodor Roosevelt, our 26th president, was a gruff politician who had a huge impact on America. He is known for his accomplishments in the political, social, and business world during the Progressive Era. His accomplishments helped shape America, and because of this influence, he is one of the faces found on Mount Rushmore.

President Roosevelt realized that Britain needed aid or else the U.S. would become a lone “free” nation in a fascist-dominated world. The American military needed to be mobilized in order to assist the Allies or democracy would be in grave danger. Roosevelt plead his case to the American people in his famous “Quarantine Speech” in which he called for an end to dangerous isolationism; however, his speech was not well-received and he was criticized for his desire to “entangle” the U.S in European foreign affairs (Document D). With Britain the only remaining power fighting against Germany, Roosevelt felt compelled to offer aid in some way. In 1940, Roosevelt boldly transferred fifty World War I destroyers to Britain in exchange for eight valuable defense bases stretching from Newfoundland to South America. As bombs dropped over Britain, Americans began to realize that their interests were intricately tied to Britain’s and that they must offer aid or else the battle would come to American soil soon. The goals of American foreign policy were reversed when Congress repealed the now defunct Neutrality Acts and officially ended their Neutrality. The U.S. began openly selling weapons to Britain on a “cash-and-carry” basis so as to avoid attacks on American ships. When this was not enough, Roosevelt devised the

As Franklin Roosevelt began to have more internationalist views, Americans, under no circumstances, wanted to be drawn into another foreign war. The result was a relative stand still in American foreign policy. Congress pacified isolationists by passing the Neutrality Act of 1935, which was designed to isolate America from the growing Nazi monster. First, it created an embargo on the sale of arms to all belligerent nations and second it stated that American citizens that traveled on belligerent ships were doing so at their own risk. The Act was basically an attempt to prevent the World War I nightmare from happening again. Roosevelt was required to sign the bill though he would have rather it had different provisions regarding the embargo of arms to belligerent nations. He was in favor of creating selective embargoes

By December of 1941, the second World War had been raging across Europe for more than two years and the United States was already, but not officially, involved. Deteriorating conditions in Europe and continual advancement of Nazi victory across nations was certainly cause for global concern, though many Americans were still clinging to anti-war neutrality. However, America had already proved to be less than neutral, aiding Great Britain with weapons and the lend-lease act, clearly siding with the Allied powers. But official involvement without support of public opinion was rather tricky. So you could say that, for many European nations, this tragedy might have been cause for celebration, as it was bringing the battle right to America’s back doorstep, and could no longer be ignored. With an overwhelming public majority opposed to involvement in European conflict, it should have come as no surprise that Roosevelt would use this as an opportunity to rally Americans in a war against Japan, and ultimately Germany and the other Axis powers.

Internationalism here is taken to mean seeking interaction and co-operation with other nations, and such an approach can be identified consistently in Roosevelt’s private ‘mutterings’, but also as the period passes in his presidential role. If we look to the earlier years of FDR’s life we see that he was an advocate of American membership of the League of Nations which was founded by Woodrow Wilson following the Second World War. Despite the fact that Roosevelt actually opposed US membership in his election campaign in 1932 this should perhaps be seen more as a pragmatic decision to further his electoral fortunes than a U-turn in his beliefs. Roosevelt as early as 1935 considered Hitler to be an enemy that America would have to take a stand against. In less prominent projects FDR also displayed his internationalist credentials as he helped to found the Walter Hines Page School of International Relations and John Hopkins University in 1930. During the early months of office Roosevelt was preoccupied with his New Deal package, yet he was disconcerted by what was going on in Hitler’s Third Reich, where the Nazis were stamping out opposition and the persecution of the Jews. FDR was also concerned that events in the military sphere, including in March 1935 the reintroduction of conscription for the

Although Roosevelt was a great United States President, there is the matter of how exactly the United States entered World War II. There is no debate that Roosevelt thought that the United States should enter World War II. He knew that fascism was wrong and that the Axis Powers, led ultimately by Adolph Hitler of Germany, had to be defeated to protect democracy. Also, Roosevelt knew a war would boost the United State’s economy severely. Generally, in war time there is many more jobs, which decreases unemployment tremendously. However, the majority of the citizens of the United States wanted to take an isolated approach from the rest of the world as far as foreign affairs are concerned. As much as 85% of the public opposed entering the war.4 The United States did not want to enter into another world war, such as World War I, that costs so many lives and money. When World War II broke out in 1939 with Germany’s invasion of Poland, Roosevelt called Congress to revise the Neutrality Act in an attempt to enter the war. His attempt failed. Knowing the public would not agree to enter World War II, Roosevelt took several measures to make sure that

With such events occurring quickly in such a small time period, the second World War came as a massive shock. Yet again, Americans called for isolationism and neutrality as they believed America should focus on ending the Great Depression, not worrying about and dealing with the international issues of other nations and peoples. By analyzing Document 5, it is clear that many Americans still believe in isolationism during the Great Depression. Bennett Champ Clark states in his Defense of the First Neutrality Act that “the desire to keep the United States from becoming involved in any war between foreign nations seems practically unanimous among the rank and file of American citizens.” Americans influenced the US foreign policy yet again as the First Neutrality Act was passed in 1935. By analyzing Document 6, it is clear that President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the choices he made were still influenced by isolationist sentiment as he states in his Quarantine Speech that “it is my determination to adopt every practicable measure to avoid involvement in war.” However, it is clear in President Roosevelt's speech that he knew that entering the war was inevitable as he states that the “peace of the world and the welfare and security of every nation, including our own is today being threatened by that very thing (war).” Although the United States tried its best to not enter the second World War for many years, it could not avoided by the end of 1941. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese. The federal government’s response to this attack can be analyzed in Document 7, President Roosevelt’s Pearl Harbor Address to the Congress of the United States. In response to the attack, Roosevelt calls for Congress to “declare . . . a state of war has existed between the United States and the

On December 7, 1941, with Japanese attack on Perl Harbor, all debate over avoiding war and the policy of American isolationism was gone. It was the beginning of a great war that brought death, devastation and finally the victory and power to United States. At the time of Roosevelt’s appointment in 1933, historically crucial events were taking place in Japan, Italy and Germany which had to shape the future and the fate of United States. This paper studies and analyses the major factors which contributed to American success both at home and abroad during WWII in addition to world’s view about American participation in war and bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Could you imagine being a kid in the 1940s? Sitting in your living room on a Sunday afternoon waiting by the radio to hear your favorite radio talk show host, but instead the President’s voice comes through the airways and announces a national state of emergency. How would you feel? How would you react? What would you do? As President Roosevelt delivered his speech he had two main points that he wanted to relay to the nation. The first point was to encourage Congress to formally declare war on Japan. Insisting that the attack was just a start to the many more to come. The second point was to gather the support of the American people; in the war efforts that he was proposing, President Franklin used major American cities such as San Francisco, Chicago, and New Orleans as examples to show the American people that if one United States territory could be attacked, so could their neighborhoods. Both points touched their intended audiences. Moments after the speech Congress approved the declaration of war on Japan. The news sent a shockwave across the country, resulting in a tremendous percentage of young volunteers into the U.S. recruiting offices across the nation.

When World War II began, the United States was not initially apart of it. What sparked the beginning was Nazi Germany’s attack on Poland in September 1939. Even though we were not at the center of the action, our country did take steps to assist and protect weaker countries, like the United Kingdom. Roosevelt felt it was important to “be the great Arsenal Democracy…[he believed] we must apply ourselves to our task with the same resolution, the same sense of urgency, the same spirit of patriotism and sacrifice as we would show were we at war.” Because of this, the zeal and patriotism America showed was greatly increased. We took advantage of the power we had and the American Industry began to put forth collective efforts in supporting the Allies.

During this period, President Roosevelt endured extremely intense emotional pressure due to the loss of America’s prestige and pride in the Pacific. At the same time he was expected to honor the British who were struggling with Hitler. Notably, just before the Japanese Pearl Harbor attack had taken place, Roosevelt had agreed that the first priority should be a defeat of Nazi Germany. This should have been until America was able to recover from its Pearl Harbor naval forces and consequently mobilize for a two-front war. The decision made focused on accepting the Philippines loss, Guam and Wake and instead put plenty of concentration on a defensive kind of triangle that was inclusive of Panama, Alaska and Hawaii.