The War On Nazi Germany Essay

While the war raged on into 1916, the United States transitioned from a “debtors nation” into a “creditors nation”. Between 1913 and 1916 American exports rose from 2 billion dollars annually to 6 billion. (Zieger, 16) While it was clear that the Allies were greatly indebted to the United States Wilson saw the opportunity to the U.S. influence to provoke peace between the warring nations. As American sentiment began rising about expanding an American army, most Americans believed that the United States had a responsibility to bring both sides together and resolve the war.

Preceding America’s entry into World War I, the country claimed autonomy wanting no affiliations with the European war; conversely, America was supplying war machinery to the European nations. In the World War I & Its Aftermaths, Tizoc Chavaz states, “In October 1914, President Wilson approved commercial credit loans to the combatants, which made it increasingly difficult for the nation to claim impartiality

Cash and Carry- This allowed for warring nations to buy arms and other items needed for war from the U.S as long as they paid cash and were carried on their own ships. I think this was a bad move because this put the U.S to being involved in the war and almost like choosing sides.

A less powerful sway on the American decision to declare war on Germany was U.S. economic interests. The development that occurred from WWI was one of the greatest economic booms in the nation’s history. Because of the status of neutrality, the U.S. had the right to continue trade with belligerent countries, and since there was a need for its general use, metal was the most profitable trade with nations at war. Not only did this benefit the recipient’s economy, but the U.S. economy benefitted greatly from it as well. When the War Industries Board instigated the immediate production ammunition and armor, businesses in industry welcomed the guaranteed business and carried out the request. Trade between the U.S. and Germany diminished to 90% because of extensive, supreme blockade of German ports. The supplies sent on ships such as the Lusitania were considered contraband which was illegal to trade to these countries in Europe at the time. This led not only

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

Adding to the money problem, the United States had permitted neutral nations to trade freely in American ports carrying American exports to England and Canada and English goods into the US ports. As a result, American food was rolling directly into British military commissionaires, strengthening the enemy’s ability and will to fight.

President FDR's New Deal prepared America for WWII after the Pearl Harbor attack. In the1930's the US government had a strong isolation movement. Isolationists thought the wars in Europe should stay in Europe, and President FDR knew that was not possible so he started the Lend Lease Deal. His Lend Lease Deal with Britain and the Soviet Union helped in giving America ideas on how much power they had. The Lend Lease Deal was that America would loan Britain their guns and ships to attack Germany during the war and when the war was finished they had to return it in an in kind matter.

From 1790s to the early 1800s, the United States resisted going to war and tried desperately to maintain peace and freedom in the seas. However, this mission was impossible to do because of the ongoing war between France and Great Britain, which were both guilty of blocking American shipments to prevent from docking in enemy ports. President Thomas Jefferson passed the 1807 Trade Embargo Act. History books often dismiss the Trade Embargo as a complete failure: it did not influence France or Great Britain and only the Americans suffered the most, making it a “disaster for the United States (Remini 75)” and “a political and economic nightmare for Jefferson (Olson and Mendoza 188).” However, in two separate articles, Frankel and Irwin demonstrated,

I believe that the U.S should have never passed the second and third Neutrality Acts because they weren’t really neutral at all. In 1937, the second Neutrality Act included the cash and carry policy, which allowed the U.S to sell military supplies. If the U.S really wanted to remain neutral it should have stopped with the first act. Plus, by Roosevelt refusing to invoke the acts because of his support for China just pulled America further into war. In addition to the third Neutrality Act, the Lend-Lease Act was the exact opposite of staying out of war and, in my opinion, was no longer

The United States resisted involvement in World War II from 1939 through much of 1941. The cash and carry”

During the 1920s, the United States was forced into war by the Germans. Germany, attacking and violating with the use of submarines, gave President Woodrow Wilson, who was president during World War I, no other option but to go into war. “We enter this war only where we are clearly forced into it because there are no other means of defending our rights.” (Wilson, 1917). He was a neutral person. Even though he wanted

Because it was clear that Americans opposed war, Roosevelt focused on the duty of the country to lend a hand to the British in order to keep the Nazis away from American soil. The only way to achieve this goal was to send military aid overseas in hopes of defeating the enemy. In March 1941, under Roosevelt’s Lend Lease program, the United States began sending military supplies, such as ships, tanks, and planes, to Great Britain (nps.gov). The Lend Lease program gave the President the power to lend arms overseas with the understanding that the United States would be repaid once the war ended. Though the program did not require any immediate repayment, Britain gave the United States access to what was left of the Britain gold reserves and overseas investments

With another world war forming in the European and Asian countries, the US is determined to stay out of it and fix their own issues on the homefront. The Great Depression is still a very large issue that has taken America down a level. Thus the isolationist idea has grown greatly. American public wanted to stay out of the war this time, and in doing so elected isolationist government members, which included Gerald Nye and Robert LaFollette. Nye later formed his own committee which focused on the cases of entering WWI and how it could affect America with this future war. With these findings and urging the American public, multiple Neutrality Acts were passed, allowing both sides to get what they wanted, all while staying out of the war.

With the senate’s approval, Roosevelt was able to help the Allies without joining the war, “…gave the US president the right “to sell, transfer title to, exchange, lease, lend, or otherwise dispose of … any defence article … for the government of any country whose defence the President deems vital to the defence of the United States”’ (Oriental Review, 2015). This really helped the Allies but most all it showed the respect and the development of the special relationship. This did not last long, as after the bombing at Pearl Harbour by the Japanese, US was forced to join the war. Though the policies in the beginning were different from each other, they were soon able to work and win the second world war together.

From the 1920s to the 1940s, the United states adopted a policy of neutrality. Later that policy of Neutrality would end due to World War II. In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles led to an economic crisis in Germany. As a result of this, Germany lost their overseas colonies, had to pay war reparations, and accept blame for starting World War I. In 1921, the Washington Naval conference led to a reduced stockpile of weapons. This conference brought isolation. 1924 brought the