WWII Essay
Like in WWI, the U.S passed the Neutrality Act to stay out of international affairs. The U.S wanted to assist Britain in its war against Germany, but that would mean that the U.S would be violating its own Neutrality Act. There were also individulas and groups who sought to keep the U.S neutral, like the America First Committee. But overtime, series of policies helped to aid Britain and FDR eventually eroded the Neutrality Acts.The Neutrality Act was passed in 1937, which forbade shipments to the belligerents in the Spanish-American War, and continued in WWII as it broke out in 1939. It also warned Americans that they traveled on ships of warring nations at their own risk and it prevented loans to belligerents. Although it limited FDR from providing assistance to Great Britain, it did not entirely prevent him from doing it.
After the WWII began in 1939, the American isolationist formed the America First Committee, which maintained that isolationism was best for the country. But it was hard to tell that the U.S was neutral by 1940 due to U.S intervention in Latin America, the presence of U.S military in Asia, the strong economic relationship between U.S and European and Asian nations, and the military assistance given to Britain.
Overtime, the Neutrality Act eroded away as the U.S helped Great Britain by "Cash and Carry", Lend-Lease Act, and "Bases for Destroyers". The Cash and Carry allowed belligerents to purchase arms from the U.S if they paid in cash and transported the supplies in their own vessels. At the time, British Royal Navy dominated the seas, so it benefited the British the most. The Lend-Lease Act was passed in 1941 and ended cash and carry. Instead, it provided credit to the British so that they could continue to purchase military supplies. FDR also ordered that U.S warships escort British ships carrying lend-lease items, and to attack all German ships on sight. By this time, the U.S was already involved in the war, whether they knew it or not. The Bases for Destroyers allowed the U.S to construct military bases on Britain's Carribean islands in return for fifty dated U.S Navy destroyers. By now, it's safe to say that the U.S was already on the Britain's side.
posted by Yoshimi Nomura @ 5:28 PM
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