America's Involvement in World War II
Background Information:
When war had broken out in Europe, President Franklin Roosevelt, believed that is was a threat the the security of the United States. He wanted to help the European democracies, but didn’t want any involvement in the war. The problem had only gotten worse when the Fall of France left Britain as the only democracy that was in between Nazi Germany and America in 1940. In 1939, the Fourth Neutrality Act had enabled the United States to trade arms with belligerents as long as those countries paid in cash and collected them. In 1941, the Lend-Lease Act allowed the selling, leasing, lending, or bartering of weapons, ammo, and food to any country whose alliance was important to defending the US. The involvement of the United States escalated when their navy air force began taking the British convoys which transported the Lend-Lease Act material across the Atlantic, protecting them from the German submarines. At the August 1941 Atlantic Conference, the 2 leaders Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill had written a charter for the "post-war" world and Theodore addressed the issue of the British Empire, while advertising the recognition of “the right of all peoples to choose the government under which they will live.” Churchill had been trying to get Roosevelt to join in on the war time after time, but Teddy didn't budge. After the bombing of the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7th 1941, there was one congressman who opposed the idea of going to war, but the vote in the Senate was unanimous. Hitler declared war on the United States just four days later. The Allied Powers were Great Britain, France, Russia, and the United States and the Axis Powers were Germany, Italy and Japan. Hitler's declaration on the United States was actually a huge strategical benefit for the US. It enabled Roosevelt to use a 'Germany first' strategy.
A Few of the Leaders
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt was the president of the United States During World War II (1933-1945). After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he declared war on Japan. He did not live to see the day the Allies celebrate victory. He died in 1945 and was succeeded by Harry S. Truman. He played a huge role in World War I and II and will be remembered. He is buried in Youngs Memorial Cemetery in Oyster Bay, New York.
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Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman became president of the US on the final year of World War II. He played possibly one of the biggest roles in World War II because he made the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. He was born on May, 8th 1884 and died on December 26th, 1972. He became president after Theodore Roosevelt had died (he was vice president). The atomic bomb decision probably had the biggest impact for America during World War II.
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Propaganda Posters
This poster shows how "Americans Won't be fooled" by Hitler's demands.
Here are some more:
America: Post War
After World War II, the United States still continued to have issues with the Soviet Union such as the SU's dominance over Easter Europe, control of atomic weapons, and the Soviet blockade of Berlin. The United States confronted communism in Iran, Guatemala, Lebanon, and other places. Although the war had been over, there was still fear and paranoia that the US had enemies within the country that might be leaking information about the atomic bomb to the Soviets.