History Unit 7 assignment
Isolationism
A foreign policy adopted by a nation in which the country refuses to enter into any alliances, foreign trade or economic commitments, or international agreements in hopes of focusing all of its resources into advancement within its own borders while remaining at peace with foreign countries by avoiding all entanglements of foreign agreements.
Nye Committee
As the Great Depression progressed, most European nations found it difficult to repay money they had borrowed during World War I. At the same time new articles and books argued that arms manufacturers had tricked the United States into entering World War I. In 1934 Senator Gerald P. Nye held hearings of these allegations. The Nye Committee documented the huge profits that arms manufactures had made during the war. With the findings of the Nye Committee and European refusal to repay their loans, many Americans supported the policy of Isolationism.
Neutrality Act of 1936
Established arms embargo with countries at war, banned providing loans to nations fighting (some short term credits exempted), discretionary travel restrictions to protect American citizens.
Axis Powers
Military alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Internationalism
President Roosevelt was not an isolationist, he believed that ending the Great Depression would require trade between nations. Roosevelt believed trade between nations would create prosperity and helps prevent war. Roosevelt would provide aid to countries under attack by aggressor nations - he argued that this was not a breach of the Neutrality Acts.
Neutrality Act of 1937
The formation of the Axis Powers (Germany, Japan, Italy) continued the ban of selling arms to warring nations, but also required them to buy all non-military supplies from the United States on a "cash-and-carry" basis. No loans were allowed and these nations had to send their own ships to pick up the U.S. goods. Isolationist knew that an attack on American ships was a reason for the United States getting involved in the First World War.
Neutrality Act of 1935
Worried about the aggressive policies of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, Congress passed the Neutrality Act of 1935. Due to the findings of the Nye Committee the Neutrality Act of 1935 established a mandatory embargo on selling or exporting arms, ammunition, or implements of war to nations of war and set travel restrictions to protect American citizens.
Destroyers for Bases Deal
after the England and France's declaration of war on Germany, President Roosevelt asked Congress to eliminate the ban on arms sales to nations at war. Britain would need more warships to protect its merchant ships. With a dwindling treasury, Britain would be unable to purchase military items on a cash-and-carry basis (Neutrality Act of 1939). Determined to give Britain warships, the United States provided 50 old US destroyers in exchange for the rights to build American bases on British-controlled Newfoundland, Bermuda, and islands in the Caribbean.
