International Treaties and Relations Pre-WWII

Washington Conference Treaties

• Five Power Treaty: Naval powers (US, GB, Japan, France, Italy) agreed to maintain a ratio of battleship strength; US and GB agreed not to fortify Pacific territories.
• Four Power Treaty: US, France, GB, and Japan agreed to respect each other's Pacific territories.
• Nine Power Treaty: China, Japan, Netherlands, US, GB, Italy, France, Belgium, and Portugal agreed to the Open Door Policy in China.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

• 1928 pact signed by almost all nations.
• Nations renounced war for national purposes, allowing only for defensive wars.
• No punishment was stipulated for violating the pact.

US and Latin America (Pre-WWII)

• US investment in Latin America doubled.
• US military influence in the region declined.
• US-Mexico relations improved after Mexico's revolution with negotiation to avoid property confiscation.

Middle East Significance

• Discovery of oil in the Middle East led to intense competition for drilling rights between US and GB.

Tariffs (Pre-WWII)

• 1922 tariffs on manufactured goods hurt European economies.
• These tariffs led to retaliatory tariffs on US goods and hindered European repayment of war debts.
• This contributed to the Great Depression.

Creditor Nation (US)

• US exported more than it imported.
• US lent more than it borrowed.
• US demanded full repayment of war debts from GB and France, but this was impossible given Germany's debt to them.

Dawes Plan

• Coolidge's VP proposed this plan to lend money to Germany to rebuild their economy.
• Repayment of reparations was eased for all parties.

Hoover's Policy in Latin America

• End of interventionist policies (Taft and Wilson).
• Removal of troops from Nicaragua and Haiti.

Early Japanese Aggression

• Early 1930s, Japan violated the Open Door Policy and the League of Nations by invading Manchuria.
• The League's condemnation was ineffective, and Japan withdrew.

Stimson Doctrine

• US Secretary of State Stimson opposed the Japanese-controlled government in Manchuria (Manchukuo).

FDR's Good Neighbor Policy

• No intervention in Latin American internal affairs.
• Overturned the Roosevelt Corollary.

FDR and Cuba

• FDR convinced Congress to repeal the Platt Amendment, ending US control over Cuba but maintaining the naval base.

FDR and Mexico

• FDR urged Americans to negotiate with the Mexican government after it seized American oil properties in 1938.

FDR and Soviet Union

• FDR recognized the Soviet Union in 1933, increasing trade.

FDR and the Philippines

• FDR pushed for Philippine independence and troop removal in 1946 due to economic constraints.

Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act

• FDR lowered tariffs to expand trade.
• US could lower tariffs up to 50% for countries reciprocating.

Fascist Italy

• Benito Mussolini formed a fascist government in Italy in 1922.

Fascism

• Glorifies the nation and race through aggression and domination.

Nazi Germany

• Hitler and the Nazi party gained control of the German government in 1933 and increased military might in violation of the Treaty of Versailles.

Japan (1920s-1930s)

• Japan promoted nationalism and militarism, leading to invasions of China and the Pacific.

Spanish Civil War

• 1936 war between fascists led by Francisco Franco and those opposed.
• US remained uninvolved.
• Franco was victorious.

America First Committee

• Formed by Charles Lindbergh, advocating against US involvement in the European and Japanese wars.

American Isolationists

• Viewed WWI involvement as a mistake.
• Opposed further American involvement in war.

Neutrality Acts (1935-1937)

• 1935: Prohibited arms shipments and US travel on belligerent ships.
• 1936: Forbade loans and credits to belligerents.
• 1937: Prohibited arms shipments to the sides in the Spanish Civil War.

Italy's Invasion of Ethiopia (1935)

• Italy took over Ethiopia.

Germany in the Rhineland (1936)

• Germany sent troops into the Rhineland.

Japan's Actions and Apology (1937)

• Japan continued its war with China and sank a US ship, but then apologized.

Germany's Takeover of the Sudetenland (1938)

• Germany annexed the Sudetenland region.

Munich Pact

• GB and France appeased Hitler by allowing him the Sudetenland in exchange for a promise of no further aggression.

Appeasement

• Giving concessions to an aggressive power to maintain peace.

Treaty of Versailles and Austria/Germany

• Treaty of Versailles forbade the unification of Austria and Germany.

Anschluss

• Hitler annexed Austria into Germany.

Hitler's Violation of the Munich Pact

• Hitler took all of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 despite promises in the Munich Pact.
• GB and France pledged to defend Poland if attacked.

Poland's Significance

• Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact and agreed to split Poland.
• Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939.

Locarno Pact

• 1925 agreement among France, GB, Italy, and Germany to refrain from aggression, establish a demilitarized zone along the Rhine River, and guarantee borders.

Pan-American Conferences

• 1933 Uruguay- No US intervention in foreign affairs.
• 1936 Argentina- FDR attended, established dispute arbitration method, and discussed uniting the hemisphere against European intervention (if necessary).

Shifting US Policies

• FDR transitioned from isolationism to supporting the Allies indirectly.

Cash and Carry

• US could sell arms to belligerents if they paid cash and used their own ships.

Selective Service Act (1940)

• US instituted a military draft, training 1.2M.

Destroyers for Bases Deal

• US traded 50 old destroyers for naval bases in the Caribbean from Britain.

1940 Election

• FDR won a third term, beating Wendell Willkie.

Four Freedoms Speech

• FDR addressed the nation and outlined the Four Freedoms: freedom from speech, freedom from religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear; justifying financial assistance to Britain in the war.

Lend-Lease Act

• US replaced cash and carry with lending arms to GB and Allies.

Atlantic Charter

• Joint declaration by Churchill and FDR.
• Promoted self-determination, end to expansionism, and free trade.

Shooting on Sight

• FDR ordered US ships to patrol water and take action against German/Italian ships.

Axis Powers

• Japan allied with Germany and Italy.

Oil Embargo

• US placed an embargo on vital materials, like oil, steel, and rubber, to pressure Japan in 1941.

Pearl Harbor

• Dec 7, 1941: Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
• The attack was a surprise, but some expected military action.

US Declaration of War

• US declared war on Japan following Pearl Harbor.
• Germany and Italy declared war on the US.

War in Europe (1941-1942)

• Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 broke the non-aggression pact.

Europe First Policy

• Allied agreement to defeat Germany and Italy before Japan.

War Production Board

• Managed US war industries.
• Set production quotas.
• Controlled raw materials.

Office of Price Administration

• Controlled prices, wages, and rent.
• Implemented rationing for essential goods.
• Led to black markets.

Federal Spending

• Increased 1000% due to the war.
• Deficit spending was utilized.

US Businesses During the War

• High profits.
• Low unemployment (1.2%).
• Greater industry output than the Axis Powers combined.
• Growing gap between large and small businesses.

Office of Research and Development (ORD)

• Managed many vital scientific developments.

Manhattan Project

• Created the first atomic weapons.
• Involved significant European scientific talent.

Labor Unions During the War

• No strikes were permitted.
• Worker discontent existed as profits increased alongside frozen wages.
• The Connally Anti-Strike Act allowed the government to take over war-related operations if a strike was anticipated.

Financing the War

• Increased income taxes.
• War bonds were sold.

Office of War Information (OWI)

• Controlled news dissemination.
• Promoted war support messaging via media.

America's "Good War" Representation

• National unity aspect of the war effort.

African American Migration (WWII)

• 1.5 million African Americans left the South.

African Americans' Employment Shift

• Moved to urban areas in the Midwest and West Coast.

African Americans in Military Service

• 1 million African Americans served in the military.

Double V Campaign

• African American's campaign for victory over fascism and racism.

Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)

• A Civil Rights organization formed during the war.
• NAACP membership increased.

Executive Order to Prohibit Discrimination

• FDR prohibited discrimination in hiring and practices concerning federal contracts and businesses.

Mexican Americans in Military Service

• 300,000 Mexican Americans served.

Bracero Program

• Agreement allowing Mexican laborers to work in US agriculture temporarily.
• Involved exploitation. Attacked during the Zoot Suit Riots.

American Indians in the War

• Served in military and defense industries.
• Many did not return to reservations after the war.
• Served as "code talkers", giving strategic communication advantage.

Japanese Americans and Internment

• 100,000 Japanese Americans were relocated to internment camps (interned).
• Korematsu v. U.S. upheld the internment camps.
• Many served in the military; 20,000 Japanese American soldiers. 1988 reparations were paid.

Women's Roles in the War

• Over 200,000 women served in noncombat roles in the military; 5 million women entered the workforce.
• 24% of married women entered the workforce.
• "Rosie the Riveter" promoted women's role in defense industries.
• Gender pay gap was persistent.

Battle of the Atlantic

• Long battle for control of shipping lanes; Allies eventually gained the upper hand.
• Utilizing radar and sonar.

Strategic Bombing

• Focused on military targets in Europe, but eventually civilian targets were also attacked.

Operation Torch

• Allied invasion of North Africa through North Africa and into Italy in 1942-1943.

D-Day

• June 6, 1944: Allied invasion of France at Normandy.
• Liberated France; Paris liberated by mid-August.
• Moved into Germany by September.

Battle of the Bulge

• German counteroffensive in December 1944.
• Allies pushed back.

German Surrender

• April 30, 1945, Hitler committed suicide.
• Unconditional German surrender on May 7, 1945.

Battle of Midway

• Significant Allied victory; shifted control in the Pacific toward the Allies.

Island Hopping

• US strategy of capturing strategic islands in the Pacific.

Douglas MacArthur

• Pacific US commander; led successful operations in the Philippines.
• Significant naval defeat of Japanese at Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Kamikaze Pilots

• Japanese suicide pilots; inflicted heavy damage during the Battle of Okinawa.

Robert Oppenheimer

• Director of the Manhattan Project; led to the successful atomic bomb test in July 1945.

Truman and Atomic Bombings

• Truman ordered the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Japanese Surrender

• Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945.
• Kept the Emperor as head of state.

Casablanca Conference

• Churchill and FDR agreed on Europe first and unconditional surrender; Sicily and Italy invasion was discussed.

Tehran Conference

• Big 3 (FDR, Churchill, Stalin) met in 1943 to agree on the D-Day plan and the Soviet invasion of Germany.

Yalta Conference

• February 1945 Conference with the Big 3 to agree on dividing Germany into occupation zones.
• Planned free elections in Eastern Europe.
• Soviets agreeing to enter the war against Japan.
• Soviets gaining control of some Pacific territory.
• United Nations formed.

FDR's Death

• FDR died on April 12, 1945, Harry Truman became president.

Potsdam Conference

• July 1945 meeting of Stalin, Atlee, and Truman.
• Agreed on demanding Japan's unconditional surrender.
• Divided Germany and Berlin into four occupation zones.

WWII Legacy

• Estimated 70-80 million deaths (1/3 in the Soviet Union).
• 15M served in military; 400,000 fatalities.
• US emerged as a powerful nation with growing national debt.

United Nations

• US became a founding member of the UN.