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Japan attacks China w/o a Declaration of War
The unrestrained violence of the 1937 Japanese attack on China shocked Americans. It's planes rained terror on Chinese cities, especially Shanghai and Nanjing. The Japanese killed three American sailors when Japanese warplanes sank the United States gun boat on the Chang River. -
Neutrality Act of 1939
This act included a cash and carry provision which allowed belligerent nations to buy good and arms in the U.S if they paid fully in cash and carried merchandise on their own ships. Since the British navy controlled the sea, cash and carry in effect aided the Allies. -
Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact
Britain and France signed an alliance with Poland promising aid if Hitler attacked. Hitler, however, was more concerned about war with the Soviets than Britain and France. Not wanting to fight a war on two fronts Germany signed the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact with the soviets. The two formal rivals promised not to attack each other. Secretly, they agreed to invade Poland and divide the land. The public agreement shocked the West and guaranteed German offensive against Poland. -
Germany's Blitzkrieg against Poland
A blitzkrieg is a sudden attack. On September 1, 1939 a massive German blitzkrieg hit Poland from three directions. Using a coordinated assault by tanks, planes, motorized vehicles and infantry, Germany broke through Poland's defenses and destroyed its air force. -
The Soviet Union Invades Poland
The situation became even more hopeless on September 17th when the Soviet Union invaded Poland from the eats. Although France and Britain declared war on Germany, they did nothing to save Poland. By the end of the month, a devastated Poland fell in defeat. -
Tripartite Pact
Shortly after the fall of France in 1940, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact and became Allies in that same month. -
Lend-Lease Act
Once again America answered Britain's plea for help. In March 1941, Congress approved the Lend-Lease Act which authorized Roosevelt to "sell, transfer title to, lease, lend, or otherwise dispose of, to any such government any defense article whenever he deemed necessary in the interests the defense of the U.S." This act was nothing less than an economic declaration of war against Germany and the Axis Powers. -
The Atlantic Charter
In August 1941, President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met secretly on a warship off of the coast of Newfoundland. They talked about Britains problems in the war and their hopes for the world after Hitler's defeat. They signed the Atlantic Charter on board the ship. The document endorsed national self-determination and an international system of "general security." This charter signaled the deepening of the Alliance between Britain and America. -
Hitler attacks America
In the fall of 1941, Hitler ordered his German U-Boats, or submarines, to attack American Ships. The U-Boat shot at the USS Greer, hit the USS Kearny, and sunk the USS James, killing more than 100 sailors. The attacks shocked and angered Americans causing them to declare war on Germany. Roosevelt gave the U.S Navy orders to attack German U-Boats on sight. -
FDR's "four freedoms"
When Britain began to run short on funds to purchase cash-and-carry goods in the U.S, FDR took the opportunity to address Congress. He spoke about "four freedoms." Freedom of speech, worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. He said those freedoms were threatened by Nazi and Japanese militarism.
