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Kellogg-Briand Pact
Treaty that renounced the use of war to settle disputes and called for a peaceful resolution to issues between nations. Any country that went against the treaty would be denied the benefits given by the treaty. Germany, France and the U.S were the first to sign the treaty and soon after many other nations signed it as well. -
Manchurian Invasion
Japanese Kwangtung Army attacked Chinese troops in Manchuria in an attempt to establish control over the province. -
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Neutrality Acts
Passed by the United States congress in response to what was happening in Europe and Asia. After the U.S involvement in WW1 we wanted to stay neutral and passed these acts in order to ensure that the U.S would not get caught up in foreign conflicts -
Invasion of Mainland China
A military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. Lasting between 1937 and 1941 china fought Japan with economic help from Germany, the soviet union, and even America following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor -
Panay Incident
A Japanese attack on a U.S gunboat named Panay on the Yangtze River in China. AT this point in the war America was still neutral and was not in conflict with Japan. Japanese officials claimed to have not seen the American flags painted on the boat and apologized for their actions, even paid an indemnity, but regardless we lost 3 men and 45 were wounded creating tensions between U.S and Japan. -
Cash and Carry Act
A policy requested by FDR in September of 1939 that essentially replaced the Neutrality Acts. This allowed for the U.S to sell materials to nations at war as long as the nations provided their own means of transporting goods and also paid immediately in cash. No loans and no risk of American transportation on dangerous waters. -
Building Up Defences
Due to Nazi victories in Germany Roosevelt asked congress to boost up defense spending which led to the passing of the selective service act -
Fall of France
The successful German invasion of France and the Low Countries. Consisted primarily of two operations, the Fall Gelb, and the Fall Rot. In total there were over two million causalities. -
Battle of Britain
A battle waged by the German air force against the UK in the summer of 1940. The first campaign that was entirely fought by air forces and the largest bombing campaign at the time. The goal of the battle was to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force. -
Destroyer Deal
Or lend-lease was a legal cover for America to help British fight Germany without going against the Neutrality Act. -
Selective Service Act
The nation’s first pace-time military draft. Under this law 16million men between the ages of 21 and 35 were registered. -
Arsenal of Democracy Speech
During a radio talk Roosevelt warned that if Britain fell, the Axis powers would be left unchallenged to conquer the world. So he believed that the United States had to help defeat the Axis Powers by turning itself into an “Arsenal of Democracy” -
Lend-Lease Act
Under this act Roosevelt would lend or lease arms and any other necessary supplies to those whose defense was vital to the United States -
U-Boat Wolf Packs
To prevent the delivery of lend lease shipments Hitler deployed U-boats to attack supply ships. They were successful in sinking as much as 350,00 tons of shipments in a single month -
Supporting Stalin
When Hitler broke his agreement with Stalin Roosevelt began sending lend-lease supplies to the Soviet Union, may people disagreed with this but Roosevelt agreed with `Winston Churchill who said “if Hitler invaded Hell the British would be prepared to work with the devil himself” -
Inv. Fr. Indochina
Japan started taking over French Indochina and as result the U.S reacted by cutting off all trade with Japan. The Japanese leaders declared that Japan would either strike the U.S or take over Middle East oil fields, this would mean war. -
US Embargo
In July of 1941 when Japan seizes French military bases in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, the United States wasn’t happy with them so we cut Japan off from oil and scrap metal which they needed in order for war. -
Atlantic Charter
Joint declaration of war aims where both countries pledged collective security, disarmament, self-determination, economic cooperation, and freedom of the seas. -
Shoot on Sight
After a German submarine fired on the U.S destroyer Greer in the Atlantic on September 4, 1941 Roosevelt ordered the navy to shoot the German submarines on sight -
Pearl Harbor Attack
Japanese dive bombers attacked Pearl Harbor, the largest U.S. Naval base in the Pacific. In less than two hours the Japanese had killed 2,403 Americans and wounded over 1,000 more. War was officially declared.
