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Geneva Naval Conference
The US, Britain, and Japan met in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss the limitations regarding each countries Naval capacities. Coolidge wanted to extend the previous treaty to other vessels not included in the ratios. However, there were many differences between the countries and what they seeked for the New Treaty. Due to the stalemate over the cruisers being equal by tonnage or number of vessels, it failed because they did not come to an agreement and the arms race continued to flourish. -
(Kellogg-Briand Pact) Treaty providing for the renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy
This treaty was originally adopted by Germany, US, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Japan, India, Great Britain, and France. Nearly a year later it went into force when 32 other countries signed the treaty and others later ending up ratifying it. This treaty was one of the first most widely accepted agreement within nations. The pacts purpose was to outlaw war within the Nations. However, the treaty was unsuccessful because it did not define self-defense and that allowed for countries to find loopholes. -
Smoot Hawley Tariff Act
During the Great Depression, an import on tariff's increased by 20% to protect the farmers and the businesses of the United States by adding a strain on the economy. Economist pleaded for President Hoover to not sign the legislation; however, when the stock market crashed in 1929, it passed easily through legislation, and he signed it to protect over 20,000 goods in America. In retaliation, other countries placed tariffs on US exports resulting in fewer exports and jobs. -
Neutrality Act of 1935
FDR signed the first neutrality act to keep the United States away from contact with belligerent countries for 6 months. They act stated that in order for vessels to obtain arms on their ships, they had to have a licensure. It also restricted Americans from sailing on ships that were coming from aggressive nations. In addition, it put an embargo on arms that were sold to other belligerent nations. As a result, the US's strength against foreign nations such as Germany and Italy was increased. -
Lend and Lease Act
FDR signed the act which ended the neutrality acts. The act took place from March of 1941 to September of 1945. It entitled the United States to associate with other foreign countries who were allies and need support and added strength during the time of the war. However, in return for some of the food, oil, warships, and materials that were gifted from the US, the receiving nation was to lease allied army and naval bases during the war. The material was to used until destroyed or returned. -
Cairo Conference of 1943
Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Chaing Kai-Shek met in in Cairo, Egypt for a World War II conference regarding the state of the war. They determined there that the United States, Republic of China, and Great Britain would continue the war with Japan until Japan surrendered. They also agreed that the land Japan took from China would return to China and that Japan would lose all Islands they seized after 1941. It was also stated that Korea would become free and independent. -
United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference (Bretton Woods Conference)
A new series of rules were created when 44 nations of delegates convened in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire to discuss post-World War II monetary systems. They gathered on July 1st until July 22nd. At the end of the meeting, they came to a conclusion the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The delegates discovered that the only way to create peace and prosperity home and abroad was through economic cooperation so that is what they did. -
Yalta Conference
This was the second meeting of the war with Churchill, Stalin, and FDR. At this meeting, they came to a conclusion that they were going to force Germany to surrender the war, so they could begin post-war reparations. They set up four zones of occupation in the conquered nation with France. Stalin agreed to allow free elections and to return the seized land back to Japan. The next step forward from this meeting was that they also scheduled a meeting to create the United Nations in San Francisco. -
United Nations Charter
It first started when FDR and Churchill signed the Atlantic charter. Then FDR came up with the UN. After that, the big three reached the compromises within the document. It is an intergovernmental organization with the purpose to promote international cooperation. Another goal of the UN was to prevent another war like WWII. Most countries in the world today have ratified the charter to keep peace and security amongst each other throughout the world. -
Potsdam Conference
During the time of WWII, Truman, Stalin, and Churchill met in Potsdam, Germany for the last conference of the war. While majority of the conference revolved around postwar Europe, the three also declared for Japan to "unconditionally surrender" from the war. Truman also casually mentioned the invention of a new weapon in his time at Potsdam. Truman continued to assist Stalin, but as a result of the news of the atomic bomb, he knew that if it worked then Russia's assistance wouldn't be needed. -
Atomic Bomb- Hiroshima
President Harry Truman called for Japan to surrender the war and even gave them a fair warning that if they didn't, then they would be in trouble and see something that they have never seen before. However, Japan did not listen which led to Truman's decision to drop the first (uranium gun-type) atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The bomb resulted in 90,000 to 146,000 people to be dead. This was the first nuclear weapon to be used in warfare history. -
Atomic Bomb- Nagasaki
Three days after the bombing on Hiroshima, the Japanese still hadn't surrendered from the war. Therefore, Truman decided to go with the second atomic bomb (plutonium implosion-type) and drop it on Nagasaki. The result of this atomic bomb killed nearly 39,000 to 80,000 people. Six days after this event, Japan finally surrendered to the allies. They signed the instrument of surrender which finally ended WWII. Although the bombs provoked the ending of the war, their justification is still unknown. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the European Recovery plan that aided in European modernization, unification and economic recovery. The US played their part by giving over 12 million dollars of economic support to Western Europe in order to help rebuild their economy. It also helped to remove barriers and prevent the spread of communism. The stability of the US was used to strengthen peace, general welfare, and national interest. 18 different countries received plan benefits from the US. -
Berlin Blockade
The blockade was the Soviets response due to the refusal of the US and British to allow Russia more economic future in Germany. The issue was whether the Western part of Berlin was going to remain controlled by the allies or if the Eastern Soviets were going to continue to spread throughout Berlin.This led to the Soviets to put up a blockade to keep out rail, road, and canal access to allied-controlled areas of Berlin-- threatening starvation. The outcome of this crisis was the Berlin Airlift. -
Berlin Airlift
After the blockade took place, and men women and children were being held hostage to starve to death, the Belin airlift occurred. The US sent medicine, food, and water to the citizens living there at that time. President Truman decided to go this route because he did not want to initiate a WWIII. In the end, the supplies from the American planes allowed for over 2 million people to stay alive during this time of aggression. The airlift also made a testament to the superior technology of the US. -
North Atlantic Treaty
US diplomat Theodore Achilles chaired the committee and 12 founding members signed the treaty in Washington, DC. This treaty derived from Article 51 of the United Nations charter and created the NATO. The goal of the treaty was to create a solid defense by backing up and protecting each nation within an alliance. During this time the treaty was aimed at the possibility of the Soviet Union attacking the allies of Western Europe. -
NSC-68
In the time of the Cold War, the National Security Council presented a 58-page report to President Harry Truman outlining a strategic plan to fight the Soviet Union. NSC-68, originally written by Paul Nitze, increased the defense spending from $13 to $50 billion.Truman was hesitant to enable this plan because it would increase taxpayers dollars, but when the Korean War broke out, he signed the papers, and the report remained the United State's top secret foundation until the 1970's.
