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FDR Declares Good Neighbor Policy
Roosevelt announced this policiy in his inaugural address, and again confirmed it in December of the same year. This was very significant and had many effects: the US Marines occupation of Nicaragua came to an end, as did the occupation of Haiti, the Platt Amendment was annuled, and Mexico was given compensation for its nationalization of foreign-owned oil assests. -
FDR Declines London Economic Conference
Roosevelt feared the British and French would seek to control their own currency, which would have made the dollar rise against foreign currencies, threatened U.S. exports, and depressed stock and commodity markets. America's absence at this conference likely resulted in its ultimate failure. -
U.S. Recognizes the Soviet Union
Roosevelt ended nearly sixteen years of non-recognition of the Soviet Union following negotiations in D.C. with Soviet Commissar for Foreighn Affairs, Maxim Litvinov. The Soviet Union pledged to participate in future talks to settle their outstanding financial debts, refrain from inerfering in American domestic affairs, and grant certain religious and legal rights to Americans living in the Soviet Union. -
Tydings-McDuffie Act
The Tydings-McDuffie Act was a US federal law providing for self-government of the Philippines and for Filipino independence from the United States after ten years. It also established strict limitation on Filipino immigration. The act led to the writing of the 1935 Constitution of the Philippines and, under it, the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines with the first directly elected president. -
Reciprocal Trade Agreement Act
This act granted the President the traditional power to levy tariffs. Roosevelt was given the authority to adjust tariffs rates and the power to negotiate bilateral trade agreements without receiving congressional approval. The act had supporters and critics; the former thought it would help the administration quickly conclued agricultural trade agreements, the latter thought it surrendered too much power to the president. -
US Neutrality Act of 1935
This act imposed a general embargo on trading in arms and war materials with all parties in a war. It also declared that Americans traveling on warring ships were travelling at their own risk. The act was set to expire after six months. Roosevelt also declared a "moral embargo" against the belligerents, covering trade that didn't fall directly under the act. -
Mussolini Invades Ethiopia
Under Mussolini, Italy attacked an defeated Ethiopia, showing no mercy thought the country fought with just spears. The League of Nations did nothing; it didn't even cut oil supplies to Italy. The League essentially died after this as a nice idea that was powerless. -
US Neutraliuty Act of 1936
This act renewed the provisions of the previous 1935 Neutrality Act for another fourteen months. It also forbade all loans to belligerent nations. The act did not cover civil wars, though, nor did it cover items like trucks and oil. American companies exploited these loopholes to sell items to Spain (for its own civil war). By 1939, General Franco would owe these companies more than $100,000,000. -
Spanish Civil War
This was a war fought between the Republicans and the Nationalists, a fascist rebel group led by General Francisco Franco. The Nationalists won. The war is often referred to as the "dress rehearsal" for World War II. -
US Neutrality Act of 1937
This Neutrality Act included the provision of the earlier acts, this time without an expiration date, and extended them to cover civil wars, as well. Most transportation of goods and people was stopped. But for Roosevelt's sake, a "cash-and-carry" provision was addded: the President could permit the sale of materials and supplies to belligerents in Europe as long as they arranged its transportation. This essentially put the US on the Allies' side. -
Japan Invades China
Japan invaded China, and this conflict eventually merged in World War II. Roosevelt did not name the conlict a war, so, under the Neutrality Acts, both China and Japan could still buy American war-stuffs. -
USS Panay Incident
Japan bombed and sank the USS Panay, an American gunboat. Two people were killed, and thirty wounded; this was possible grounds for war. Japan apologized and paid an indemnity. This incident further cemented the importance of isolationism in the minds of Americans. -
Hitler Seizes Austria
Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany. This stands in contrast to the revious relations, where Germany and Austria were often considered lumped together. -
Munich Conference
This conference included major powers such as Germany, France, Britain, and Italy. The US was not present. It ended with a settlement permitting Nazi Germany's annexation of portions of Czechoslovakia (Sudentenland). -
Hitler Seizes all of Czechoslovakia
Hitler broke the promise he made at the Munich Conference not to invade Czechoslovakia, and did it anyways. The two provinces of Bohemia and Moravia offered no resistance and were quickly made protectorates of Germany. -
Nazi-Soviet Pact (Russo-German Non-Aggression Pact)
This pact states intentions of non-belligerence by either party and a promise that neither party would ally itself to or aid an enemy of the other party. It also included a secret protocol to divide territories into German and Soviet "spheres of influence." After this, Germany invaded Poland, with Stalin following Hitler's lead. Parts of southeastern Europe were annexed by the Soviet Union. The pact stood until Germany broke it by invading the Soviet Union in June of 1941. -
World War II begins in Europe with Hitler's Invasion of Poland
Britain and France tried to draw one last line, saying that if Poland was taken, war would start. Still, Hitler attacked and overran the nation in only two weeks. Britain and France did declare war, marking the start of World War II. -
US Neutrality Act of 1939
After Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia, Roosevetl lobbied to have the cash-and-carry provision renewed. Congress rebuffed him. But after Hitler's invasion of Poland and Britain and France's declarations of war, Roosevelt invoked those provisions. Arms trade with belligerent nations (Britain and France) was allowed, essentially ending the arms embargo. -
Fall of France
Germany successfully invaded and took over most of France in 1940. Franc remained occupied until the liberation of the country on D-Day. in 1944. This was a big deal, considering that France was one of the main forces of the Allied Powers. Britain's concern over the future of the war and desire for American aid led to the wartime Anglo-American partnership. -
Battle of Britain
This was the air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the UK in order to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force. This is extremely significatn because it was a threat against one of the last strong true democracies in Europe. Also, is was the largest and mosts sustained aerial bombing campaign to that date. -
Destroyer Deal with Britain
Between the US and the UK, the Destroyers for BAses Agreement transferred fifty US Navy destroyers to the Royal NAvy in exchange for land rights on British possessions. This showed how desperate Britain was for American support in the war, and it was yet another step away from American neutrality. -
US Invokes First Peacetime Draft
Known as the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, this draft was the first peacetime conscription in US history. It required that men between 21 and 35 register with their local drafts. When the US eventually entered WWII, men age 18 to 45 were made subject to militry service. This was significant, because it essentially meant the US was gearing up for a war. -
Lend-Lease Act
This was a program under which the US supplied France (that portion which was free), Britain, the Republic of China, and, later, the USSR and other Allied nations with supplies like food, oil, equipment, and hardware. Again, this was another step away from true American neutrality. This allied the US even more with the Allied Powers, and showed her dedication to them. -
Hitler Attacks Soviet Union
This operation was driven by Hitler's ideological desire to conquer the subhuman Soviets. It marked the beginning of the a rapid escalation in the war, both geographically and geo-politically. -
Fair Employment Practices Commission estabilshed
This Commission stated that there should be no work place discrimination based upon race, creed, cololr, or national origin. Not only did this increase war time production levels, but it also provided many hundreds with work. -
Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter was a policy that defined the Allied goals for the world after the war. It was drafted by leaders from the US and Britain, and later agreed upon by the other Allied Powers. This stated the idealistic goals of the war, similar to those of Wilson's Fourteen Points. This set goals for the post-WWII world and inspired many international agreements that occured thereafter. -
Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike made by the Imperial Japanese Navy on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This was the final domino; the very next day, America entered World War II. -
US Declares War on Japan
The US declared war on Japan in response to the Imperial Navy's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor the day before. Americans' idea of the war really changed after this; it became personal and more and more people were against isolationism. This, and the following declarations by other countries, brought America fully into WWII. -
Germany Declares War on US
Germany declared war upon the US in repsonse to an alleged series of provocations by the US government was supposedly "neutral." Later the same day, the US declared war on Germany. Basically, this officially and fully brought America into WWII. -
Japanese-Americans Interned
Japanese-Americans were forced/compelled to relocate and be incarcerated during WWII. Between 110,000 and 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were put in internment camps; 62% of those were American citizens. This showed the racism that was on the rise in America, especially against the Japanese. Rights and individual liberties were withheld, and they were held in general public disdain. -
Japan Conquers the Philppines
After fighting for a few months, Japan finally conquered the Philippines. However, many Filipinoes remained loyal to America; partly because they had been promised independence, and partly because they were treated very creully by the Japanese. -
Battle of Coral Sea
This battle was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of the war, fought between the Imperial Japanese NAvy was the naval and air forces of the US and Australia. The battle was the first conflict in which aircraft carriers engaged with each other. -
Battle of Midway
This was a decisive naval battle between Japan and the US. Japan meant for it to be a surprise attack, but American codebreakers were able to determine the time and place of the attack beforehand. The US devastated the Japanese fleet, causing irreparable damages. This was also Japan's first naval defeat since 1863. -
US Invades North Africa
In Operation Torch, Britain and American invaded French North Africa in order to clear the Axis powers from North Africa, improve naval control of the Mediterranean Sea, and prepare for an invasion of Southern Europe in the coming year. This aws largely successful, with the UK and the US either defeating and area of allying with the French there to defeat the Axis powers there. -
Japanese Driven from Guadalcanal
After landing on August 7, 1942, Alied forces, primarily from the US, captured air fields and other areas of Guadalcanal. American successsfully turned back attempts by the Japanese to bombard with battleships, and the battle turned back Japan's last major attempts to dislodge Allied forces from the area. -
Casablanca Conference
This conference was convened to plan the Allied European strategy for WWII. It addressed tactical procedure, allocation of resources, and diplomatic policy. From this conference came the "Casablanca Declaration," with its call for "unconditional surrender." This doctrine came to represent the voice of the Allies. -
Allies Invade Italy
This was fought between Britain, America, and Canada against Germany and Italy. After this, almost all of southern Italy was in Allied hands, and they prepared defensive lines across the country. -
Tehran Conference
This was a strategy meeting between Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchhill. This was the first of the WWII conferences including the "Big Three" powers. The main outcome was the Western Allies's commitment to open a second front against Nazi Germany. It also addressed other relations of the countries. -
D-Day Invasion of France
This iamphibious nvasion began with the establishment of Allies forces in Normandy. Many countries provided the Allies with support. Although this was costly in terms of Allied lives lost, the defeat inflicted on the Germans was one of the largest in the war. This lead to the German loss of most of their position in France. -
Battle of Marianas
This naval battle took place near the Mariana Islands in the Pacific between the US and Japan. There was much improvement in American pilot and crew training and tactis, war tech, and ship and aircraft design, which may have contributed to the US's victory over Japan. This battle effectvely eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions in the Pacific. -
Battle of the Bulge
This was a major German offensive campaign launched through Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. This surprise attack caught Allied forces completely off guard and US forces especially bore the brunt of the attack. Still, the battle severly depleted Germany's armored forces, contributin to its defeat in this battle. -
Korematsu v. US
This case debated the constitutionality of the executive order which ordered Japanese-Americans into internment camps, regardless of citizenship. The bench sided with the government, stating that the need to protect against espionage outweighed Korematsu's, and all Japanese-Americans', individual rights and liberties. -
Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa
The islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa proved essential in order to invade Japan. Iwo Jima was attacked first, then Okinawa in the next few months. Though both sides suffered great losses, the tactics used by the Japanese left little doubt that the end of the war was near. -
Roosevelt Dies; Truman Assumes Presidency
After Roosevelt's death, his VP, Truman, assumed the presidency. Under Truman, the Allies were successful in winning the war. However, in the aftermath tensions between the US and the Soviet Unino increased, marking the start of the Cold War. -
Potsdam Conference
This was a conference between the Big Three to decide how to administer punishment to defeated Germany after WWII. The conference was also a lead up to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. MAny countries were also turned into Soviet Satellite states. -
Atomic Bombs Dropped
The US dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to try to end the war. The bombings, which killed at least 129,000 people, are the only use of nuclear weapons for warfare in history. Just days after, Japan announced its surrender to the Allies, effectively ending World War II. -
Japan Surrenders
After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrenderd to the Allies. At this time in the war, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of performing any major operations and an Allied invasion of the country was imminent. Japan surrendered, ending WWII.