68 GERMANY TRIUMPHANT 1939–1941
The US’s involvement in World War I had
not been universally popular, and after the
war ended, the US reduced its navy and
army to fewer than 135,000 men. In 1937,
it passed a Neutrality Act, forbidding the
sale of arms to countries at war. However,
as Germany and Japan became more
aggressive, President Roosevelt sought to
counter the powerful political voices that
counseled keeping out of foreign conflicts.The US takes up arms
After war broke out in September 1939,
Roosevelt persuaded Congress to repeal the
arms embargo, but recipients could only
acquire arms with cash payments. He also ordered a major rearmament,
buying 270 warships and increasing the army to over 1.6 million by
December 1941. Roosevelt increased aid to Britain by the Lend-Lease
Act (see pp.70–71), which allowed raw materials and military aid to go
to the Allies on credit. After the Japanese attacked the US naval base at
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in December 1941 (see pp.110–111), the neutralist
sentiment vanished and the US joined the war.THE END OF US
NEUTRALITY
At the start of World War II, the US took a neutral
position. However, President Franklin Roosevelt reversed
this stance, rearming the US and increasing aid to Britain.
By December 1941, the US was fully involved in the war.
△ Anti-war lobby
Formed in 1940, the America
First Committee lobbied against
US intervention in Europe. It
attracted 800,000 members.△ The Atlantic Charter meeting
British prime minister Winston Churchill heads to Newfoundland, Canada, in August 1941,
for a meeting with Roosevelt. The two leaders drew up a joint declaration known as the
Atlantic Charter, which set out their goals for the war and its aftermath.US_068-069_F_The_end_of_US_neutrality.indd 68 05/03/19 2:32 PM