1920-1945 Foreign Policy

Question 1

what were 4 key aims out of wilsons 14?

Answer 1

self determination
free trade
disarmament
LoN

Question 2

give 2 key reasons the usa rejected the TOV and didnt join the LoN?

Answer 2

poor treatment of germany (6.6m reparations initially)

didnt want to be dragged into european affairs

Question 3

what was a direct consequence of the usa not joining the LoN?

Answer 3

LoN had no teeth to deal with aggression

USA became isolationist again

Question 4

what did isolationism do for american economics in the 1920s especially, and what were the consequences of this?

Answer 4

emphasis on self sufficiency and exporting not importing (republican policies i.e. tariffs)

other countries retaliated to high tariffs and cut trade links with usa

Question 5

give 3 examples of reps not being isolationist in the 20s?

Answer 5

-dawes plan 1924/young plan 1929
(both helped out germany with repayments)
-disarmament conferences (e.g. washington naval conference 1921-22)
-4 power treaty/9 power treaty
(accepted principle of open door policy towards china)

Question 6

what was the name of fdr’s foreign policy towards latin america?

Answer 6

good neighbour policy

Question 7

what did fdr do for cuba?

Answer 7

removed platt amendment (cuba back to cuba now)

Question 8

by 1934 how many americans believed the usa should not have got involved in ww1 according to the NYE committee?

Answer 8

70%

Question 9

when did italy invade Abyssinia?

Answer 9

1935

Question 10

what was the reasons for the 1935 neutrality act?

Answer 10

prevent usa getting dragged into war through weapons supplying to allies

Question 11

what was the reasons for the 1936 neutrality act?

Answer 11

against supplying of loans to belligerent nations

Question 12

what were the reasons for the 1938 naval expansion act?

Answer 12

fdr wanted to get usa ready for war in the midst of rising tensions with europe/Japan now hitler and mussolini had allied with japan

Question 13

what were the consequences of the 1938 naval expansion act?

Answer 13

20% increase in US navy

$525m granted for air defence

Question 14

what was the 1937 panay incident and what was congress’ response?

Answer 14

US gunboat sank by japan near korea

congress was isolationist and accepted japans apology

Question 15

when did japan sign the tripartite pact with germany and italy?

Answer 15

1940

Question 16

what was the 1939 cash and carry clause?

Answer 16

fdr allowed ‘belligerents’ to be able to pay cash for materials from USA and carry them away in their own boats

Question 17

name 4 countries the USA had trade agreements with under fdr?

Answer 17

colombia
brazil
haiti
honduras

Question 18

what was stated in the 1939 neutrality act?

Answer 18

usa could sell to GB, but GB had to carry away in their own ships

Question 19

when did fdr ask congress for $2b increase in spending, and what did this allow to be authorised?

Answer 19

jan 1940
mahattan project (nuke)

Question 20

by how many votes did fdr win by in 1940, and what did this allow?

Answer 20

5m

mandate his policies

Question 21

what was the 1941 lend lease act?

Answer 21

(designed to help gb especially)

allowed usa to lend/lease armaments, food etc if the need was believed to threaten US security

Question 22

in april 1941 what was declared a neutral zone?

Answer 22

west atlantic

Question 23

what was the august 1941 atlantic charter, and what backlash did it face?

Answer 23

fdr+churchill met in newfoundland to agree common war aims etc

isolationists (e.g. Lindbergh) rallied against US involvement in war

Question 24

when was pearl harbour attacked?

Answer 24

7th december 1941

Question 25

what were 2 key reasons for japan attacking pearl harbour?

Answer 25

• 2m japanese occupied china, and so usa had imposed sanctions on them (japan saw this as aggression)
• japan planned to move southwards, but had to neutralise US pacific bases to do so

Question 26

was was lost at paerl harbour?

Answer 26

6 battleships
300 aircraft
2000 lives

Question 27

what formed when fdr asked congress for support to declare war on japan?

Answer 27

grand alliance with GB

Question 28

when did hitler declare war on the USA?

Answer 28

11th december 1941

Question 29

when was fdr elected for a 4th time?

Answer 29

1944

Question 30

how much was defence spending in 1941, and how much was it in 1945?

Answer 30

41=$6.1b

45=$64.5b

Question 31

give 5 economic developments due to ww2?

Answer 31

• usa=military-industrial power of the world
• millions of jobs created
• federal government controlled prices, wages etc
• bretton woods 1944 (set up international monetary fund, making $ world currency over £)
• post war consumer boom

Question 32

give 5 social developments due to ww2?

Answer 32

• living standards went up (no cities being bombed a great help in this)
• trade unions like AFL strengthened
• more women in industry (36% of 1944 workforce female)
• surge in mass entertainment
• HOWEVER RACIAL TENSIONS HEIGHTENED

Question 33

give 5 example of racial tensions during ww2?

Answer 33

• AAs in segregated units (couldn’t even share blood in transfusions between whites and blacks!!)
• AAs moved north, causing tensions
• CORE formed
• battle of bamber bridge in lancashire
• 1942 conflicts in LA, Detroit an Texas