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American History - Ben > FP (1920-45) > Flashcards

FP (1920-45) Flashcards

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1
Q

3

Describe the US spheres of influence from 1920-45

A
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • Far East
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2
Q

4

Describe the aims in FP from 1920-41

A
  • Remain isolationist towards Europe (e.g. ‘Return to Normalcy’)
  • Protect interests in Far East, especially the Open Door policy threatened by Japanese expansionist policies
  • Maintain Monroe Doctrine
  • Maintain politcal and econonic interests in Latin America
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3
Q

3

Why did the US struggle to be isolationist in 1920s?

A
  • US had become so important to global order post-WW1 that it necessitated involvement
  • Growing fear of communism’s spread led to American-European economic bills (Dawes and Young plans)
  • To maintain far east interests, had to protect strong navy against Japanese armament
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4
Q

3

Describe growing Japanese influence in the Far East in the 1920s

A
  • Had acquired German colonies in Pacific
  • Posed threat to communication links between Hawaii and Guam/Phillipines
  • China vulnerable to Japanese occupation due to expected civil war
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5
Q

5

Describe the reasons for the US attendance at the Washington Disarmament Conference 1921

A
  • Prevent renewal of Anglo-Japanese alliance in 1922 by detaching GB from ally
  • Maintain status quo in China
  • Especially Open Door policy that favoured US trading interests
  • President Harding left foreign affairs policy in control of Charles Evan Hughes (Secretary of State)
  • Hughes was a keen supporter of disarmament
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6
Q

1

What did the Anglo-Japanese alliance do?

A
  • Secured Japanese support for British interests in Far East
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7
Q

6

Describe the achievements of the Washington Conference 1921

A
  • Signed by US, GB, Japan, France (and Italy in 1922)
  • Each agreed to reduce battleship tonnage for 10 years to protect volatile Pacific
  • Japan accepted less tonnage than UK and US (approximate ratio of 5:3 for US to Japan) - protect stronger navy status
  • Signed Four-Power Treaty to respect individual interests in Far East and maintain Open Door
  • Japan promised to remove troops from Chinese province of Shantung
  • In return, US agreed to not to strengthen military presence in Guam
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8
Q

4

Describe the limitations of the Washington Conference 1921

A
  • Imposed no limits on army/air force size
  • Naval limitations only applied to battleships and aircraft carriers
  • No sanctions to enforce a potential breach of agreement
  • Terminated by Japan in 1936 as it began naval expansion
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9
Q

4

Describe aspects of US-Europe relations in the 1920s

A
  • post-WW1 European loans
  • Dawes Plan 1924
  • Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928
  • Young Plan 1929
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10
Q

5

Describe the background to the Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928

A
  • Set up by Kellogg (US Sec of State) and Briand (French Foreign Minister)
  • US did not match French enthusiasm on alliance due to European isolationist beliefs
  • But saw Pact as necessary to placate Europe
  • Strong growth of peace movement in USA in 1920s
  • e.g. World Peace Association
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11
Q

4

Describe the terms of the Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928

A
  • Signed by 15 countries
  • Agreed to not wage war except in self-defence
  • Would seek peaceful means to resolve disputes
  • Senate ratified Pact 85:1
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12
Q

2

Describe limits to the Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928

A
  • Again no method (e.g. sanctions) of enforcing agrement
  • Senate Foreign Relations Committee insisted there was no provision to sanction USA military involvement if agreement was broken
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13
Q

4

Describe post-WW1 European loans

A
  • USA pledged loans post-WW1 to restore prosperity and prevent spread of communism
  • Insisted all war debts must be repaid
  • Threatened harsher repayment terms on British war debts after it attempted to restrict rubber supplies from Empire to artificially inflate its price
  • Loans not given to USSR or China
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14
Q

3

Describe the background to the Dawes Plan 1924

A
  • Keen to stabilise Germany to prevent Comminsist revolution
  • Jan 1923, Germany defaulted on reparation payments
  • Dawes, an American Banker, tasked in 1923 with review of terms and published report in 1924
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15
Q

5

Describe the Dawes Plan 1924

A
  • Reduced annual payments to $250m a year with payments increasing over 5-year period as German economy improved
  • Total fees fixed
  • Germany given immediate loan of 800m marks (half provided by US bankers, half provided by other foreign bankers)
  • Recommended reorganisation of German State Bank and increased foreign loans
  • Dawed recieves Nobel Peace Prize in 1925
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16
Q

3

Describe the Young Plan 1929

A
  • Replaced Dawes Plan
  • Scaled down repetation payments to $26bn
  • Would be paid over extended period of 59 years
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17
Q

3

Describe a problem with the Young Plan 1929 for the USA

A
  • Circular cycle (USA loaned to Germany, Germany used loans to pay reparations to Allies. Allies used this to pay US War debt)
  • Therefore reducing reparation payments led to less money for US
  • Yet this demonstrated increasing willingness to forgo economic advantage for maintain European interests
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18
Q

3

Describe aspects of US-Latin America relations in the 1920s

A
  • Private business involvement
  • State economic involvement
  • Intervention to settle disputes
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19
Q

4

Describe US private business involvement in Latin America in the 1920s

A
  • US investment in LA doubled from $1.5bn to $3bn from 1924-29
  • 1923, General Electric set up ‘American and Foreign Power Company’ to control electricity provision in 8 LA countries
  • General Motors manufactured cars in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay
  • US companies dominated media
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20
Q

3

Describe US state economic involvement in Latin America in the 1920s

A
  • State Department hired economists to develop plans for countries that requested US investment
  • e.g. Edwin Kemmerer
  • Kemmerer Plans - stabilised and developed LA economies by offering advice built on sound currency and central banking
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21
Q

2

Describe US intervention in Colombia in the 1920s

A
  • 1921, USA gave Colombia $25m (started under Wilson, ratified 1921)
  • Compensation for support of Panama independence in 1903
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22
Q

3

Describe US intervention in Mexico in the 1920s

A
  • Ongoing dispute after default on mostly-American, international debts in 1914
  • 1922, Mexican government agreed to repay $500k
  • Bucareli Accords 1923
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23
Q

2

Describe the Bucareli Accords 1923

A
  • Mexico provided compensation for damage caused to foreign property during the Mexican Revolution
  • Mexican President Calles cancelled treaty after violent protest
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24
Q

3

Describe US intervention in Nicaragua in the 1920s

A
  • 1925, US troops withdrawn from Nicaragua to improve relations
  • 1926, 5k sent back due to outbreak of civil war
  • US diplomat organised Peace Treaty of Tipitapa 1927
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25
Q

1

What was the problem with withdrawing US troops in Latin American in the 1920s?

A

Often replaced by local militia e.g. Nicaragua

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26
Q

3

Describe Japan’s 21 Demands for Chinese Government

A
  • During WW1
  • Would have greatly expanded Japanese influence over China
  • Threatened US interests
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27
Q

4

Describe relations with Japan in the 1920s

A
  • Washington Conference 1921 demonstrated co-operative involvement
  • Progressed relationship after tension of Japan’s 21 Demands for Chinese Government
  • Washington system regarded with suspicion in Japan as Anglo-American device to contain Japan
  • 1924 Immigration Act removed Japanese exclusion from Asiatic Barred Zone (banned Japanese immigration to USA)
28
Q

3

Describe FDR’s view of US Foreign Relations in 1933

A
  • Saw US as ‘moral force’ to achieve positive impact
  • Unsuccessfully fought for US membership of World Court in 1935
  • At time of largely isolationist Congress
29
Q

4

Describe the ‘Good Neighbour’ policy

A
  • LA policy adopted by FDR
  • Emphasis on economic and diplomatic co-operation in LA rather than military intervention
  • FDR saw policy as transforming Monroe Doctrine into arrangements for mutual hemispheric action against aggressors
  • Yet arguably a continuation of Hoover’s policies of economic pressure to exert influence
30
Q

6

Describe examples of the Good Neighbour policy

A
  • By 1938, GN policy led to 10 treaties with LA countries - led to huge trade increases for USA
  • US troops left Haiti, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua
  • 1934, Congress signed treaty with Cuba that nullified Platt Amendment (though retained 1 naval base at Guantanamo)
  • Low tariff policies of Cordell Hull (Sec of State 1933-44) improved LA economies
  • Tariff reduction on Cuban sugar massively expanded Cuban trade
  • Reciprocal Tariff Act 1934

Platt Amendment - authorised US occupation of Cuba

31
Q

5

Describe the Reciprocal Tariff Act 1934

A
  • Institutional reform to grant President power to reduce tariffs in return for reciprocal reductions towards US
  • Repealed several 1920s isolationist and protectionist trade policies
  • Contrasted isolationist/protectionist Congress of time
  • American duties on foreign products declined from avg of 46% in 1934 to 12% in 1962
  • Began global trend towards lower tariff barriers and increased globalisation
32
Q

3

Describe the public attitude towards neutrality policy

A
  • Growth of totalitarianism in 1930s saw Europe move towards conflict
  • 1937 Gallup Poll found that 70% of Americans thought WW1 involvement was mistake
  • 95% opposed involvement in future European war
33
Q

6

List the dates of the neutrality acts + the Quarantine Speech

A
  • 1st - 1935
  • 2nd - 1936
  • 3rd - 1937
  • 4th - 1937
  • Quarantine speech - 1937
  • 5th - 1939
34
Q

4

Describe the 1st Neutrality Act

A
  • Policy of non-intervention
  • Prevented sale of armaments to combatant nations
  • Prevented US citizens from travelling on ships of countries at war, except at own risk
  • Intended to avoid repeat of Lusitania incident
35
Q

2

Describe the 2nd Neutrality Act

A
  • Banned loans to countries at war
  • Set limits on trade in materials useful for war
36
Q

3

Describe limits to the 2nd Neutrality Act

A
  • Act did not cover ‘civil wars’ or US companies
  • US companies such as Texaco, Standard Oil, Ford sold items on credit to Franco during Spanish CW
  • By 1939, Spain owed American companies more than $100m
37
Q

3

Describe the 3rd Neutrality Act

A
  • Forbade export of munitions to either side of Spanish CW
  • However permitted ‘cash and carry’ - nations could buy munitions from USA, permitted they paid in cash and used own ships
  • Only Britain and France had naval capacity and cash reserves to use scheme
38
Q

2

Describe the 4th Neutrality Act

A
  • Authorised President to determine what could be bought by countries at war, other than munitions
  • Made travel on ships of countries at war unlawful
39
Q

5

Describe FDR’s attitude towards neutrality by 1937

A
  • Began to despise growing militarism and totalitarianism in Germany
  • Saw that USA would have to drop, or at least weaken, neutrality policy
  • War would end economic problems of New Deal
  • View contradicted isolationist public and Congress
  • Quarantine Speech 1937
40
Q

2

Describe the backdrop of Quarantine Speech

A
  • Spainish nationalist bombing of citizens
  • Japanese declaration of war on China in 1937
41
Q

4

Describe the Quarantine Speech

A
  • Chicago, October 1937
  • FDR described both horrors of war and problems of neutrality
  • Suggested international quarantine (exclusion) of aggressors
  • Yet did not name individual countries
42
Q

2

Describe the 5th Neutrality Act

A
  • President could authorise ‘cash and carry’ export of arms/munitions to countries at war
  • President could specify which areas were warzones, through which US citizens/ships were forbidden from travel
43
Q

2

Describe FDR’s use of the 5th Neutrality Act

A
  • Proclaimed North Atlantic, infested with German U-boats, a combat zone
  • Ordered patrol of US Navy in Western Atlantic to reveal location of German submarines to British navy
44
Q

4

Describe how the US moved away from neutrality in the years 1939 to 1941

A
  • FDR increased defence budget by $300m after Hitler announced further rearmament
  • 1939, French placed large orders with US aircraft industry following secret talks with FDR, bypassing US neutrality laws
  • March 1939, censured Germany and recalled its ambassador for breaking the Munich Agreement by annexing all of Czechoslovakia
  • FDR called on Germany and Italy to give assurances it would not attack any European nation in next 10 years

  • Censured - formally express disapproval
  • Munich Agreement - permitted partial German annexation of Czechoslovakia
45
Q

5

Describe how the US assisted the allies 1939-41

A
  • Nov 1939, Congress agreed to sell arms on strict cash-and-carry basis
  • Felt sales would benefit Allies more as British warships could better project vessels to destroy German warships
  • 1940 Destroyers-for-bases deal
  • Lend-Lease Act 1941
  • Atlantic Charter 1941
46
Q

4

Describe the 1940 destroyers-for-bases deal

A
  • Traded Britain 50 destroyers for 6 Caribbean bases (+ lease of Bermuda and Newfoundland bases)
  • in reality, traded elderly destroyers for valuable bases
  • yet marked shift to active support for Britain
  • important since Britain had been unable to afford the 14k aircraft and 25k aero-engines it had ordered
47
Q

3

Describe the 1940 election

A
  • Republcians and candidate Wendell Wilkie were seen as party of non-involvement
  • but support for neutrality crossed party lines
  • FDR’s popular vote margin declined from 11m (1936) to 5m margin (1940)
48
Q

3

Describe FDR’s attitude towards neutrality in the 1940 election

A
  • Sept 1940, gave speech in Boston declaring that American ‘boys were not going to be sent into foreign wars’
  • Yet increasingly began to appeal to businessmen who could profit out of war
  • Fireside chat in Dec 1940, called for USA to be the ‘arsenal of democracy’ i.e. providing arms to Britain
49
Q

4

Describe the Lend-Lease Act 1941

A
  • May 1941, loaned weapons to maintain British military action
  • Had been reluctant in 1940 in case Nazis annexed Britain and used arms against America
  • Gallup Poll found only 19% felt British support went too far (signicant change from 1937 poll)
  • Nov 1941, policy extended to USSR
50
Q

3

Describe the Atlantic Charter

A
  • Joint statement issued by FDR and Churchill in August 1941
  • Spoke of vision of world with international peace, self-determination and freedom of seas
  • Spoke of necessity for the ‘final destruction of Nazi tyranny’
51
Q

4

Describe relations with Japan in the 1930s leading up to the invasion of China

A
  • Four-power treaty effectively collapsed when Japan began military actions in Manchuria from 1931-32
  • Set up a satellite state, separating Manchuria from China
  • USA establishing official ties with USSR in 1933, hoping to deter Japanese influence through trade expansion
  • Japan’s closer alliance to facist Italy and Germany alarmed USA and applied economic pressure
52
Q

2

Describe the Japanese invasion of China

A
  • Japan invaded China in 1937
  • Declared Open Door policy obselete
53
Q

3

Describe US reaction to the Japanese invasion of China (1937-39)

A
  • Lent money to China to equip them with weapons
  • Attempted to prevent the sale of US manufactured planes to Japan
  • Japan had relied on industrial supplies from USA
54
Q

4

Describe US reaction to the Japanese invasion of China (1940-41)

A
  • From 1940, Congress limited supplies of oil and iron to Japan
  • FDR signed bill banning sale of machine tools to Japan following signing of Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis in 1940
  • 1941, Secretary of State (Hull) demanded Japan withdraw from China and promise not to attack dutch and french colonies in South-east Asia
  • Japan refused as USA offered nothing in return
55
Q

2

Describe the Greater East-Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

A
  • Set up by Japan as means to economically exploit territory under its control
  • Had invaded French colonies in Indochina following French occupation by Germany
56
Q

3

Describe the US reaction to the Greater East-Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

A
  • July 1941, US froze Japanese assets in the US and placed an oil embargo on Japan
  • Japan promised to pull-out of Indochina if the US and Britain cut off aid to China and lifted the economic blockade on Japan
  • Doubts over whether Japanese would honour agreement
57
Q

3

Attack on Pearl Harbour 1941

A
  • 7 December 1941
  • Attack at US base on Oahu, Hawaii
  • Aimed to destroy Pacific Fleet so the US could not stop Japanese expansion into East Asia
58
Q

3

Describe the destruction at Pearl Harbour in 1941

A
  • Destroyed 180 aircraft
  • Sank 7 battleships
  • Sank 10 other vessels
59
Q

2

Why did the Pearl Harbour attack fail?

A
  • US aircraft carriers were out at sea
  • Missed the US fuel stores which would have forced US fleet to return and leave East Asia undefended
60
Q

3

Describe the response to Pearl Harbour

A
  • 8 Dec, declared war on Japan
  • 11 Dec, Italy and Germany declared war on USA honouring treaty obligations
  • Some suggestions that FDR withheld intelligence of attack to leave pretext for war - little evidence for this
61
Q

4

Describe the role of US forces in WW2

A
  • Forces in both Europe and Far East
  • US victory over Japanese fleet at Battle of Midway in 1942 marked turning point in Pacific
  • General Eisenhower planned and supervised consequential D-Day landings in 1944
  • Truman authorised use of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 to end war in Pacific
62
Q

3

Describe the deaths at Hiroshima and Nagasaki

A
  • 80k instantly killed in Hiroshima
  • 40k instantly killed in Nagsaki 3 days later
  • 100k more died of radiation poisoning in months following
63
Q

3

Describe the rationale behind the use of atomic bombs in Japan

A
  • 6 months of strategic and intense bombing had not shaken the resolve Hirohito regime
  • Truman became convinced that atomic bomb was only solution after Japan rejected continued demands for unconditional surrender
  • Alternative solution, Allied invasion of Japanese islands, would have incurred hundreds of thousands of casualties
64
Q

2

Describe criticism of the use of atomic bombs in Japan

A
  • Soon after war, US Navy and Air Force both produced reports claiming that conventional bombing and submarine warfare would have soon forced Japanese surrender
  • Accusations that Truman administration authorised atomic bombing to demonstrate military might to USSR
65
Q

2

When did FDR die?

A
  • 12 April 1945
  • weeks before end of war
66
Q

3

Describe the Ludlow amendment

A
  • Proposed amendment to call for referendum on any declaration of war by Congress
  • Would’ve slowed down WW2 entry
  • 1938, defeated by Congress 209-118
67
Q

3

Which countries did the US intervene in to settle disputes in LA in the 1920s?

A
  • Colombia
  • Mexico
  • Nicaragua

American History - Ben (22 decks)

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