Interwar Foreign Policy 30s-40s

Question 1

give 5 main reasons the US entered WW2

Answer 1

-rapid nazi occupation of Europe
-Japan’s actions against China
-Conflict in the Atlantic
-Sympathy towards the British
-Lend Lease 1941

Question 2

explain how the rapid nazi occupation of Europe encouraged the US to enter WW2 (2)

Answer 2

-June 1940 Nazis controlled Norway Denmark, Holland Belgium and France
-nazi control of Europe threatened American trade and defence

Question 3

how did the US react to growing nazi control of europe(2)

Answer 3

-passed Selective Serving Training Act to conscript men aged 21-36
-committee set up to research new weapons

Question 4

explain why Japan’s actions against China caused the US to enter WW2/ help China

Answer 4

-1931 Japan broke League of Nations agreement by invading Manchuria
-1937 Japan took advantage of China’s Civil War

Question 5

why was the US reluctant to help China initially

Answer 5

-did not want to go into War with Far East especially after Panay Incident

Question 6

how did the US help China

Answer 6

-loaned $25million then $250mil to China
-closed Panama Canal to Japan and banned oil exports in 1940 so Japan could only fight for another 18 months

Question 7

explain why conflict in the Atlantic caused the US to enter ww2 (4)

Answer 7

-1941 west Atlantic =neutral zone
-German U boats fired at US ships, US retaliated doing the same
-1941 US ship sunk so neutrality acts repealed to let merchants arm themselves
-affected trade and direct attacks

Question 8

explain why sympathy towards the British caused the US to enter ww2(2)

Answer 8

-US clearly supportive of Britain
-journalists reported on British battles and suffering

Question 9

how did the US try to help the British (2)

Answer 9

-Congress passed acts to help brits by US goods
-FDR traded 50 ww1 destroyers for naval bases in colonies

Question 10

explain how lend lease 1941 caused the US to enter ww2

Answer 10

-despite US public not wanting involvement this war was clearly different
-Lend Lease Act did not extend to Britain initially

Question 11

what was the Lend Lease Act and how did it extend

Answer 11

-let US lease arms to nations whose defence was necessary for America’s defence
-extended to Britain

Question 12

what was the predominant trigger that caused the US to enter ww2

Answer 12

Pearl Harbour 1941

Question 13

explain the events of Pearl Harbour

Answer 13

-1941 Japan attacked USA without warning
-over 2,000 died and aircrafts/ vessels destroyed

Question 14

why did Japan attack Pearl Harbour?

Answer 14

-to stop their military aid to China after the $25/250 mil loans and ban on Canal and oil exports

Question 15

give 4 reasons why the US would have joined the war even if Pearl harbour never happened

Answer 15

-if Britain failed the US was likely the last line of defence
-Selective Service and Training Act conscripted to prepare for war
-FDR’s quarantine speech knew it was necessary
-needed to protect trade/interests

Question 16

give 2 reasons why the US would not have joined the war of Pearl Harbour never occurred

Answer 16

-likely would have traded for a lot longer
-lack of public support without personal cause

Question 17

what was D Day and when was it

Answer 17

-July 1944
-Allies invaded Normandy, start of Germany being pushed back

Question 18

how did the US contribute to D Day (3)

Answer 18

-in 2 weeks 1 million men landed in Normandy
-provided men, ships and weapons
-in charge of D Day

Question 19

give 2 other examples of the US pushing back invading countries

Answer 19

-pushed Germany out of North Africa and Italy
-naval strength pushed back Japanese pacific island hopping

Question 20

give 3 other examples of the significant US involvement in the War

Answer 20

-invention of radar/sonar reduced effectiveness of German U Boats
-large economic force
-bombed Dresden 1 month before war was over

Question 21

what bomb did the US invent and when and where was it set off

Answer 21

-first atomic bomb
-Hiroshima and Nagasaki Aug 1945

Question 22

how many were estimated dead with Hiroshima

Answer 22

-237,000 directly/indirectly killed by effects

Question 23

how many were estimated dead by Nagasaki

Answer 23

-80,000

Question 24

who developed the bombs and how much was spent

Answer 24

Manhattan project spent $2 billion

Question 25

how many days between Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Answer 25

3 days

Question 26

give 4 arguments why the atomic bomb was necessary

Answer 26

-only way to end japan’s brutality/ never give up attitude
-message to USSR
-land invasion would be costlier and longer
-retaliation for PH

Question 27

give 4 arguments why the atomic bomb was unnecessary

Answer 27

-too many civilian casualties
-two was excessive
-war crime
-could have fire bombed infrastructure instead

Question 28

how many were killed in ww2 and how many refugees were there

Answer 28

30 million dead
20 million refugees

Question 29

what was the immediate aftermath of WW2 like

Answer 29

-USA joined United Nations
-had to redraw borders
-Europe bankrupt and starving

Question 30

economically how was the US after ww2 and give a stat

Answer 30

-economy grew unlike after ww1
-agricultural land value inc by $2 billion

Question 31

give 2 percentages about the US’ production after ww2

Answer 31

-50% world steel and 60% of world oil prod by US

Question 32

how many tanks and aeroplanes prod in ww2

Answer 32

-86,500 tanks
-300,000 aeroplanes

Question 33

how many US men and women served in ww2

Answer 33

-15 million