Military Power
Involvement in WarAfter World War one, a lot of U.S citizens were scarred from this tragic event in history. As I continued to research the topic of this war, the images that were displayed were extremely horrifying and gruesome. Mens faces blown off, tons of deep wounds, and a lot of sad and depressed soldiers. As a result of this event, people did not want to get involved in WWII, or stay as a neutral county. In one of FDR's Fireside chats, he tells people that we cannot believe that the oceans will protect us any longer from the Axis powers, of Japan, Italy, and Nazi Germany.
"There are many among us who in the past closed their eyes to events abroad --because they believed in utter good faith what some of their fellow Americans told them -- that what was taking place in Europe was none of our business; that no matter what happened over there, the United States could always pursue its peaceful and unique course in the world. There are many among us who closed their eyes, from lack of interest or lack of knowledge; honestly and sincerely thinking that the many hundreds of miles of salt water made the American Hemisphere so remote that the people of North and Central and South America could go on living in the midst of their vast resources without reference to, or danger from, other Continents of the world." "They have lost the illusion that we are remote and isolated and, therefore, secure against the dangers from which no other land is free." (ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT DELIVERED BY RADIO FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, May 26, 1940, 9:30 PM, E.S.T.)3 Only four months after this Fireside Chat was released, FDR said that if we do not Aid the British army, then all of Europe will fall to the Nazi power. "We have furnished the British great material support and we will furnish far more in the future. There will be no "bottlenecks" in our determination to aid Great Britain. No dictator, no combination of dictators, will weaken that determination by threats of how they will construe that determination. The British have received invaluable military support from the heroic Greek army and from the forces of all the governments in exile. Their strength is growing. It is the strength of men and women who value their freedom more highly than they value their lives. I believe that the Axis powers are not going to win this war. I base that belief on the latest and best of information. We have no excuse for defeatism. We have every good reason for hope -- hope for peace, yes, and hope for the defense of our civilization and for the building of a better civilization in the future. I have the profound conviction that the American people are now determined to put forth a mightier effort than they have ever yet made to increase our production of all the implements of defense, to meet the threat to our democratic faith. As President of the United States I call for that national effort. I call for it in the name of this nation which we love and honor and which we are privileged and proud to serve. I call upon our people with absolute confidence that our common cause will greatly succeed. "(ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT DELIVERED BY RADIO FROM THE WHITE HOUSE December 29, 1940, 9:30 PM)3 FDR influenced so many people from these two Fireside chats. If Roosevelt had not told the American people that we needed to get involved in the war, than the Axis powers could have taken control of the world. After Pearl Harbor was bombed, the U.S was no longer a neutral county, but a country that was ready to help protect our Allies, as well as our own nation. |
Lend-Lease ActDuring the War, the British army needed a lot of financial aid to defend there country as they were essentially bankrupt. Newly elected Prime Minister Winston Churchill, asked for major aid from the U.S government . In response to this request , FDR decided to exchanged 50 destroyers for 99-year leases on British bases.1 After the exchange was made, foreign policies questioned this decision, and discussed if the U.S should aid Britain, or continue to be a neutral country. FDR wanted to help Britain, and believed that the U.S served as a "great arsenal of democracy."1 On many occasions, Churchill begged the U.S to send them supplies to finish the job (end the fight) . In January 1941, FDR proposed a new military bill to congress, and this Bill was the Lend Lease Act .1 "Suppose my neighbor's home catches fire, and I have a length of garden hose four or five hundred feet away. If he can take my garden hose and connect it up with his hydrant, I may help him to put out his fire...I don't say to him before that operation, "Neighbor, my garden hose cost me $15; you have to pay me $15 for it."... I don't want $15--I want my garden hose back after the fire is over. " ( Franklin Roosevelt's Press Conference on Lend Lease (Garden Hose) , December 17, 1940).
Two months after FDR's proposal to congress, the act was passed. Great Britain would finally receive the financial help that they needed. Britain was only one of many countries to receive help. France, China, India, Australia, Africa (and later the USSR), all received help from FDR and the U.S government. The U.S spent a total of over 50.1 billion dollars on the Allie powers, by supplying them with weapons, food, oil, and other materials.2 |
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(Sources)
1)"Home." Our Documents -. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
2)"Lend-Lease." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
3)"FDR Chat 15." FDR Chat 15. Web. 21 Feb. 2015.
1)"Home." Our Documents -. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
2)"Lend-Lease." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
3)"FDR Chat 15." FDR Chat 15. Web. 21 Feb. 2015.