"Isolationism" and FDR (1935 - 1941)

1. What were the goals of the isolationists? Why is "isolationism" a misleading term?
The goals of the isolationists were to stay out of war, to keep America at peace, and that the United States should “remain a pillar of sanity amidst a quarrelsome and increasingly divided world.” The term “isolationism” is a misnomer because America isn’t isolating itself from the other countries, instead the supporters are all for international trade and agreed to contracts with other nations during the 1930’s

2. What did some isolationists feel that there was no need for Americans to feel threatened by developments in Europe and Asia?
Isolationists thought that America would be safe from the developments in Europe and Asia because there were vast oceans keeping them far away. They also thought that America would be safe because the USA had formed friendly alliances with all the nations of the western Hemisphere.

3. What were the purposes of the Nye Committee hearings?
The purposes of the Nye Committee hearings was because as Germany was gaining power, Nye wanted to investigate the reasons the USA entered WWI, he hoped that if the truth was uncovered and the public was informed, than the USA would be able to stay out of the troubles of the countries overseas.

4. List two impressions that the Nye Committee hearings created.
The two impressions that the Nye Committee hearings created were increasing the isolationists mood in the USA, and though they found no conspiracy in why the USA went into the first world war the hearings and newspapers created the impression that American soldiers had died in WWI because corporations looking to make a profit had convinced Wilson to go to war in 1917.

5. What were the purposes of the Neutrality Acts?
The purposes of the Neutrality Acts were to introduce legislation to prevent the United States from supplying one side or another during a war. The Act of 1935 prohibited shipping or carrying arms to warring nations. It also established a National Munitions Board to bring the armament industry under control of the government. This act didn’t ban the trade of other potential war materials like steel and oil.
6. List two reasons that some Americans considered Roosevelt's leadership radical and dangerous.
Some Americans thought that Roosevelt’s leadership was radical and dangerous because he was able to give people jobs so that he was always in charge. Because he ran for a third term which was something no other president had attempted showed that he was over powerful, which made him dangerous.

7. What was "Cash and Carry"?
“Cash and Carry” was a part of the Neutrality Act of 1939, Cash and Carry was the main component of it. Cash and Carry allowed the USA to continue trading with belligerents, but require that the warring nations pay cash for what they wanted and that they carry the goods themselves. This ment they had to travel to U.S shores, get what they needed and get it back to where the goods were needed.

8. Why did President Roosevelt freeze Japanese assets in the United States?
President Roosevelt froze the Japanese assents in the USA because Riisevelt thought that he could stop Japan from further aggression by prohibiting the sale of avation fuel and scrap metal. This made the Japanese mad so they marched into Northern French Indochina (with the German permission.) Japan went there because it was a good source for oil and it helped Japan occupy Chin. That was the last straw for Roosevelt so he wouldn’t let Japan use the investments or the money the USA had lended them (freezing their assets.)

9. What was the purpose of the America First Committee?
The purpose of the American First Committee was devoted to keeping the USA out of the war, even though Germany and Japan were gaining power that would not be kept away by the oceans and isolationism.