"Isolationism" and FDR (1935 - 1941)

1. What were the goals of the isolationists? Why is "isolationism" a misleading term?

Isolationists wanted first and foremost to stay out of war, not to completly isloate the US from forgin trade and interaction completly, as the title isolstionist might infer. They felt the best way for the US to handle the ongiong forgin issues was to keep a policy of neutrality.

2. What did some isolationists feel that there was no need for Americans to feel threatened by developments in Europe and Asia?

They felt the geographic distance between the US and Asia/Europe and the US allies in the western hemisphere would protect them from danger.

3. What were the purposes of the Nye Committee hearings?

They were ment to reveal the reasoning behind America's enterence into WWI as being a buisness move by big buisnesses and banks to make money off the war. Those who put on the hearings hoped it would sway many Americans to the isolationist cause.

4. List two impressions that the Nye Committee hearings created.
a. greed was behind the US entering WWI
b. the US must not let the same thing happen again and have millions of US soldiers killed because of greed

5. What were the purposes of the Neutrality Acts?

It was to prevent the US from entering the war for any reason. It bared the US from selling war materials to any country during the war.

6. List two reasons that some Americans considered Roosevelt's leadership radical and dangerous.

a. He attempted to "pack" the Supreme court
b. He ran for a 3rd tearm as president

7. What was "Cash and Carry"?

This part of the new neutrality act passed in 1939 allowed for the US to sell goods to waring nations as long as they payed the US for the goods and came and picked the goods personally.

8. Why did President Roosevelt freeze Japanese assets in the United States?

He did this as an economic sancion of Japan for occupying French Indochina.

9. What was the purpose of the America First Committee?

It was a committie dedicated to keeping the US out of war.