sep 1, 1939 - (Topic 7.11): World War ll, Causes of the War

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• U.S. Isolationism: After World War I, the United States returned to a policy of isolationism, avoiding involvement in international conflicts and focusing on domestic issues. The U.S. didn’t want to get involved in European and Asian affairs.

• Japanese Aggression in Manchuria: Japan began to aggressively expand its territory, starting with the invasion of Manchuria in 1931. This act of aggression was a clear sign of Japan’s growing militarism, but many countries, including the U.S., did not take immediate action to stop it.

• Neutrality Acts: To prevent the U.S. from being drawn into another war, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts in the 1930s. These laws were designed to keep the U.S. neutral and avoid the mistakes that led to World War I by preventing the U.S. from selling arms to countries at war.

• Appeasement: European countries, particularly Great Britain and France, followed a policy of appeasement toward Hitler’s Nazi Germany. They allowed Germany to expand its territory in hopes of avoiding conflict. This encouraged further aggression by Germany.

• Lend-Lease Act: As World War II continued, the United States began to support the Allies through the Lend-Lease Act. This act allowed the U.S. to send military equipment and supplies to Allied nations in exchange for military base rights. The U.S. didn’t directly fight in the war yet, but they were helping the Allies.

• Pearl Harbor: The United States was still trying to remain neutral until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This surprise attack led to the U.S. declaring war on Japan, officially entering World War II

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