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Axis Powers formed
Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact, officually becoming the Axis Powers. This alliance was formed to keep the U.S. out of war. If they attack one country in the Axis they must deal with all the countries. -
1940 Presidential Election
FDR broke the two year term presidency and decided to run for reelection. He won with 55 percent of the votes. His opponent Wendell Willkie had many of the same opinion as Roosevelt. Many just chose him because they knew him better. -
The Lend- Lease Plan
The president would lend or lease arms and other supplies to "any country whose defence was vital to the United States." Americans favored this plan and many isolationists argued against the plan, -
Supporting Stalin
Hitler broke the agreement he had made in 1939 with Stalin not to go to war and invaded the Soviet Union. Roosevelt started sending lend-lease upplies to the Soviet Union. -
Atlantic Charter
FDR and Winston Churchill secretly met abroad the USS Augusta to discuss the outcome of the war. They signed together the Atlantic Charter, which was a joint declaration of war goals. These goals included freedom of the seas, collective security, disarmament, self-determination, and economic cooperation. The United States is now further choosing to support the Alies instead of the Axis Powers. -
Shoot on Sight
German submarine fired on the U.S. destroyer Greer. Roosevelt wanted the navy to respond. An American merchant ship was sunk off Greenland. And German U-boats snak the U.S. destroyer Reuben James. About 111 people were killed. Roosevelt said that America had been attacked. -
Pearl Harbor
Japanese launched an attack on the United States. Congress approved Roosevelts request for a declaration of war against Japan. Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. Many former isolationist now supported an all-out American effort
