Progression of US Involvement in WWII Timeline

By e.hoyt(:

  • The Axis Threat

    The Axis Threat
    The United States had esnt Britian 500,000 rifles, 80,000 machine guns, and in early september the United States traded 50 old destroyers for leases on British military bases. On September 27, Americans were jolted by the news that Germany, Italy, and Japan had signed a mutual defense treaty, the Tripartite Pact. They became the AXIS POWERS. This was aimed to keep the United States out of the war.

  • 1940 Presidential Election

    1940 Presidential Election
    Both running candidates Roosevelt and Willkie supported the fact of keeping America out of the war and just keep supplying Great Britian but Roosevelt was reelected with nearly 55 percent of the votes cast. Roosevelt was also running for a THRID term.

  • Lend-Lease Act

    Lend-Lease Act
    By late 1940, Britian had nomore cash to spend in the arsenal of democracy. Roosevelt tried to help by suggesting a new plan that he called a lend-lease policy. This plan wowuld lend or lease arms andother supplies to "any country whose defense was vital to the United States. In March 1941, congress passed the Lend-Lease Act.

  • Hitler Broke Agreement with Stalin

    Hitler Broke Agreement with Stalin
    In June 1941, HItler broke the agreement that he had made with Stalin in 1939 not to go to war and invade the Soviet Union. The US sent lend-leasing supplies to the Soviet Union. Roosevelt agreed with Winston Churchhill who said, "if Hitler invaded Hell" the British would be prepared to work with the devil himself.

  • FDR Plans for War

    FDR Plans for War
    Roosevelt's August 1941 proposal to extend the term of draftees passed in the House of Representatives by only one vote. With one army provided for, Roosevelt began planning for the war he was certain would come. Roosevelt and Churchill draw up the Atlantic Charter.

  • Shoot on Site Policy

    Shoot on Site Policy
    Roosvelt granted permission the navy permission for US warships to attack German U-boats in self-defense.

  • Pearl Harbor

    Pearl Harbor
    The largest US naval base in the Pacific was bombed early in the morning. The first bomber was followe by 180 Japanese warplanes. Roosevelt asked for a declare for war on Japan and it was granted. "A date that will live in infity"