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The Neutrality Act of 1939
FDR persuaded Congress to adopt a "cash-and-carry" policy in order to keep America out of the war. In reality, this policy allowed the US to provide US arms to warring nations in exchange for cash; this would benefit Britain and France, making sure that US stayed clear out of the war. -
The Selective Training and Service Act
This act was created thanks to Nazi paranoia from Congress, creating the first peacetime military draft where young men from the age of 21 and 35 were registered in the drafting service. It broke against the policy of isolationism and increased the need for national defense. -
The Lend Lease Act
In order to help support the British, Roosevelt suggested the Lend Lease Act, where the president would be able to lend arms to "any country whose defense was vital to the United States." While isolationists argued against the act, many Americans favored the act and wanted to prevent the fight from entering the US. -
Coal and Oil Embargo on Japan
Japan had begun its takeover of minority countries by first invading Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) and the US retaliated by cutting off trade with Japan. This would lead to Japan's threats against the US, by declaring war. -
The Atlantic Charter
FDR and Churchill met in secret in order to plan for a joint declaration of war aims known as the Atlantic Charter. The goals of the charter were collective security, disarmament, self-determination, exconomic cooperation, and freedom of the seas; this document would become the basis of the United Nations. -
Germany declares war on the US (formally undeclared)
After a submarine attack on a US destroyer, Roosevelt approved the act of firing against the German army. Soon, attacks on merchant ships and destroyers mounted and the Senate repealed the ban against arming merchant ships. War was imminent. -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Japanese launched airplanes on the US' largest naval base, with over 2,000 American casualties and several aircraft/ships destroyed. The next day, FDR officially declared war on Japan with Congress' approval, with Germany and Italy declaring the same three days later.
