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APUSH Review - Foreign Policy (1920-1945)

Terms in this set (10)

What steps in the 1920s were made to keep America isolationist and maintain peace?
The United States took steps to limit immigration. With the Emergency Quota Act, quotas were set so people only a certain amount of people could come in this country. With the Red Scare, the United States attempted to keep communism and socialism out of the country. We no longer were involved with foreign wars or affairs, as seen with us not approving the Treaty of Versailles or joining the League of Nations.
How did America's foreign policy toward Latin America change in the 1920s and 1930s?
For decades, the United States has followed the Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary in our foreign policy with Latin America. The United States did not want other countries involved in the Western Hemisphere, but was acceptable for the United States to get involved. Hoover and Roosevelt began to change their way of thinking with these policies. Roosevelt introduced the Good Neighbor Policy, which formally renounced U.S. armed intervention in the affairs of Latin America. The United State also began trade agreements with nations in Latin America.
What choices were made during Roosevelt's administration to keep America out of war?
Roosevelt remained neutral between WWI and WWII.
Stimson Doctrine (1932): United States would not recognize any territorial acquisitions taken by force. We would also refrain from military action
Neutrality Acts (1935, 1936, 1937, 1939): The United States would remain neutral during the beginning of the war. The United States would not trade arms with countries at war. Eventually, Roosevelt asked Congress to allow cash and carry sales of arms.
Lend-Lease Act: President Roosevelt authorized the sale of surplus military equipment to the Allies.
Though America was technically neutral, what choices showed that they truly were participating in the war?
The Lend-Lease Program was used primarily to help Great Britain and the Soviet Union resist Nazi Germany.
What events led to the attack on Pearl Harbor?
The Japanese were dependent on shipments of oil, aviation gas, steel and scrap iron from the United States. In late 1940, Roosevelt imposed a series of embargoes against the Japan-bound supplies. In mid-1941, FDR froze Japanese assets in the United States and halted all shipments of gas. The Japanese attack occurred after diplomatic negotiations had reached a stalemate.
How was 1944 a shift in the war?
D-Day occurred on June 6, 1944. Initially there was a lost at Omaha Beach. By the end of July, 2 million Allied soldiers were on the ground in France. American and British forces were able to liberate French cities and towns as they moved east towards Germany. Russian troops because moving west. By August, Allied troops entered Paris and liberated the capitol.
How did government take more control of America's economy during the war?
Military spending revived the US economy. As American's prepared for war the unemployment rate plummeted. The United States was finally able to emerge from the Great Depression. The Office of Price Administration established a rationing system. The War Production Board converted factories to military production. The National War Labor Board settled labor disputes through mediation. The government also raised money through taxes and borrowing.
In what ways was World War II a "total war" effort?
Most United States citizens did something to become involved in the war effort. Men volunteered to fight overseas. In order to keep the factories up and running, women and minority groups replaced men. Rosie the Riveter became the icon for women workers. People helped grow crops by planting victory gardens. Lastly, in order to raise funds, the government encouraged citizens to purchase war bonds.
What were the goals of Yalta and Potsdam?
Yalta (2/45): Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met to discuss the structure of postwar Europe. It was agreed that Germany would be split into 4 zones of occupation. Berlin would also be partitioned. Stalin promised free elections in Eastern European nations he had freed from Nazi control. Soviets would also join the war against Japan. These decisions were seen as the beginning of the Cold War.
Potsdam (7/45): The goals of the conference was to establish post-war order. There were peace treaties that were issued and in addition, the Potsdam Declaration was issued, which called for the surrender of the Japanese. The ultimatum stated that if Japan did not surrender they would face "prompt and utter destruction."
Why did America drop the atomic bombs? Why was this choice criticized?
The decision to drop the bomb was to save American lives. By using conventional weapons, it was just prolonging the war because the Japanese would not surrender. Using the atomic bomb would persuade the Japanese to surrender. It would also convince the Soviet Union of the need to be more cooperative in formulating post-war plans.

Many people criticized the government for dropping the atomic bombs. Some reasons are:
•They were responsible for the destruction of two cities.
•They were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
•They were responsible for the radiation poison in Japan and the nearby sea waters and lands.
•They caused people to die from radiation poisoning.
•They helped to spark the Cold War and the nuclear arms race.
•There is still a team of Japanese and American scientists dealing with the after affects of the radiation sicknesses and levels of radiation.
•They cost over 2 Billion dollars in the 1940s.
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