Figure 1.--It was not until Congress passed the peace time draft (September 1940)that America began building a substantial army. The Isolations fought both the dirsr Selectice Service bill as well as its renewal a year later (August 1941). Had they won the United States would have entered World War II virtually without an army when the Japanese attacked Pear Harbor (Decembr 1941). Here three men are saying goodbye to their wives and children at Detroit Central Station. Goodbyes like this took place at train stations all over America. They are headed for Fort Custer to do combat training.

Most Americans when war broke out in Europe (1939) were determined to stay out of it. The American Army at the time was almost non-existent as a major fighting force. Countries like Romania had larger armies. The fall of France shocked Americans into realizing that America needed a credible army. Congress passed the Selective Training andService Act (September 16, 1940), creating tghe country's first peacetime military conscription program. Conscription in America is commonly referred to as the draft. The initial act authorized the conscription of men, but placed a limit of 0.9 million on the number to be trained. The period of service was set at 12 months. There was intense opposition from pacifists, isolationists, and others. The original draftees were aged 21-35 years. Service was restricted to the Western Hemisphere and U.S. territories. Subsequently in a razor-thin Cngressional vote on the eve of Pearl Harbor, the Selective Serbice Act was remwed (August 1941). The bill passed the House of Representatives by a one-vote margin (203-202). This permitted the Army to keep the one-year draftees. Congress after Pearl Harbor passed a new Selective Service Act which removed restrictions and extended the draft to men aged 18-38 years of age (briefly to 45 years). All men between 18-65 had to register. The period of service was extended to 6 months after the end of the War. Over 10 million men were inducted under the terms of this Act until a new Selective Service Act was passed after the War (1948). In addition to the 10 million men inducted, 6 million men enlisted. Many of those who inlisted joined the Navy and Air Corps (still part of the Army). Some American youth were anxious to enter the War even earlier than age 18. The military was very strict about the age limits. The Merchant Marine being drained by the battle in the North Atlantic against U-boats was often less careful. Richard Stephens tells how in 1943 that he had just turned 17 and graduated from highschool. He showed up at a Merchant Marine recruiting office with obviously doctored documents. The only problem was that he weighed 129 pounds, 1 pound below the 130 pound minimum weight. He was sent to the corner grocery to buy some bananas that he could eat to gain an extra pound. [Stephens]

The U.S. Army

The American Army as Europe moved toward war was almost non-existent as a major fighting force. At the time of the Muich crisis (September 1938), the Regular Army consisted of about 167,000 men. Countries like Romania had larger armies. This was abdsurdly small given the dangers posed in Europe and Asia. The Administration had moved to expand enlistments, but events in Europe moved much faster. The United States in 1940 was still without a significant army. The Afministration had taken steps to expand the Navy and to begin building a large Air Force. In particular the U.S. army except for a small professional core practically did not exist. There were still calvalry units and the force that did eist was not armed with modern weapons. The United States in 1940 despite the wars raging in Europe and Asia and the willingness of hostile powers to persue naked agression, American had not yet begun building a powerful army.

Isolationist Sentiment

Most Americans when war broke out in Europe (1939) were determined to stay out of it. The isolation movement in America was still very strong, The national debate over neutrality and isolationism that had been raging since the mid-1930s reached its height during the 1940 election. The isolationists persisted after the election, bu the 1940 election was their best chance of defeating the President and reshaping American foreign policy. There were powerful spokesmen on both sides. Isolationist groups, such as the American Fist Committee, opposed any risks that could lead to war and shaply attacked the President's policies. International groups and an increasing number of average citizens demanded more active aid to Britain. When the year began, the merican public were still strongly isolationist. After the NAZI victories in the West, first Denmark and Norway (April); then the Netherlands, Luxenboutg, and Belgium (May); and finally France (June)--American public opinion began to significantly shift. Americans were not prepared to enter the War yet, but measures to strengthen national defense and aid Britain thatt the isolaionists had opposed were now being viewed much more favorably.

Fall of France (June 1940)

The French Army had been seen by many as the most powerful military force in the world. It had been the French Army that had plated the major role in stopping the Germany Army in World War I. When after the German invasion of Poland (September 1939) and Bfitain and France declared war, the French Army was the principal force facing thevGermans. The fall of France shocked Americans into realizing that America needed a credible army. The fall of France had a sobering affect on many Americans (June 1940). Undobtedly the radio bradcasts and newsreel images of first Panzers rolling down the Les Champs-Elysées (the Elysian Fields) and then London burning under the NAZI Blitz were making an impression on the American people. Dangerous Issue

Significance

President Roosevelt had moved forward to expand the Navy and begin building a large air force. Their opposition from some isolationists, including Congressional Reopublicans, but appropriations for national defense did not ignite unsurmountable public opinion. The draft was potentially a much more volitile effort. It was not just about appropriations. It was about conscripting young men--husbands and sons. This was an issue that the isolationists could use that would resonate with many Americans. But America without a massive army was no deterent to the Germans and Japanese with huge conscript armies. If America was going gto defend itself, a massive army would be needed and the only way to obtain the numbers needed was military conscription--the draft. This was President Roosevelt's greatest challenge, to convince Americans that a peace time draft was needed. This was a tough sell and he had to do it in the middle of a seriously contested presidential election campaign.

Congression Struggle

President Roosevelt submitted a conscription bill to Congress. One might have thought that after the NAZI aggressions in Europe, the fall of France, and Britain's plight that the need to build a powerful army was patently obvious. The President's proposal was, however, predictably heavily criticised by the isolationists. And there was considerable public oposition to the draft. The issue could have become a major political issue coming as it did during a presidential election campaign. The isolationists still had great influence within the Republican Party. Republican Candidate Wendel Wilkie almost surely would have benefitted politically if he had oppsed the draft. He decided, however, to put country before party. His failure to use the draft as an issued alienated a number of Congressional Republicans. Wilkie was, however, no isolationist and supported the bill. There was still heated debate

Selective Service Act: The Peace Time Draft (September 1940)

Congress passed the Selective Training andService Act (September 16, 1940), creating the country's first peacetime military conscription program. This meant that America would have an army when war came--albeit a still small one. Conscription in America is commonly referred to as the draft. The Act was a trenative step. The Act stipulated that draftees could not be deployed outsidev of the United States, the Western Hemisphere, and American possessions (which included the Philippines). More important than the restrictions, however, was the fact that the United States could begin to train a substantial new army. Another provision, however, limited service to 1 year. I'm not sure who authored this providion, but assume it was a Congressional amendment to appease the Isolsationists. This meant that the isolantionists would have another opportunity to kill the draft. The initial act authorized the conscription of men, but placed a limit of 0.9 million on the number to be trained. The period of service was set at 12 months. There was intense opposition from pacifists, isolationists, and others. The original draftees were aged 21-35 years. Service was restricted to the Western Hemisphere and U.S. territories.

Election of 1940 (November 1940)

The 1940 presidential election is arguably the most important election in American history. The first American President, George Washington, retired after two 4-year terms. This set a precedent that every other president had followed. FDR because of the international crisis decided to run for a third term which became a campaign issue. The national debate over neutrality and isolationism that had been raging since the mid-1930s reached its height. There were powerful spokesmen on both sides. Isolationist groups, such as the American Fist Committee, opposed any risks that could lead to war and shaply attacked the President's policies. International groups and an increasing number of average citizens demanded more active aid to Britain. His Republican opponent was a surprise choice, Wendell Willkie, a wealty busniessman who had swept the Republican primaries. Willkie did not crticise FDR's support for the democracies, by the time of the camapign only England. His nomination was an indication of the shift in public opinion toward intervention. Willkie instead pledged "all aid to the Democracies short of war". He attacked the New Deal on domestic issues, what he referred to as the socialistic policies of the Administration. Roosevelt's foreign policy was, however, an issue in the campaign. The isolationists led by the American First Committee accused FDR of trying to drag America into the war. Speaking in Boston on October 30, the President assured his audinence, "I have said this before, but I shall say it again, and again and again: Your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars." Usually the phrase was "foreign wars" and usually the President added, "unless we are attacked". The election was another victory for FDR, but not the landslide of previous camapigns. Still FDR carried 39 of the 48 states. The election, however, was much closer than suggested by the results. FDR saw his re-election as strong pupblic support for a program of military preparedness and aid to Britain.

Military Assessment (July 1941 (40?))

The President wrote Navy Secretary Knox and War Secretary Simpson asking what would be required to defeat the Axis countries if the United States entered the War (July 9). The President at the time was asuring the public at the time that the United States was not going to enter foreign wars. The military used Supply Priorities and Allocation Board (SPAB) make this assessment. America in 1941 was building a two ocean navy, the largest airforce in the world (50,000 combat air craft), and a 6 million man army. It took the military some time to respond. The President rececived his answer from General Marshall and Admiral Strark who wrote for the War and Navy Departments (September 25). "If Germany and her European sattelites are to be defeated , it will be necessary for the United States to enter the war" Marshall and Stark drew the same conclusion for the Pacific if Japan was to strike in the Pacific.

Renewal of Selective Service (August 1941)

The isolations were not silenced with their defeat over Selective Service (September 1940), Roosevelt's Third term (November 1940), and Lend Lease (March 1941). The Unites States virtually did not have an army before the Selective Srvice Act was passed. This was the first step in building a 6 million man army. The isolations staged a major effort to defeat the renewal of the act. Despite the war in Europe and Japanese advances in the Pacific, there was considerable resistance in Congress for not renewing the Selective Service Act. The resistance was led by the Republican minority, but the draft was such a sensitive issue that they were joined by enough Democrats that renewal as in question. The NAZI suprise attack on the Soviet Unionwas another clear indicator of what Hitler was capable of doing and that fighting him with allies was essential. The isolationists, however, again resisted the draft. Failire to renew Selective Service would have meant that the men drafted in 1940 would go home and that America would have entered World War II essentially without an army. Subsequently in a razor-thin Congressional vote on the eve of Pearl Harbor, the Selective Serbice Act was renwed (August 1941). While the President was with Churchill at the Atlantic Conference when the House approved the renewal of Selective Service by 1 lone vote. The vote was 203 to 202. There were attempts to change votes and runa a vote count, but Speaker Rayburn gaveked them down. To gain even this margin, the bill had to include a commitment not to send draftees out of the Hemisphere without Congressional authorization. [Black, p. 656.] Renewal permitted the Army to keep the one-year draftees.

Wheeler's Postcards

Right up until Pearl Harbor, many isolationists resisted military preparadness. One of the most prominent Republican Isolations was Senator Burton K. Wheeler. Using the privlidge of the Congressionl Frank, Senator Wheeler mailed out a million post cards reading, "Write to President Roosevelt today that you are against our entry into the European war." These cards helped to fuel the OHIO movement--Over the Hill in October. It was an effort to proimote disertion. [Morgan, p. 599.]

Pearl Harbor (December 1941)

A Japanese carrier taskforce composed of six carriers on December 7, 1941, executed a surprise attack on the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. It was a brilliant tactical victory for Japan, but perhaps the greatest mistake in modern military history as it brought a suddenly united America with its vast industrial capacity into the War. The Japanese launched 360 aircraft which in 2 hours struck Peal Harbor just as the American sailors were waking up on a sleepy Sunday morning. The strike sunk or heavily damaged six of the eight American battleships, thrre cruisrs, three destroyers, and most of the Army Air Corps planes on the island. America was at war.

War Time Draft

Congress after Pearl Harbor passed a new Selective Service Act which removed restrictions and extended the draft to men aged 18-38 years of age (briefly to 45 years). All men between 18-65 had to register. The period of service was extended to 6 months after the end of the War. Over 10 million men were inducted under the terms of this Act.

Volunteers

In addition to the 10 million men inducted, 6 million men enlisted. Many of those who inlisted joined the Navy and Air Corps (still part of the Army). Some American youth were anxious to enter the War even earlier than age 18. The military was very strict about the age limits. The Merchant Marine being drained by the battle in the North Atlantic against U-boats was often less careful. Richard Stephens tells how in 1943 that he had just turned 17 and graduated from highschool. He showed up at a Merchant Marine recruiting office with obviously doctored documents. The only problem was that he weighed 129 pounds, 1 pound below the 130 pound minimum weight. He was sent to the corner grocery to buy some bananas that he could eat to gain an extra pound. [Stephens]

Post-War Draft A new Selective Service Act was passed after the War (1948).

Sources

Black, Conrad. Franklin Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom (Public Affairs: New York, 2003), 1280p.

Morgan, Ted. FDR: A Biography (Simon & Schuster: New York, 1985), 830p.

Stephens, Richard W. "So eager to get into the fight," Washington Post May 28, 2004, p. W10.

Created: 10:31 PM 3/14/2006
Last updated: 1:13 AM 3/15/2006