Figure 1.--Adolf Hitler seized control of a country that did not have the industrial capacity and resources to wage aworld war. To launch his war he needed the Allies to appease him and the Soviet Union as an allywilling to rovide the NAZIs the critical resources they required. And Thus with the fall of France, America was left the only country cpable of saving Western Civilization. Presidet Roosevelt understood the threat posed by Hitler and the NAZIs from the befinning of the NAZI regime. The problem was tht the americn people did not. Americans were determined to stay out of another European War. And groups like the american Firsters tapped a deep and fervent groundswell of public opinion. President Roosevelt was a master politician who faced two of the major crises in American history--the Great Deression nd World Wwar II. Of all hus adversaries perhaps the most difficult and dangerous were the Isolatinists wre determined to prevent America from going to war even against aggressor nation.

President Roosevelt in late 1938 began a cautious strategy of confronting the NAZIs within the limited scope permitted by the IUsolationists in Congress and the considrable support that they enjoyed with the American public. The President persued a multiple prong strategy. First, President Roosevlt began to promote what he call "Hemispheric Defense". While public opinion was resolutely oposed to any involvement in Europe. Defense of the Americas was a different matter for which there was considerable public support as well as Republican support. Second, America must begin to rearm. The United States had a sizeable navy, but the army was miniscule. Here the threat was not yet obvious for huge increases, but increased defense spending could be achieved because even many isolationists supported it. The President after Munish was especially interested in air craft production. Third, the President began to pomote changes in the Neutrality Acts. The Allies could order arms in America, but once war broke out this would no longer be possble. FDR saw that this had to be changed. Third, the President began to use American diplomacy to influence the NAZIs. The basic card Roosevelt had to play was the threat of American industrial support the Allies. This meant in effect that beginning with Munich the Hitler and the NAZIs were in a race to defeat the Allies (Britain and France) before the weight of American industrial might could be mobilized. [Freidel, Rendezuous, p. 306-307.] The Kaiser and German generals made the same gamble in 1914. Hitler came much closer to suceeding.

Cautious Stategy

President Roosevelt in late 1938 began a cautious strategy of confronting the NAZIs within the limited scope permitted by the IUsolationists in Congress and the considrable support that they enjoyed with the American public. The President persued a multiple prong strategy. Some of the President's chief advisors believed that he was proceeding too cautiously. There was, however, onsiderable political danger. The President was well ahead of public opinion on the issue and it was an issue that many Americans felt deeply about.

Elements

Hemispheric Defense

President Roosevlt began to promote what he call "Hemispheric Defense". While public opinion was resolutely oposed to any involvement in Europe. Defense of the Americas was a different matter for which there was considerable public support as well as Republican support. Alf Landon, the Republican 1936 presidential candidate endorsed the International Conference of American States. The Monroe Doctrinr that European colonization of the Americas was unacceptable resonated with the American public. Secreatary Hull retirned from the Conference with the Deckaration of Lima which provided for consultaions if any nation in the Americas was threatened. This was not ideal speculation. The NAZIs were looking beyond Europe. The NAZIS had begun demanding the return of their pre-World War I colonies. While the Germans did not have American colonies, but they did have African and Pacific colonies. There was some sympathy for the Germans in the hemishere, especially in Argentina. Of greatest concern was what would happen to the American colonies of the European countries that the NAZIs might defeat and occupy. Britain, France, and the Netherlands also had colonies in the Caribbean and South America. Here even before war eruped in Europe, Presidenr Roosevelt was prepared to use military force. [Freidel, Rendezuous, p. 306-307.]

Rearmament

America must begin to rearm. The United States had a sizeable navy, but the army was miniscule. Th initial steps were tenous. Here the threat was not yet obvious for huge increases, but increased defense spending could be achieved because even many isolationists supported it. The President after Munich was especially interested in air craft production. It is no accident that American air power played a major role in World War II and that the 8th air Force joined the British in an air offensive against Germany in ealy 1943 and in fact made D-Day possible. The European air campaign despite the early prominance of the Luftwaffe would be dominated by the U.S. Army Air Corps. This was possible because of the steps toward rearmament sponsored by the Roosevelt Administration following Munich. After Munich, American leaders pledged that they would never allow another Munich to occur. Ambassador Bullitt distilled the lesson of Munich to President Roosevelt, "If you have enought airplanes you don't have to go to Berchtgaden." [Freidel Rendezuous, p. 303.] President Roosevelt was determined that America would never be in that position.

Revising the Neutrality Act

The President began to pomote changes in the Neutrality Acts. The Allies could order arms in America, but once war broke out this would no longer be possble. FDR saw that this had to be changed.

American Diplomacy

The President began to use American diplomacy to influence the NAZIs. The basic card Roosevelt had to play was the threat of American industrial support the Allies. This meant in effect that beginning with Munich the Hitler and the NAZIs were in a race to defeat the Allies (Britain and France) before the weight of American industrial might could be mobilized. [Freidel, Rendezuous, p. 306-307.] The Kaiser and German generals made the same gamble in 1914. Hitler came much closer to suceeding. In the end, American became the great Arsenal of Democracy--a decisive facor in the outcome of the war. In the end, American production would not only astonish the Axis, but American allies as well.

Sources

Divine, Robert. Roosevelt and World War II (1969).

Freidel, Frank. Franklin D. Roosevelt: Rendezuous with Destiny (Little Brown: Boston, 1990), 710p.

McGregor Burns, James. Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (1970).

Created: May 19, 2003
Last updated: 7:31 AM 6/22/2016