WWII: The Diplomacy Of The New Era

Video- Notes Chapter 27: WWII
“Speaking Intelligently About The Outline”
Blue = “Terms to Know”

1. The Legacy of WWI, “The Diplomacy of The New Era” a. Henry Cabot Lodge was very suspicious of the treaty of Versailles, especially Article 10 (which stated that the US was required to respect the territory of other states) he viewed the league as limiting the power of the government, and believed that we should be the “master of our own fate.” b. The failure to ratify the Treaty of Versailles was mainly due to the lack of ability to compromise between Lodge and Wilson. c. The idea of maintaining the stance that America would stay un-involved in foreign affairs. 2. Treaties to replace the Treaty of Versailles
World Economic Conference- London, 1933. Roosevelt went off the gold standard and said they were going to make payments, limit loans to end cycle, and the negotiations in 1933 fell apart because other nations were not willing to move away from backings of gold and silver. Roosevelt in 1934 forebayed American banks to make loans to foreign countries- hoping to end that circular systems- which it did. These were isolationist ideas because we were going on our own standard. Roosevelt helped international trade by pushing through the reciprocal trade agreement act- empowered Roosevelt to lower tariff rates as much as 50% to get some currency flowing internationally and positively. Roosevelt also broke with past policies by recognizing the Soviet Union- hoping to establish strong trade, not very successful but an attempt to expand trade. However Roosevelt was too late and economic crisis deepened. America began turning to
Nye Commission: Gerald Nye put together a study that blamed our entry into WWI on the military complex (large factories producing munitions, chemicals, clothing, etc.) This placed the blame strictly on economics and the blame landed on manufacturers of America. In addition to finding the military complex responsible, it also blamed the national government/loaning and finance institutions for getting us caught in loans. p. Neutrality Acts of 1935/36/37/39: These acts forbayed any lending institutions to loan money to belligerence in a war situation with hopes to get away from investment of American dollars in war. They also forbayed trading on the basis of loans. The concept of cash and carry came out of these acts- if companies were going to trade with belligerence in war, the only way that was okay was if it was paid for in cash. q. Failure of appeasement, Munich: This marks the end of creating an international policy. Hitler went through a series of marches with no opposition. Appeasement is the idea of giving someone what they wants to get them to shut up, even though it isn’t good for them. The Munich Conference Hitler lies and promises that the expansion was over. Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf explained he was going to continue