Roosie Foreign Policy

The Great Depression and Internationalism

Roosie, unlike Hoover, believed that Depression was US’ own problem and embraced
a form of economic nationalism.
London Economic Conference, 1933 – He devalued the dollar by removing the US
from the international gold standard. He wanting to increase the value of the
American dollar to put more currency for the poor. However, this further
destabilized the world economy.
So, then, the US worked with England and France to stabilize the international
economic system.

He was quick to show his favourites early on:

Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act allowed him grant "most favored nation" trade
status to countries with which the United States worked out trade agreements.
1933 – US drastically improved his relationship with the Soviets to expand American
trade and deter Japan from expanding. Well, the neither happened.
1935 – US couldn’t get membership in the World Court despite Roosie’s effort.

Good Neighbour Policy – Hoover began the policy, Roosie merely followed.
Under him, the last American troops withdrew from the Caribbean and revoked the
Platt Amendment (wherein Cuban government had recognized the US’ right to
intervene in Cuba).
He supported the 1933 Pan-American Conference resolution – no country had the
right of intervention in the affairs of another.
Roosie is even accepted Mexico’s 1938 nationalization of the oil industry, which
expropriated American assets – ignoring the calls for intervention and asking the
State Department to work out a compensation plan.

Confronting Germany and Japan

He wanted to curb Japan’s power in Asia by supporting China. But this also had its
limits.
Unlike predecessors, Hoover and Roosie I, who violently opposed Japan’s aggression
into Manchuria and virtually no desire to oppose Japanese aggression, Roosie II
simply refused to recognize Japan’s control over Manchuria and Italy’s invasion of
Ethiopia.

Great East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere – a Japan’s colonial empire by it practically

involved gaining access to the oil and other raw material in East Asia to gain regional
domination.
1933 – Hitler came to power.
Blamed Jews and others for Germany’s failure.
Claimed Germany’s need for more living space, Ayan’s superiority and openely
repudiating disarmament agreements of the 20s and rearming Germany.

Thus, between 1935-39, US proclaimed neutrality – the Congress passed five acts
that forbade American involvement in the foreign conflicts.
Reasons for neutrality:
1. Enthusiastic American Peace movement
2. Revelations of war-profiteering by the American businesses during the WWI
3. Belief that their intervention in the European war had been fruitless.
Roosie tried to water down these laws, which regarded the aggressor and the victim
the same.
While he often talked of tough game, like “the need to quarantine the aggressors”, he
didn’t want to budge from the isolationist stance.
Thus, the US stood ideal as the world descended into the War – the 1936 Spanish
Civil War.
Republican Spanish was fighting against the fascist forces who received support from
Germany and France. The US ignored Republican’s call for help citing peace reasons.
Fascist forces won.

Descent into War

Hitler set on to conquer Rhineland, allied with Italy and Japan and annexed Austria.
Fearing German superiority, France and Brit agreed to Hitler’s annexation of
Czechoslovakia, provided he doesn’t pursue any more territory – the Munich
Agreement
The agreement was made with the US’ approval and without Czechs’ involvement.
Hitler defied Munich Agreement, invaded Czech and set eyes on Poland that Brit and
France pledged to defend.
1939 – Hitler signs a non-aggression pact with the Soviets, and invades Poland. Brit
and France declare war on Germany.
1940 – After annexing most of western Europe and controlling continental Europe
with the Soviets and Italy, Hitler began air war against Brits in plans of invasion.

Due to neutrality acts, US started indirectly supporting Brit.

This had three major effects:
1. It offered Brit more of psychological aid than material.
2. It bought US time to prepare its military and other defences.
3. It made US an active and undeclared participant in the War.

Cash and Carry Policy, 1939 – allowed belligerents to buy arms from the US only
with the cash and if they transported their purchases themselves.
1940 – US loaned Bri destroyers in return for a few military bases.
Lend-Lease, 1941 – allowed Brits and other allies material aid from the US, despite
the former’s deteriorating financial situation.

Battle of Britain – when the Brit won the air battle against Germany, Hitler:
1. Launched a massive Soviet invasion.
2. Ordered Nazi submarines to attack Brit ships in the North Atlantic.
This drew the US further into War –
1. Roosie extended Lend-Lease to the Soviets
2. Ordered American Navy to interfere and escort the Brit ships, which allowed
the US to shoot German submarines
Thus, by 1941, US and Germany were at war in all but name.

Atlantic Charter, 1941 – US’ and Brit’s joint statement of their respective war goals.
He managed to deal with the resentment from lack of isolation back home and to re-
arm and rebuild US’ military.
He failed to keep the nation at a clear course of action – Roosie’s actions put the US
at the centre of War but he refused to acknowledge by evading questions with his
“difference between at war and short of war”.
Despite proclaiming US would stay out of war, he directed nation’s military and
industrial preparations for war, proving to be confusing, messy and exasperating.
1937 – US-Japan relations deteriorated as Japan invaded China for whom Americans
had a strong attachment.
Roosie offered aid to China, though extremely limited.
But Roosie’s strategy was to isolate Japan politically and neutrally, so he could deal
with the German problem, as he realized that fighting the two wars simultenaously
would be impossible.
This had a number of drawbacks:
1. The isolation affirmed Japan’s fears of being denied resources in her conquest
of China.
2. Japan felt extremely hemmed in by America, Britain, China and Dutch (ABCD
Powers) and resorted to military aggression.
1941 – Japan invaded Indochina, US freezes its assets and restricts access to
petroleum products, further infuriating Japan for harming her national interests.
December, 1941 – Japan attacks Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. The attack damaged
America’s pacific fleet.
US declares war on Japan.

WWII
1942 – Allies (Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union) were weak even
with the American aid due low fortunes and Germany in control of Western Europe.
Japan was conquering was conquering Asia – US lost Philippines and Battle of Java
Sea. In Europe, Soviet was losing to Germany.
In the North Atlantic, Brit and US made German submarines less effective.
Brit and US launch an offensive against Germany in North Africa.
Roosie began his postwar planning – he formed a coalition of twenty six countries,
abiding by the Atlantic Charter, known as United Nations with world peace and
cooperation as its agenda.

1943 – US won major islands against Japan, though with high casualties.
British and Americans win in North Africa and Soviets turned back Nazis at
Stalingrad.
The joint Anglo-American invasion of Italy began, and lasted two years.
US managed to secure Stalin’s agreement to join UN.

1944 – Under Eisenhower, Allies liberated France.

Soviets made major progress on the Eastern front and Brit and US closed in on
Germany.
Victories in Asian islands like Philippines, New Guinea, Guam gave the US
launchpad for air strikes against Japan. It had devastating impact.

1945 – Brit, Soviet and US met at Yalta. The victory in Europe was secured, but the
Allies had not agreed on its future.
Stalin was angry that US and Brit didn’t help the Soviet at the Eastern Front with
Germany.
For its part, Moscow interpreted the Yalta Agreement, which included a signed
Declaration of Liberated Europe, as granting it a free hand to set up puppet
governments throughout the region.
Allied invaded Germany as the Nazi regime crumbled. Roosie knew of the Jews
under Nazis. However, his policy was to win the war first, which would stop Jews’
onslaught. This policy came under attack as US could have and should have done
more to help Jews.
Hitler implored his army, increasing the number of teenage boys to fight, while US
closed in on Japan.

Evaluation
If Roosie was elected in ’32 to fight Depression, he was largely reelected in ’45
because the people believed he could guide the nation through the War.
He rightly believed that Germany and Japan threatened the US, which in turned
threatened Americans’ freedom.
Roosie ably guided his Allies without entering into hostilities.
He hoped that the War would produce peace and security, and hence became a major
proponent of the UN, where US would be a leading member.