U.S. Reaction to Japan and Hitler = isolationism
According to Robert Dallek, the years 1934-37 were the high tide of isolationism in America. President Franklin Roosevelt "felt almost hopeless against the worldwide drift toward war. He remarked to William Bullitt, these "may be the last days of ... peace before a long chaos." (p. 122) Roosevelt was unwilling to act and "allowed domestic and international constraints to limit him to a series of small actions." (p. 168)
Sept. 1934 - Nye Committee (Sen. Gerald P. Nye of N. Dakota)
- findings used by writers and intellectuals and peace movement
- Charles Beard denounced "merchants of death"
- 1935 Walter Millis book
"Road to War"
- Dorothy Detzer & Women's International League for peace and Freedom supported Nye's investigation
summer 1935 - 1st Neutrality Act introduced
- FDR opp'd, but Key Pittman allows it into For Rel Comm
- FDR seeks discretionary bill but fails
Aug. 19 - Senate Foreign Relations Committee approves Pittman bill
Aug. 21 - Senate passes bill and sends to House
Aug. 23 - House passes bill with 6-month time limit
Aug. 24 - Senate passes amended bill
Aug. 31 - FDR signs bill
- mandatory arms embargo:
"upon the outbreak or during the progress of war between, or among, two or more foreign states, the President shall proclaim such fact, and it shall thereafter be unlawful to export arms, ammunition, or implements of war to any port of such belligerent states."
- discretionary travel restrictions
- will expire in 6 months - Feb. 29, 1936
Sources:
- Dallek, Robert. Franklin D. Roosevelt and American Foreign Policy, 1932-1945. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford, 1998.
- Neutrality Acts
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