USA HISTORY

In the fall of 1939, an overwhelming majority of the American people believed that

(A) ** the U.S. should remain nuetral in European affairs

(B) England was just as much to blame for starting World War II as was Germany

(C) the U.S. should declare war on Germany

(D) England posed the greatest threat to U.S. security

Concept note-1: -Supporters of neutrality, called “isolationists” by their critics, argued that America should avoid entangling itself in European wars. “Internationalists” rejected the idea that the United States could remain aloof from Europe and held that the nation should aid countries threatened with aggression.

Concept note-2: -The Specifics of 1939 The Neutrality Act of 1939 again allowed the U.S. to sell war materials to warring nations on a cash and carry basis. The act of 1939 also restricted U.S. ships and citizens from going into any zones the president deemed a war zone.

Concept note-3: -The best policy, they claimed, was for the United States to build up its own defenses and avoid antagonizing either side. Neutrality, combined with the power of the US military and the protection of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, would keep Americans safe while the Europeans sorted out their own problems.

Concept note-4: -The United States wanted to remain neutral because after WWI, most European nations refused to pay their debts. Because arms factories made so much money during the war, many Americans felt they had steered the country into war. The U.S. tried to remain neutral, but the British needed help.