LEND-LEASE ACT OF 1941 and the political cartoons of dr. seuss US History 2 Mr. Mulry
During World War II, with England standing alone against Germany in Europe, Hitler began a daily bombing blitz of England.
Desperate for supplies to protect England, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill implored President Roosevelt for assistance to fight off Germany s expected invasion.
By early 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt had no doubt that the U.S. needed to throw its support behind England.
Even though sympathies were starting to sway, their was still a strong isolationist sentiment in the United States. Isolationism: The policy or doctrine of isolating one s country from the affairs of other nations by declining to enter into alliances or agreements. Seeking to devote the entire efforts of one s country to its own advancement and remain at peace by avoiding foreign entanglements and responsibilities.
Congress had passes the Neutrality Acts to keep America neutral during the WWII conflict. Congress passed a series of four neutrality acts in the 1930s that were designed to keep the United States out of World War II. They reflected the isolationist mood of the country and the general conclusions of the Nye Committee that it was the self-interest of bankers and arms merchants that had propelled the United States into World War I. The neutrality legislation became a constant source of political tension between Congress and President Franklin Roosevelt, who opposed many of its features and, on occasion, actively worked to circumvent them. Critics of the neutrality legislation argued that it would not accomplish its goal of keeping the United States out of World War II. It was backwardlooking (fixating on the forces and events that led to U.S. involvement in World War I) and not attuned to the political-military realities of Europe.
Roosevelt had to find a way to provide supplies to Churchill and still skirt the objections of isolationists.
Roosevelt came up with the Lend- Lease Program. In exchange for the lease of some British islands in the Caribbean Sea, the U.S. provided England with ships and munitions.
Technically skirting the Neutrality Laws, Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act in March 1941 after a bitter debate.
Roosevelt had found a way to assist the English people. The Lend-Lease Act provided crucial military supplies for Great Britain s fight against Nazi Germany.
Before writing and illustrating his famous children s books, Dr. Seuss spent a long career as a political cartoonist.
What do Dr. Seuss s illustrations convey about American Neutrality?
...and the Wolf chewed up the children and spit out their bones...but those were foreign children and it really didn t matter.
Ho hum! When he s finished pecking down that last tree he ll quite likely be tired.
Since when did we swap our ego for an ostrich?
Forget the terrible news you ve read. Your mind s at ease in an Ostrich head! We always were suckers for ridiculous hats...
The old family bath tub is plenty safe for me!
Hey! Hide if you have to, but by thunder, stop nibbling!
Relax, Sam, I assure you the express turns off right here!
He never knew what hit him...
Are We Mice or Are We Men?
Jeepers! Is that Me?!
Remember...One More Lollypop, and then You All Go Home!