World War II: Neutrality and War

Historical Context and the Debate over U.S. Neutrality in the 1930s

These WWII heroines sorted the mail and blazed a trail

Learning Objectives

I can describe the historical events that shaped the U.S. decision to remain neutral during the 1930s.
I can annotate two primary source excerpts to identify arguments for and against American involvement in international conflict.I can use text evidence to make a supported claim about U.S. foreign policy before World War II.

Standards

NYS Social Studies Framework 11.7aC3 Framework D2.His.4.9-12
Hess Depth of Knowledge Levels 3 and 4

Agenda

Warm-up prompt
Historical context timeline (student-facing handout)
Primary Source 1: The Neutrality Act of 1937
Primary Source 2: FDR’s Quarantine Speech
Student Dialogical Notebook
Exit Ticket: Constructed written response

FFW (5 min; 10 sentences): Imagine you are a teenager in 1937. Your family remembers the destruction of World War I. Europe is moving toward war again. Should the United States get involved, or stay out of it? Why or why not?

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Historical Context for WWII

In this unit, we are exploring how the United States wrestled with staying out of World War II. Even before the first bombs fell on Pearl Harbor, political leaders disagreed about what role America should play. Today, we will examine two key sources that reveal this tension.

Historical Context Timeline

1919 – Treaty of Versailles ends World War I. Harsh terms cause resentment in Germany.

1920 – U.S. Senate refuses to join the League of Nations. America avoids entanglements.

1931 – Japan invades Manchuria. The League of Nations fails to stop it.

1933 – Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.

1935 – Italy invades Ethiopia. The U.S. passes the first Neutrality Act.

1936 – Germany remilitarizes the Rhineland. Congress extends the Neutrality Acts.

1937 – Japan invades China. FDR gives the Quarantine Speech. Congress passes another Neutrality Act.

1938 – Germany annexes Austria and demands control of Czechoslovakia. Britain and France follow appeasement.

1939 – Germany invades Poland. Britain and France declare war. World War II begins in Europe.

Primary Source Analysis

You will now examine two primary sources that show two sides of the debate in 1937.

One is a law from Congress meant to keep the U.S. neutral. The other is a speech by President Roosevelt, who thought the U.S. had a moral obligation to respond to threats overseas.

Primary Source 1: The Neutrality Act of 1937 (Excerpt)

Source: United States Congress, 75th Congress, Session 1, Chapter 146

Section 1: Whenever the President shall find that there exists a state of war between foreign states, the President shall proclaim such fact, and it shall thereafter be unlawful to export arms, ammunition, or implements of war from any place in the United States to any belligerent country named in the proclamation.

Section 3: No American citizen shall travel on any ship of a nation engaged in war. Any such travel is at the individual’s own risk, and the United States government shall not be held responsible for any loss or injury.

Primary Source 2: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Quarantine Speech (Excerpt)

Delivered in Chicago, Illinois, October 5, 1937

“The peace of the world is being jeopardized by the few who refuse to follow the path of international law. It is my belief that the nations that cherish peace must work together to isolate the aggressors. The disease of war is spreading, and it must be quarantined before it infects the healthy parts of the world.”

“We are determined to keep out of war, yet we cannot ignore what is happening around us. Our own future safety depends on the safety of others.”

Students work independently or with a partner to annotate each document using the Dialogical Notebook template. Dr. Uyola circulates, checking for annotations and conferring with students to clarify vocabulary and prompt historical thinking.

Dialogic Notebook Template (Student Copy)

Quote from the Source	My Thinking (What does this mean? Why is it important?)
“It shall be unlawful to export arms...”	Congress wanted to stop the U.S. from getting dragged into foreign wars.
“The disease of war is spreading...”	Roosevelt compares war to an illness. He wants the U.S. to take action.

Synthesis Question (at bottom):

What is one argument made for staying neutral?
What is one argument made for becoming involved?

Let us compare these two sources. One calls for isolation. The other calls for moral responsibility. Let us figure out how they reflect two very different views of the world.

Discussion Prompts:

What is the main idea of each source?
What does Congress seem most worried about?
What kind of imagery does Roosevelt use in his speech? Why?
If you were living in 1937, which argument would you agree with? Why?
What are reasons for staying neutral? Reasons for becoming involved?

Exit Ticket

Which source better represents the U.S. position in the 1930s: the Neutrality Act or Roosevelt’s Quarantine Speech? Use one quote from the source and explain your answer in your own words. Write at least 4 - 5 sentences.