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us got involved in wwII because

us got involved in wwII because World War II was a war unlike any other war that has occurred in the history of the war. In studying this war, there are some significant events that contributed to the start of World War II, that led to the US's entrance into W.W.II, and events that helped bring an end to W.W.II. The failure of the Geneva Peace conference, Hitler's annexation of Austria, the Spanish Civil War, Hitler's acquisition of Czechoslovakia, the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, Germany's invasion of Poland, and the fall of France all contributed greatly to the start of World War II. Some events that contributed to the entrance of the US into the war were Italy's invasion on Ethiopia, Japan's invasion of China, the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the Destroyer-Base Deal, the Nye Committee, and the Lend-Lease Act. The Invasion of Italy, the Battle of Midway, D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and the fall of Berlin to the Soviets were five of the events that contributed to the ending of World War II. The Geneva Peace Conference failed because, first- it was stalled over German demands for equal strength and French insistence on reliable protection against the possibility of German aggression. European skepticism about American intentions was confirmed when the Senate Foreign Relations committee responded with a resolution banning shipments to all belligerents, after the American representative at the conference said that if international agreement effected a substantial reduction in arms, the US was prepared to consult with the other states in case of a threat to peace. The failure of this conference was a substantial event in the chain of events that led up to W.W.II, because if this conference had been successful Germany may not have been as volatile, and may not have had the means and arms to initiate the war. Hitler's annexation of Austria took place in the March of 1936. This event was crucial in the build up to war, because it was the first step in the buildup of a German empire. It was the first step militant step towards the Second World War. The next militant step towards world war was when he used the plight of the German minority in the Sudetenland as a pretext for demands on the government of Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia was now a part of the growing German territory. The more territory Germany acquired the more of a threat it was to the other European powers. The Spanish Civil War just helped contribute to the actual disintegration and the appearance of disintegration of conditions in Europe. The Spanish fascists, joined the monarchists and the clericals under General Francisco Franco to overthrow the democratic government of Spain. In reality, the neutral intentions of the US only helped the fascists- and the unrest in Spain contributed to the general unrest in Europe. The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact contributed to the build up of tension leading to World War II, because it gave Germany the security of an alliance with Russia. While Russia did not say that it would fight with Germany against its enemies, the Soviets did promise NOT to fight AGAINST Germany. It gave Hitler the security of knowing that he could face the French and British on the western front without having to worry about the Soviet armies on the eastern front. This confidence may have helped Hitler and the Nazis when Hitler made decisions for advancement of his goals and enlargement of his territory. The invasion of Poland was a leading event leading up to the outbreak of World War II. Poland's mobilization was greatly hindered on September 1, by waves of German bombers attacking the railroads. This was called the blitzkrieg (lightning war) because it took place so quickly. This was yet another country added to the territory controlled by Nazi Germany- making the other world powers more nervous and wary of the growing power of Germany under Adolf Hitler. Also, it was the fall of Poland that caused Britain and France to enter the war. Dunkerque and the fall of France contributed greatly to the start of W.W.II. In 11 days, the German army was able to push the British and French forces back to a narrow beachhead around Dunkerque. The next day the Belgian kind surrendered his army. On June 5th Germany launched a new assault on France, and five days later Italy likewise declared war on France (and Britain). An armistice was signed on June 25, dividing France- adding half of yet another country to the German territories, and allowing Marshal Henri Philippe Petain to take control of the other, smaller, half of France- Vichy France. Germany had added more land to its empire, and more fuel to the fire of World War II by taking France. One major event that led the US into W.W.II was Italy (under Mussolini)'s invasion of Ethiopia. Right after the invasion took place (in 1935) President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed the neutrality of the US. FDR then invoked the mandatory arms embargo. The embargo would hurt Italy more than Ethiopia, since Ethiopia lacked dollars to buy arms, or so the US thought. The arms embargo actually did Italy little harm, because the Italy had its own munitions industry. It was a "Moral Embargo"- and most US oil companies did not go along- so Italy was not even hurt by the Oil industries in America. The US, later, would slowly slip toward aiding the allies, and eventually for joining the war on the allied side. This was one event that FDR, and many other Americans looked at as a case where the US had not done enough- and that feeling may have contributed to the United States' entrance into the war. The Japanese invasion of China certainly had an effect on the US's view of W.W.II, because the United States had an interest in China. Americans had sympathy for China and its struggle for statehood because of the years of missionary attempts in the country. The public sympathies in America were wholly on the side of China, and it is because of this that FDR didn't acknowledge a state of war between China and Japan- because the mandatory arms embargo would harm China more than Japan. Eventually, the attack on Pearl Harbor would push the Americans into joining the war effort. There were many events that contributed to the US's entrance into the war, but the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was the "straw that broke the camel's back". The invasion of China was one event that made FDR want to enter the war (along with many others) and the attack was the event that gave him enough support in the country to do so. The Destroyer-Base Deal helped bring the US into the war, because it was yet another event to make it known that FDR and America was siding with the Allies- and their claims of neutrality were not reality. FDR knew that America was not allowed to sell munitions to warring nations, such as Great Britain so he made a deal with Britain to trade 50 aging warships for the free leasing of naval and air bases for 99 years. The leanings of the US were pro-ally, and the country could only continue leaning for so long before it fell into war. The Nye Committee was a condensation of the isolationist arguments that state that the US was pushed into war because American International bankers saw no other way to guarantee repayment of the immense war loans made to Allied nations. The event itself wasn't so much what helped lead the US to war, but the issues discussed by the committee were certainly valid points as to why the US became involved in the war. The Lend-Lease Act helped the US build up its defenses while still giving aid to the nations involved in the resistance against the Axis-powers. Again, the act helped the US "lean" towards joining the war without actually joining it…eventually America would be "leaning" too far, and Pearl Harbor just gave FDR the excuse to cut the thread holding the US out of the war. One event that helped bring an end to the war was the Invasion of Italy in the fall of 1943. The invasion of Italy brought an end to one of the Axis Powers (Italy, Germany, and Japan). Mussolini lost power, and on October 13, 1943 Italy's new government declared war on Germany. This was a significant in the beginning of the end of W.W.II. The Battle of Midway was the decisive naval battle that gave the United States power over the Japanese. The US had broken the Japanese code "Magic" so they were able to listen to Japanese messages during the battle, giving the Americans an advantage despite the numbers of forces being against them. It gave America supremacy on the Pacific Ocean… they had proved that they could in fact turn back the powerful Japanese Imperial Navy. This was an important battle in turning of the tide of the war against Japan. D-Day was an important event because it was the fruition of Russia's constant demands for a second front. The front was successful, and after D-Day, the allied troops pushed deeper and deeper into the German occupied lands, liberating country after country (including Norway, France, and Poland). This was one of the major turning points of the war, helping to bring about an end to W.W.II. The Battle of the Bulge was Germany's last attempt at an offensive maneuver. After this attempt failed Germany was pushed back more and more. Germany's power was weakening, as is shown by the fact that the thin American line never broke (it just "bulged"- hence the name of the battle). After the battle the German lines were pushed back more and more until their defeat was evident. As the last, failed, attempt at a German offensive this battle definitely had an impact on the ending of W.W.II. The fall of Berlin to the Soviets was an event that brought an end to W.W.II because it brought about the downfall of the main Axis Power up to that point (Germany), and brought about the death of the main person behind the war, Adolph Hitler. Soon after the fall of Berlin (Germany's capital), Germany surrendered leaving only Japan for the Allies to worry about. Many events caused the outbreak of W.W.II, American involvement in W.W.II, and the ending of the war. Nevertheless, there are some events that were more influential in bringing about the start of World War II than others, some events that were more influential in bringing about the United States' involvement in the war than others, and some events were more decisive in the ending of W.W.II. In any case, however, the eighteen events aforementioned events were all immensely significant in their various ways Bibliography:

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