In the 1930’s and 1940’s the United States chose to operate under the idea of isolationism. After the fallout of World War I and the immense debt not yet to be fully repaid, the United States was under tremendous pressure from citizens and politicians to take a neutral stance with respect to the break out of war in Europe and Asia.This proved to be more difficult than thought. Although the United States could pretend to ignore the issues occurring between Germany, Italy, Japan and the rest of the world, it was a matter of time before we would be forced to choose sides and join the fight. One primary issue was trade. International trade was critically important to the financial stability of the country. Our preferred alliance with Britain and our defense of China showed the Axis powers are true loyalty would one day side with the British. That being said, it was in the best interest of Germany, Italy, and Japan to keep the United States out of the battle for as long as possible.
This became a greater challenge for Japan than for the other countries. Japan was highly dependent on the United States for iron and oil. Both resources were critically important to a country engaged in warfare. As the Japanese aggression grew in the Pacific, the United States implemented a number of embargoes disallowing the trade of oil with the Japanese. Our refusal to trade without concessions from Japan was the beginning of the United States entry into the war in the Pacific.
In November, Japan began plans to attack the United States at Pearl Harbor. Unbeknownst to the United States Navy, the decision was made to move most of the US fleet to Hawaii in preparation of the coming war. The United States never suspected or anticipated and attack at Pearl Harbor. Japan had given no indications of their intentions.
Early in the morning on December 7th, the Japanese Navy attacked the American fleet. By the end of the attack more than 2,000 soldiers and civilians were dead. Nearly all of our battleships were either sunk or badly damaged. The next day President Franklin Roosevelt spoke to the American people and to Congress urging the declaration of war. Three days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. We were now engaged in World War II.
What do you think of the United States decision to stay neutral? When is it a good time to stay neutral in your life? What is your reaction to the thoughts of a foreign country attacking the United States? How should we respond? Is it different today than in 1941? If so, why?
Danielle- I think that the decision that the Us decided to stay neutral was a good idea because they don't want to fight or hurt anyone. They don't wanna be on any side. It is a good time to stay neutral in your life when there are two different sides and you dont feel strong about any opinion. my thought about a foreign country attacking the US is just terrible! I mean tons of our people died out there in Pearl Harbor it is so tragic, it reminds me of 9/11. We should respond by being a great country and for the Us to continue being a safe country, and our soldiers will continue fighting for our freedom and our country to help us become a better place. I think today is different than 1941 becuase we are becoming a much more safer country than back in 1941. We have soldiers fighting for freedom like I said. I think we have a wonderful country that is much more fortunate than many others. Remember Pearl Harbor and those who died on that day.
ReplyDeleteAtticus- I think it was a good idea for the U.S.to stay neutral because that way they didn't have to get into the war. Also I think that they should have figured out how to provide their own supplies. The best time to stay neutral in life is when your brothers or sisters are in a fight and you don't want to get involved. That way you don't get in trouble for arguing or fighting. I think that if you are in a country that is being attacked, it would be extremely scarey. Our country should first respond by trying to figure out a way to end the attack and find peace with the attacking country. If that didn't work, we should defend our country so that the people are not hurt. Yes, it is different how we should respond today then we did in 1941 because we have better weapons and war tactics. Today we would lose fewer soldiers than in 1941 because of these improvements.
ReplyDeleteI think that the united states to stay nuetral was agood yet a bad idea. why i think it was a bad idea is that they had more of a chance of being attacked and we arent showing what us americans can do ecept put our boats in straight lines just waiting to get bombed.
ReplyDeletea good time to stay nuetral in my life is when someone is doing something bad like for instance i was no part of the throwing of the books so i was neutral then.
Well my thoughts are that we havent been attacked in alone time so im thinking that it is always a really huge deal whenever we get attacked but you have to think what it is like in iraq and what it is like to be in war constantly.
I think that we should respond by trying to make peace with some of these countries if not all of them so all of us can be safe.
Its way different than 1941 because we have more technology to realize that oh crap those arent birds their planes coming at us.
Hannah- I think the idea to stay neutral was a good idea because we didn't want to get involved in the war. But it was only a matter of time before we got attacked especially because all of our boats were lined up there. I think Pearl Harbor was really sad! So many people died and were injured-either from the actual attack or radiation. I think we should respond to attacks by trying to make peace and if necessary, of course,defend our country the best we can without getting a lot of people killed. It is WAY different than 1941!! Some of the most significant changes though are the advances in technology, so we can better defend ourselves,making us safer
ReplyDeleteMaddy-I think it was a bad idea for the United States to be neutral because the other two countries were going to attack.
ReplyDeleteI think it is good to stay neutral when people post/talk about bad things that have happened or that are going to happen.
I have never thought about countries attacking but now that I am thinking about it US should ask themselve "Why did people attack us?" I do not know how the US should respond if attacked.
It is very different than 1941 because of technologies, media, education and inventions.
Angie- Sorry I deleted the first one cause I made a mistake. I think that it was good of the U.S. to stay neutral instead of being a part of the war, but they should have known that the other countries would try to push them into World War II. It was shocking and cruel when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. But I think it was equally bad when the U.S. attacked Japan back, so that was not a good response. Pearl Harbor is one of the most tragic days in U.S. history. Many got injured or even died and it is an event Japan and the U.S. regret.
ReplyDeleteHalle-I think it was a good idea for the United States to stay neutral for a while because if they didn't and chose a side if could have caused more problems for us. In life you should stay neutral if it isn't your problem. Because it could just cause a bigger problem and make everything much worse. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor it killed a lot of people and it was a very tragic day in our history. The United States did their best in this situation and did whatever they could.
ReplyDeleteSOfia- I hink the United States made a good decsion by staying neutral there were no problems and if they hadn't stayed neautral there could have been more problems than there already were. In life if it isnt your buisness don't get involed in it stay neutral. The united states did their jod, even though many were killed we stull pulled through and kept on as a nation.
ReplyDeletePhillip-I think the United States made a bad decision by staying neutral. I think this because if they had stepped in earlier, the attack on Pearl Harbor wouldn't have happened, not as many countries would have been devistated so much, and the war would have ended earlier. A GOOD time to stay neutral in your life is when two of your friends are arguing. Whenever a country attacks us it's devastating and scary. If someone does attack us, we should not panic and figure out ways we could have prevented this attack. this has not changed since 1941.
ReplyDeletejosu-i agree with philip because if they took a side at the begining the bombings at pearl harbor wouldnt have happened. but something else could have. a good time to be neutral is when two groups or people are fighting. so you dont take a side. i would be freaked out if soldiers from foreign countries came and took over idaho or even the united states. we should be calm and try to use our words instead of guns. i think it is different that it was in 1941 because in today we will use our words first and then attack.
ReplyDeleteTravis- I think that the united states decision to stay neutral was smart at the time. Because europe's problems are exactly that… Europe's' problems.
ReplyDeleteIn everybody's life it is good to stay neutral when you are not involved with it at all, but if you have any part in a conflict, you should do something about it because, if you just act like nothing is happening, then it will come across to the other person as rude. I think that another country attacking the us, is completely crazy i don't know what kind of crazy person has a mind freakish enough to do something that terrible unless another country has done something to the us and we strike back but just out of the blue, its insane. I completely support the united states on fighting back the way we did. it was necessary because we can't just sit back and take it, I know about the whole turn the other cheek thing but this is a situation where that doesn't really apply. If we were in this same situation right now in 2010 it would be completely different, because now, we have so many more advanced weapons and such better technology, that it would have been way different.
Ryan Z.- I think after Pearl Harbor, that the U. S.'s decision to stay neutral was a good idea because we didn't need to be fighting on the sides of any other country. We just needed to show Japan, Italy, Germany, and the rest of the world that if they wanted to go and bomb our cites that was fine, but we were pretty much going to go and kick the crap out of them. Which is exactly what we did, and that sent out a message to not attack America ever. But you know some people choose not to listen (yea I'm talking to you Al Quida). I also think that if a foreign country were to attack the U. S right now the reaction should be the same. We should just go and fight back really hard and make that country never want to even think about touching the U. S again. However, if a foreign country were to bomb the U.S today the consequences for that country would be alot more severe because now we have the technology to completely desiccate an entire continent, but back then they sort of just dropped some bombs, those bombs made a relatively small boom, and that was it. There was no long term brain cancer for the entire bomb site. So it's pretty much the same idea and intentions, but with a much bigger playing field.
ReplyDeleteMorgan- I think that it was smart of the United States to stay nuetral because they dont want to get into any fights with anybody. It is good to stay nuetral in everyday life because you dont want to be on somebodys side and not the other because then you'll get into fights. You dont want to push anybodys butttons because they will rebel. I think that the foregian countrys should of attacked because we took away something that they needed. I think that the United States should of seen it comeing. I dont think it is any different than it is today because people will get mad if you take something away.
ReplyDeleteMarya- I think that the United Atates chose to be nuetral because they did not want to start an even bigger war. With so many countries already involved, the Us would just be next in line for losing soldiers. Also, the US joining may have made other countries join as well. I would be really scared if a foreign country attacked us. Probably because i am not used to war where i live. Although it is going on all over the world i have never actually experienced being in a war zone. A good time to stay nuetral is when your two best friends are fighting. Don't pick sides. It won't end well. We have changed alot from 1941. We have better technology and weapons.
ReplyDeleteCooper- the us never remains neutral so im surprised they did. then i think you should stay neutral when you believe both sides. i feel vulnerable with what happened on 9/11. i feel that when any body attacks the us its time to fight back. our technology is better than back than but the reasons are still the same. we want democracy and they dont
ReplyDeletekaed-i think its smart to stay neutral, but after a while you need to become allies with someone. Staying neutral will help you not get attacked as much because if your on a side then people will want to kill you. And also after a while you need an ally because if you get attacked you have other people to help you defend or attack. And our technology is sooo much better because if they think that the planes were "birds," then that means that we have a higher advanced technology. I was surprised that Japan attacked us and witch really change us. And also the world war 11 changed us.
ReplyDeletegabby-i think it was good for the united states to stay neutral, for as long as possible. a good time to stay neutral in my life would be if two friends are in a fight. if i chose a side i could lose a friend, kind of like the united states could lose a trade. thinking of a foreign county attacking america is kind of weird to think about. i know that it has happened before, but i do not think it has been recent enough for me to really worry about other countries attacking us. i am not really sure how the united states should respond, but i know we probably should no attack back. in 1941 i think it would effect the results of what happened. japan probably would not have been so upset because they could have gotten oil from another country. i agree with kaed that we are more technically advanced so we probably could have thought the planes were not birds. america probably would have different alliances so that might have changed everything of what the u.s. would have done.
ReplyDeleteLuke- I think that the U.S. made a good decision. Staying neutral made the United States not get hated and be able to have more allies in the future. I think the longer The U.S. is neutral the better. The U.S. can also make more negotiations and trade. It was smart of the United States not to attach foreign land. All though it was stupid of the united states to think that the planes coming in were birds and not being over protective. The U.S. has learned a lot from this mistake and not make it again
ReplyDeleteHalle- The person who has inspired me the most is Ruby Bridges. She stood up for something she believed in regardless of what people were doing to her. They were teasing and taunting her and they even threatened to kill her.But every day she said a prayer asking God to forgive them for what they did. She was a brave and courageous girl and i admire her for that.
ReplyDelete