For this week’s post I have chosen to focus on the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler and the Nazi Party, and Japanese expansion and the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Assess if the United States foreign policy during the 1930s helped to promote World War II. Could the United States have prevented the outbreak of World War II? If so, how? If not, why not?
Foreign policy during the 1930’s in the United States had an impact on WWII. At the end of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles imposed harsh penalties on the Germans and deemed Germany responsible for starting the war (HISTORY.COM EDITORS, 2023) This lead to the loss of territory, demilitarization and mounds of debt in reparations (HISTORY.COM EDITORS, 2023). This treaty made the Italians feel betrayed and only made the deep rooted hate for the allied forces grow amongst the Germans (Corbett et al., 2014).  This is when Hitler and the Nazi party were born (Corbett et al., 2014). Once Hitler gained power he quickly militarized Germany and proceeded to break the rules of the treaty of Versailles (Corbett et al., 2014). with conflict growing between Germany and Europe and Japan and Asia, the US struggled to remain neutral and not intervene (Corbett et al., 2014). After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, America chose to declare war against Japan (Corbett et al., 2014). With that being said, the United States in some ways could have prevented the outbreak of WWII at that time, however, I feel that if the United States did not answer to this, they would appear weak and would continue to be attacked until eventually getting involved. It was inevitable in my opinion based on the brutality of the war and hand and the need for support from their allies. 

Explain if the United States, despite neutrality, aided the Allies against the Axis powers.

Although the United States did their best to stay neutral, concern arose for Britain’s ability to defend themselves (Corbett et al., 2014). Congress passed a policy of lend-lease in order for the United States to be able to provide assistance and a significant amount of military supplies to their allies for over a year before entering the war themselves (Office of the Historian, n.d.). With this policy, the United States provided over $45 billion dollars in weapons and supplies t great Britain and other allies already at war with Japan and Germany (Corbett et al., 2014).