Lend-Lease Act
Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting facts and information on Lend-Lease Act
for kids.
Facts
about the Lend-Lease Act for kids
Lend-Lease Act Fact 1:
The
1939 Neutrality Act
eliminated the ban on arms sales to nations at war but
still included a "cash and carry" provision. If an
allied nation (Britain or France) wanted to buy items
from the US, it had to pay cash and send its own ships
to pick up the goods.
Lend-Lease Act Fact
2: By December 1940 Great Britain
had run out of money to buy the arms needed to continue its
desperate fight against Germany. It could no longer afford to pay
cash for US arms and munitions as required by the Neutrality Acts.
Lend-Lease Act Fact 3:
President Roosevelt won the
1940 presidential election and the general acceptance of the
'Destroyers for Bases' deal marked a shift away from
Isolationism and the neutral
position of the United States. FDR began to expand the nation's role
in the war and providing help to the Allies.
Lend-Lease Act Fact
4: In May 1941
President Roosevelt used a loophole in the Neutrality
Acts to set up the Destroyers-for-Bases deal with
Great Britain by which the US sent 50 old American
destroyers to Great Britain in exchange for the right to
build American bases on British controlled islands in
the western Atlantic and the Caribbean. As the
'Destroyers for Bases' deal did not involve the actual
sale of the US destroyers the Neutrality Acts did not
apply.
Lend-Lease Act Fact 5:
But the greater part of US
help was provided under the Lend-Lease Act, "An Act to Promote the
Defense of the United States".
Lend-Lease Act Fact
6: Critics of the
bill included the 'America First Committee' a group who
favored Isolationism and staunchly opposed US
intervention or aid to the allies. FDR responded to the
critics by stating that help to keep the British
fighting would make it unnecessary for Americans to go
to war.
Lend-Lease Act Fact
7: The 1941
Lend-Lease Act allowed President Roosevelt to authorize
the transfer of military materials to Great Britain with
the understanding that they would ultimately be paid
for, or returned if they were not destroyed.
Continued...
Facts
about the Lend-Lease Act for kids
Facts
about the Lend-Lease Act for kids
The following fact
sheet continues with facts about Lend-Lease Act for kids.
Facts
about the Lend-Lease Act for kids
Lend-Lease Act Fact
8: FDR created the Office of Lend-Lease
Administration under the leadership of Edward R.
Stettinius, a former steel industry executive
Lend-Lease Act Fact
9: The biggest
problem was how Americans could help to get the war
supplies across the Atlantic to Great Britain. British
cargo ships were under constant attack by German U-Boat
submarines and their precious cargoes were being sunk.
Lend-Lease Act Fact
10: The United States
was still technically neutral so FDR was unable to order
the US Navy to protect the British cargo ships. He
therefore declared the western half of the Atlantic as
neutral and ordered the US Navy to patrol what he called
the 'Hemispheric Defense Zone' and then report the
location of German submarines to the British.
Lend-Lease Act Fact
11: In April 1941, FDR expanded the
program by offering lend-lease aid to China for their
war against the Japanese
Lend-Lease Act Fact 12:
In June 1941 Germany launched
a massive invasion of the Soviet Union. Winston Churchill detested
Stalin and the communists but vowed that any country who fought
against Nazism would have his support. FDR supported Churchill's
view and extended Lend-Lease aid to the USSR.
Lend-Lease Act Fact 13:
Almost 50% of U.S. Lend-Lease
shipments consisted of munitions meaning all kinds of weapons,
ammunition and war machinery, such as tanks, warplanes and warships.
Other shipments included fuels, industrial machinery, raw materials
and food products.
Lend-Lease Act Fact 14:
The Lend-Lease program
continued after the US entry into the war following the
Attack on
Pearl Harbor in December 7, 1941.
Lend-Lease Act Fact
15: As the war
continued engulfing almost all regions of the world, the
number of Lend-Lease recipients grew, eventually
including more than 30 countries
Lend-Lease Act Fact 16:
In 1942, a reciprocal aid
agreement or "reverse lend-lease" was made between the United States
with Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and the Free French.
Under the "reverse lend-lease" terms goods, services, shipping, and
military installations were given to American forces overseas
Lend-Lease Act Fact 17:
The Lend-Lease program
substantially strengthened the Allies, especially Great Britain and
the Soviet Union, in their fight against Nazi Germany. Refer to
US Mobilization for WW2.
Facts
about the Lend-Lease Act for kids
Lend-Lease Act for kids - President Franklin Roosevelt Video
The article on the Lend-Lease Act provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Franklin Roosevelt video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 32nd American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945.
Lend-Lease Act
●
Interesting Facts about Lend-Lease Act for kids and schools
●
Summary, Definition and significance of the Act in US history
● Important, key
events and provisions of the
Act
●
Franklin Roosevelt
Presidency from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945
●
Fast, fun facts about the Lend-Lease Act
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Franklin Roosevelt
● Franklin Roosevelt Presidency and
Lend-Lease Act for schools,
homework, kids and children |