Even though WWII erupted in Europe in 1939 after the invasion of Poland, tensions were mounting high in the years prior. By 1935, the prominent totalitarian dictators had taken over their respective regions: Adolf Hitler in Germany, Benito Mussolini in Italy, and Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union. Additionally, in 1937, Japan invaded China and became a totalitarian state. During the closing years of the 1930s, the United States was still recovering from the Great Depression that began in October 1929. When war broke out, the United States continued its dedication to neutrality; however, it went from passing neutrality acts to aiding allies to protect democracy to being sucked into the conflict due to egregious Axis attacks. Therefore, the United States’ policy of neutrality…show more content… These acts were passed to prevent American participation in the war with restrictions such as deterring Americans from selling munitions to foreign belligerents. Moreover, in 1935, after the fascist leader of Italy, Benito Mussolini, attacked Ethiopia, Congress passed the Johnson Debt Default Act to avert nations from borrowing from the United States if they were being attacked. The Neutrality Acts and the Johnson Act were short-sighted and hindered democracy–by trying to hold the scales of dictator and victim, America favoured the dictator. Still, after the invasion of Poland in 1939, when Britain and France declared war, the United States persisted in neutrality and passed the Neutrality Act of 1939. This act stipulated that European democracies could buy American munitions on a “cash and carry” policy. Throughout these events, it can be assumed that the United States was slowly being dragged into war. Even though it was disguised as “neutrality”, the United States was aiding nations partaking in a global war. As war raged on, it was evident that more aid from the United States was
