Neutrality Acts of the 1930s facts for kids

The Neutrality Acts of the 1930s were a series of laws passed by the United States Congress in the 1930s. Their main goal was to keep the U.S. out of wars that were starting in other parts of the world. These laws were a response to the growing conflicts in Europe and Asia before World War II. Many Americans at the time wanted the U.S. to stay neutral and avoid getting involved in foreign wars.

Why Did the U.S. Want to Be Neutral?

After World War I, many Americans felt that getting involved in that war had been a mistake. They believed that bankers and arms makers had pushed the U.S. into the conflict. This idea led to a strong desire for isolationism. Isolationism means a country tries to stay out of the political affairs of other countries.

What Was Happening in the World?

In the 1930s, several dangerous situations were developing:

• Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935.
• Nazi Germany began to rearm and expand its power in Europe.
• Japan was aggressive in China, starting the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937.

These events made many Americans worry that the U.S. might be pulled into another big war.

Key Neutrality Acts

The U.S. Congress passed several Neutrality Acts between 1935 and 1939. Each act tried to make it harder for the U.S. to get involved in conflicts.

Neutrality Act of 1935

This act made it illegal to sell or transport weapons to countries that were at war. It also said that American citizens who traveled on ships belonging to warring nations did so at their own risk. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed this act. He was worried it might limit his power to act in foreign policy.

Neutrality Act of 1936

This act added a ban on giving loans or credit to countries at war. The idea was to prevent American money from helping either side in a conflict.

Neutrality Act of 1937

This act expanded on the earlier laws. It made the arms embargo permanent. It also added a "cash-and-carry" rule for non-military goods. This meant that if warring countries wanted to buy non-military items from the U.S., they had to pay cash. They also had to transport the goods on their own ships. This rule was designed to prevent American ships from being attacked. It also kept American money from being tied up in risky loans.

What Was "Cash-and-Carry"?

The "cash-and-carry" rule was a compromise. It allowed the U.S. to trade with warring nations. But it reduced the risk of American involvement. Countries had to:

• Pay for goods immediately with cash.
• Carry the goods away on their own ships.

This avoided U.S. ships sailing into war zones.

Neutrality Act of 1939

As World War II began in Europe in September 1939, President Roosevelt wanted to help Great Britain and France. He asked Congress to change the Neutrality Acts. The 1939 act repealed the arms embargo. It allowed warring nations to buy weapons from the U.S. but only under the "cash-and-carry" rule. This change helped the Allies (Britain and France) get supplies from the U.S. It also kept the U.S. officially neutral.

Why Did the Acts End?

The Neutrality Acts showed America's strong desire for peace. However, as World War II grew more dangerous, these laws became harder to maintain. The attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 finally brought the U.S. into World War II. After this, the Neutrality Acts were no longer in effect.

See also

In Spanish: Leyes de Neutralidad para niños