History question on roosevelt?

3 successive republican administrations in 1920s had continued irresponsible policies caused worldwide depression. roosevelt thought depart policies of past, exemplified hoover, answer 25% unemployment , actual starvation in bolster public morale publicizing seven-course meals consuming in white house. roosevelt willing try america work, including (gasp!) public work projects give people jobs.

america had tradition since founding avoid, on advice of george washington, "foreign entanglements" , alliances. many americans felt had shed lot of blood saving western europe militarism in world war one, huge amounts of money. had had enough of endless squabbling , bloodshed of europe , wanted nothing more saving europeans themselves. perceptive americans felt france , england should have stopped hitler in 1935, when remilitarized rhineland, announced no longer abide treaty of versailles, , began building air force, banned treaty. average american determinedly "isolationist" , felt had no dog in fight, , rely on oceans kept isolated continual european wars since kicked out colonial powers. many wealthy americans, upper-class britons, sympathized nazis, getting germany work , "making trains run on time".

macarthur had become chief of staff of army in 1931, before roosevelt took office. tradition general held position 2 years, retired. roosevelt continued macarthur in position twice long, , served chief of staff 4 years, through 1935, , retired after 34 years of service. took position offered him field marshall of philippine army, , not in until truman had fire him during korean war, in 1951.

roosevelt wanted assist england when alone in struggle against germany, knew public remained isolationist , not go along. did through lend-lease, took pearl harbor reverse public sentiment. asked congress declaration of war against japan on december 8, 1941. germany declared war on on december 11. time roosevelt had undertaken large naval construction program, beginning in 1935, though constrained treaty entered republican harding administration in 1923. had increased army 1 million men, assisted first peacetime draft in history, beginning in mid 1940. had ordered thousands of planes , many millions of dollars worth of other military hardware, took time finish. roosevelt had embargoed sales of scrap metal , oil japanese, in effort them stop slaughter in china, , provoked japanese attack pearl harbor. had sent marines occupy iceland, replacing british brigade there denying iceland germany , freeing british troops fight elsewhere. had begun escorting convoys of supply ships carrying lend lease materials mid atlantic, provoking undeclared war germany in autumn of 1941, resulting in 1 sunken destroyer, heavily damaged, , hundreds of sailors killed. had given british fifty destroyers, in return ninety-nine year leases on naval bases, britain might able better combat u-boat menace.

in short, not roosevelt reluctant stop aggression, american people felt not our responsibility, , perhaps neighbors ought handle problem. never wanted have bleed , die end european foolishness, or become world's policeman. today saddled trillions of dollars in debt having had so. rather have relatives died in cause.

how standard american history textbooks explain roosevelt's reluctance stop japanese , german aggression

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