The Neutrality of American in the Early World War II
The establishment of the Third Reich influenced events in American history by starting a chain of events which culminated in war between Germany and the United States. The compete destruction of democracy， the persecution of Jews， the war on religion， the cruelty and barbarism of the Nazis， and especially the plans of Germany and her allies， Italy and Japan， for world conquest caused great indignation in this country and brought on fear of another world war. While speaking out against Hitler‘s atrocities， the American people generally favored isolationist policies and neutrality. The Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1936 prohibited trade with any belligerents or loans to them. In 1937 the President was empowered to declare an arms embargo in wars between nations at his discretion.
American opinion began to change somewhat after President Roosevelt‘s “quarantine the aggressor” speech at Chicago (1937) in which he severely criticized Hitler’s policies. Germany‘s seizure of Austria and the Munich Pact for the partition of Czechoslovakia (1938) also aroused the American people. The conquest of Czechoslovakia in March， 1939 was another rude awakening to the menace of the Third Reich. In August，1939 came the shock of the Nazi-soviet Pact and in September the attack on Poland and the outbreak of European war. The United States attempted to maintain neutrality in spite of sympathy for the democracies arrayed against the Third Reich. The Neutrality Act of 1939 repealed the arms embargo and permitted “cash and carry” exports of arms to belligerent nations. A strong national defense program was begun. A draft act was passed (1940) to strengthen the military services. A Lend Act (1941) authorized the President to sell， exchange， or lend materials to any country deemed necessary by him for the defense of the United States. Help was given to Britain by exchanging certain overage destroyers for the right to establish American bases in British territory in the Western Hemisphere. In August， 1940 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met and issued the Atlantic Charter which proclaimed the kind of a world which should be established after the war. In December， 1941， Japan launched the unprovoked attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor. Immediately thereafter， Germany declared war on the United States.
1. One item occurring before 1937 that the author does not mention in his list of actions that alienated the American public was
[A]the burning of the Reichstag.
[B]German plans for conquest.
[C]Nazi barbarism.
[D]the persecution of religious groups.
2. The Lend-Lease Act was designed to
[A]help the British.
[B]strengthen the national defense of the United States.
[C]promote the Atlantic Charter.
[D]avenge Pearl Harbor.
3. American Policy during the years 1935-1936 may be described as being
[A]watchful.
[B]isolationist.
[C]peaceful.
[D]indifferent.
4. The Neutrality Act of 1939
[A]permitted the selling of arms to belligerent nations.
[B]antagonized Japan.
[C]permitted the British to trade only with the Allies.
[D]led to Lend-Lease Act.
5. We entered the war against Germany
[A]because Germany declared war.
[B]because Japan was an ally of Germany.
[C]after Germany had signed the Nazi-soviet Pact.
[D]after peaceful efforts had failed.
Vocabulary
1. Reich 帝國，尤指第二次世界大戰前及大戰期間的德國
2. atrocity 凶殘，殘暴
3. belligerent 好戰的，交戰國的
4. discretion 判斷力，自行裁決，謹慎
5. empower 賦予……權力
6. embargo 禁運，封港
7. quarantine 停船檢疫，隔離，封鎖，使孤立
8. partition 分割，瓜分
9. menace 威脅，危險
10. repeal 廢除，取消
11. overage destroyer 舊式驅逐艦
12. unprovoked 無緣無故的，非因觸犯而發生的'
13. Neutrality Acts 中立法令
14. Munich Pact 慕尼黑公約
15. draft act 徵兵法
16. Lend Lease Act 租借法
17. Atlantic Charter 大西洋公約
18. Pearl Harbor 珍珠港
答案詳解
1.A 帝國大廈焚燬，眾所周知，這是納粹希特勒精心策劃的一次政治陰謀，旨在迫害德國共產黨。
B. 德國征服計劃。
C. 納粹之殘暴。
D. 迫害宗教團體。在文中都提到。見第一段第二句“民主的全面摧毀、對猶太人的迫害、摧殘宗教、納粹的殘忍和野蠻，特別是德國及其盟國意、日、征服世界的計劃激起美國極大憤怒，也帶來了對又一次世界大戰的恐懼。”
2.B 加強美國國防。見第二段導數第五句“1941年的租借法規定：總統對他認為保衛美國所需要的國家有權賣給、交換或借給他們物資。”
A. 幫助英國，不對。
C. 促進大西洋公約。大西洋公約是1941年8月，羅斯福和邱吉爾會面後的聯合公告。
D. 報復珍珠港。是1941年日本發起襲擊的報復。
3.B 與世隔絕。這在第一段第三句“美國人民雖然反對希特勒的凶殘等事，他們一般還是喜歡孤立(與世隔絕的)政策和保持中立。1933年和1936年的中立條約規定：禁止和交戰國雙方貿易和借貸。”
A. 觀察的。
C. 和平的。
D. 不正確的。
4.A 允許把武器賣給交戰國。答案在第二段第六句“1939年的中立條約取消了武器禁運，允許進行現鈔交易出口武器給交戰國。”
B. 和日本敵對。
C. 允許英國只能和其盟國貿易。
D. 導致租借條約。
5.A 因為德國宣戰。這在第一段已有說明。儘管希特勒壞事做盡，美國還是傾向於中立政策。第二段羅斯福在芝加哥的演講，態度稍有改變。嚴厲批評希特勒的政策，但仍然以中立為主。1941年日本襲擊珍珠港，不久德國宣戰，美國才不得不參戰。