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10. 4 Departure from Neutrality
In an important speech made at Virginia, the President
said: "Overwhelmingly we, as a nation, are convinced that
military and moral victory for the gods of force and hate would
endanger the institution of democracy in the western world, and
that equally, therefore, the whole of our sympathies lies with those
nations that are giving their life blood in combat against these
forces."
The speech was significant as it stated the real
purpose of the U.S. On June 14, The French Prime minister, Paul
Reynand sent an appeal to save France from fascist forces.
The first step towards American assistance to the
allied nations was the "destroyer for bases deal." Britain
badly needed more ships to fight Germany’s submarine blockade. So
America, under the deal supplied 50 destroyers to Britain. British
in return, made gifts of air and naval bases of Bermuda and Newfoundland
to America. Moreover, Britain pledged not to surrender to Germany.
The agreement with Britain was a major deviation
in the U.S. policy of Isolationism. The elections of 1940 resulted
in the re-election of the Democrat candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt
to the post of President.
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