The stalemate between an internationalist President and an isolationist Congress

Franklin D. Roosevelt's recognition of the U.S.S.R. was a new departure from previous administrations. The Roosevelt-Litvinov pact did not bring about a great increase in trade with the U.S.S.R. though Franklin D. Roosevelt had hoped to alleviate the Depression through increased foreign trade. The new Neutrality Act of 1937 hurt the Loyalist government in Spain. According to Robert A. Divine, this Neutrality Act of 1937 made U.S. a silent accomplice of Hitler since Germany was not hampered in sending supplies to General Franco's rebel forces, while the United States was hampered in sending supplies to the Loyalist government. To the Germans, this evidence of American isolation simply reinforced the Anglo-French appeasement policies. This Act also did not help the Chinese who were fighting against the Japanese invasion.

However, Roosevelt tried to arouse the American public with his "Quarantine" speech in Chicago in 1937. He proposed to sanction aggressors by joining other powers in such an effort. Isolationist feelings were still too strong among the American people and he was, therefore, unsuccessful.

The German persecution of German-Jews during 1934-1936 brought loud protestations by different Jewish-American organizations, including a mock trial at Madison Square Garden in March, 1934. The German ambassador protested, but Secretary of State Cordell Hull could not stop the rally. There was no enthusiasm for the idea to bring German-Jews to America because the economics of the Depression governed official mentality in 1933. With high unemployment Roosevelt's government upheld Hoover's executive order not to admit to the United States persons "who were likely to become public charges." Later in 1938 the German foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, said that the question of German-Jews was an internal German problem and was not subject to discussion at the Evian Conference.

The effect of Germany's attack on Poland in 1939 brought about brought about the realization that the Neutrality Acts favored Germany since Germany had no need to buy armaments, while Britain and France had great needs. He urged Congress to repeal the arms embargo. His appeal was finally answered by Congress with the provision that England and France supply the ships and cash for armaments. Title to all exports were to be transferred before the goods left the U.S. With such provisions in the revision of the Neutrality Act, Americans felt there was no risk of getting involved in the European war. Franklin D. Roosevelt never hinted that his proposals for the revision of the Neutrality Act would link the United States with England and France against Germany.

http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1978/3/78.03.05.x.html

The German foreign minister said that their treatment of German Jews was a "internal German" issue. That has a ring of what dictators say today about repression of their own citizens.

It is too bad that FDR did not survive the war and live into retirement. He would have had time to write about events in the 1930' and 40's and more fully write about his vision for internationalism in the post-war world.