5.+The+Lend+Lease+Act+of+1941+(+and+British+aid+to+Stalin)

Danielle Kadish Although we have declared that we are neutral in Word War II, I believe that it is essential to aid “any country whose defense [is] vital to the United States” (Danzer 552). Through the Lend-Lease Act, we can ship arms, goods, and supplies to nations fighting against the Axis powers: Germany, Japan, and Italy (Danzer R60; “Lend-Lease”). Since countries such as Britain are struggling, and are in great need of our help, we can simply lend them some supplies and they can return them later (Kimball). This way, no debt is created, and we are protecting our country through helping them. If you look at it through a different viewpoint, it may be easier to understand. It is just as if you lend a garden hose to a neighbor whose house is on fire. Of course, the sensible thing to do is to prevent the fire from spreading to your own property by lending them your hose; and that is just what we are doing here (Danzer 552). We are preventing the war from reaching our soil with some harmless assistance. I know some isolationists may be against this plan, and believe that it is also eliminating our semblance of neutrality. But I think that it is necessary for the protection of the country, even if it does seem like an undeclared war (Danzer 552; “Lend-Lease”).
 * -President Roosevelt’s Speech, March 1941**

http://www.classbrain.com/artteenst/publish/article_83.shtml

Once again, I would like to speak about the current Lend-Lease Act that is in effect. So far, it has done quite well in boosting the morale of Britain, who needed support. The law has been immensely successful in what it was meant to accomplish, too, which is lending supplies for the war to help fight the Axis powers (Kimball). That is why I bring it up again today, to say that we should expand this agreement to include the Soviet Union. Recently, just this month, Hitler broke the agreement he had made in 1939 with Stalin to not invade the Soviet Union (Danzer 553). I agree with the principle that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” and therefore we should lend supplies to the Soviet Union as well (Danzer 553). It is crucial that they are able to fight the enemy, Germany, since the since they can reach them and the Axis powers by land (Kimball). I agree with my close friend Winston Churchill when he says, “If Hitler invaded Hell,” the British would be prepared to work with the devil himself (Danzer 553). We must do all we can to protect ourselves, even if that means befriending a country we were once against.
 * -President Roosevelt’s Speech, June 1941**



http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc_large_image.php?flash=true&doc=71   Danzer, Gerald A., et al. __The Americans__. IL: McDougal Littell, 2005. Page 552-553, R60. Kimball, Warren F.. "Lend-Lease Act (1941)." __enotes.com__. 2009. 18 Mar 2009 . "Lend-Lease." __U-S-History.com__. 18 Mar 2009 .
 * Works Cited **