Hello everyone, right here. Just two production notes before we get started. One, there are

two occasions in this episode where I use curse words. No, it's not me changing the format

of the show, but they're indirect quotes. And so I wanted to give you a warning. I know

from emails that some parents listen to this in the car on their way to work or driving

their kids to school. And two, at the end of this, is a very important announcement, at

least to me, probably the most important announcement I've made. So please make sure to listen

to that at the end.

Hello, and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast, episode 192.

It lures reaction to land lease and FDR's third term.

Last time in the late summer of 1940, President Roosevelt was busy juggling many challenges

at the same time. The election was fast approaching. The race with Wenda Wilkie was now in a dead

heat. American naval personnel had been bombed by the Japanese near Nanjing. In response,

German resources had to be denied to the Japanese Empire with a threat of more to come.

Japan responded by invading French Indochina to possibly gain access to Dutch oil should

American crude be cut. FDR countered by sending the Pacific Fleet normally stationed in

San Diego to Pearl. And in an effort to further back the Allies, the White House had promised

all aid short of war. This, as it was time to see if the American public would back FDR

with an unprecedented third term, who seemed to be bringing the country closer to getting

into the war. The United States was nervous, edgy, and had many reasons for this. Aid

to Britain was fine as long as that's all it was. But would the access not respond to

this material aid to their last remaining major adversary?

November 5, 1940, election night finally came. FDR was at his home in Hyde Park and firmly

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