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| 1939 |
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| John Steinbeck published his renowned novel The Grapes of Wrath. | 1 |
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| Jan. 12 |
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| President Roosevelt asked Congress for $552 million for defense. Preparations were made for extensive fortifications in the Pacific and in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands). More and more openly the president expressed the sympathies of the U.S. for the European democracies. France was permitted to buy large numbers of military planes, and the U.S. government itself embarked upon construction of 600 additional airplanes. After German annexation of Czechoslovakia the United States refused to recognize the change and imposed countervailing duties on imports from Germany. | 2 |
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| April 15 |
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| The danger of a German-Polish conflict led to Roosevelt's letter to Mussolini and Hitler asking for assurances that they would refrain from aggression against 31 named nations (See April 15). | 3 |
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| June |
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| King George VI and Queen Elizabeth paid a four-day visit to the U.S., the first reigning European sovereigns to set foot on American soil. | 4 |
| Despite all efforts of the administration, Congress refused to modify the Neutrality Act, which provided for an embargo on arms to belligerents. The president publicly stated that, indirectly at least, the Neutrality Act constituted an encouragement to a would-be aggressor. Then, in August, the German-Polish conflict came to a head (See Aug. 20–Sept. 1). Roosevelt appealed to Victor Emmanuel, Hitler, and Moscicki, but without avail. The American government secured from the belligerents a promise not to bombard open cities. | 5 |
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| Sept. 5 |
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| Upon the outbreak of the Second World War the U.S. announced its neutrality. | 6 |
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| Nov. 4 |
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| The Neutrality Act (See May) was amended, repealing the embargo on arms and placing exports to belligerents on a cash and carry basis. | 7 |
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