Question #e9998
1 Answer
Lend Lease was US act passed in March 1941 that effectively ended US neutrality in WW2, allowing war materials to be sent to Britain and others
Explanation:
The US was neutral prior to Pearl Harbour (Dec 41) under the Neutrality Act of the 1930s war materials were supplied to Britain, Free France and China on a "Cash & Carry" basis. The Lend Lease Act of March 41 allowed for war materials were "loaned" to allied nations with the proviso that at the end of the war they would either be destroyed or returned - so called "reverse lend lease" was the practice of leasing territory to the US in part exchange for lend lease
By Wars end some $150 Billions worth of materials/weapons had been sent from the US to Britain, China, the Soviet Union and other allied nations, in return some $8 Billion equivalent was "returned"
Canada operated a similar process called "Mutual Aid"
Congress did not permit the gifting of goods under the act but allowed a 90% discount on them and repayment was accepted in services, territorial access, military technology and other forms
