Question

read the excerpt from a 1941 speech by president franklin d. roosevelt in which he discussed the lend - lease act and answer the question.
what argument did president franklin d. roosevelt use when asking congress to approve the lend - lease act during world war ii?
—president franklin d. roosevelt, state of the union address, january 6, 1941
our national policy is this: we are committed to full support of all those resolute peoples, everywhere, who are resisting aggression and are thereby keeping war away from our hemisphere. by this support, we express our determination that the democratic cause shall prevail, and we strengthen the defense and security of our own nation.
options:

• the united states must isolate itself from the conflict engulfing europe so as to ensure the safety of its own citizens.
• the united states can maintain neutrality by financially supporting other nations seeking to stop the spread of communism.
• the united states has a moral obligation to utilize the might of its armed forces to protect democratic institutions around the globe.
• the united states can prevent the war from spreading to its land by helping nations defend themselves against military aggression.

Explanation:

The Lend - Lease Act was about the US helping nations resist aggression to prevent war from reaching its land. The excerpt says the US supports those resisting aggression to strengthen its own defense. Option A says the US must isolate, which is wrong as Lend - Lease was about involvement. Option B mentions stopping communism, but Lend - Lease was for WWII (against fascism, not communism at this context). Option C's "moral obligation to protect democratic institutions globally" is not the main argument here; the focus is on self - defense by helping others defend. Option D matches: helping nations defend against aggression to prevent war from spreading to the US.

Answer:

D. The United States can prevent the war from spreading to its land by helping nations defend themselves against military aggression.