How did Lend-Lease aid Great Britain and the Soviet Union before the United States entered the war?

Before the United States officially entered World War II, the Lend-Lease program served as a critical mechanism for providing war materials to nations fighting against the Axis powers, effectively positioning the U.S. as the "arsenal of democracy."

Aid to Great Britain

By late 1940, Great Britain faced potential bankruptcy, making it unable to continue paying cash for essential war supplies under previous "cash-and-carry" policies. President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed Lend-Lease to "eliminate the dollar sign," allowing the U.S. to lend, rather than sell, equipment. The Lend-Lease Act, passed in March 1941, authorized the president to transfer defense articles—including tanks, airplanes, ammunition, and food—to any nation whose defense was deemed vital to U.S. security.123

Aid to the Soviet Union

Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, Roosevelt determined that aiding the U.S.S.R. was essential to defeating Germany. Despite significant domestic skepticism regarding the Soviet regime, Roosevelt extended Lend-Lease eligibility to the Soviet Union in the autumn of 1941. Deliveries of aircraft, tanks, and other vital supplies began shortly thereafter, providing crucial material support to the Soviet war effort.23