TIL despite Portuguese neutrality in WWII British ships were allowed to refuel in Portugal because of a treaty signed over 600 years ago - the Treaty of Windsor, which is the longest lasting alliance treaty in the world. The treaty has been invoked several times to save Portugal from invasion.

The US wasn't neutral at all and only pretended to be.

During the Japanese evasion of China Roosevelt invoked the neutrality act to prevent sales to Japan and China, but British ships carrying arms to China from the US was completely allowed.

In 1939 when Germany invaded France Roosevelt lobbied for the cash and carry policy. While on paper this treated all parties equally, at the time Roosevelt was completely away that British control of the Straits of Gibralter gave them a monopoly on transatlantic shipping.

In 1940 congress quintupled the military's budget and passed the first peace time draft. With Britain running low on gold used to pay for weapons as part of cash and carry the bases for destroyers agreement was created trading US destroyers for the rights to military bases in the Caribbean.

In March 1941 all appearances of neutrality were dropped with the Lend-Lease Act which allowed the president to lend military equipment to other nations without prior payment at his own discretion. Roosevelt used this to send supplies to Britain, China, and the USSR.

In December 1941 the US officially declared war on Japan, Italy, and Germany.

/r/todayilearned Thread Parent Link - history.blog.gov.uk