Final answer:
The U.S. was only superficially neutral during World War I and moved from neutrality to significant involvement in practice as the war progressed. By World War II, despite an official stance of neutrality, the U.S. actively supported the Allies against the Axis powers, particularly through economic and material aid via policies like the Lend-Lease Act.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of U.S. neutrality during periods of international conflict has varied historically. For instance, during World War I, while the official stance of the United States under President Wilson was neutrality, in practice the country was only neutral on the surface (answer d). Diplomatic incidents like the sinking of U.S. ships by German submarines and the Zimmerman Telegram influenced public opinion and political stances towards the war. The presence of a large number of immigrants from belligerent countries in the U.S., as well as economic ties to the Allies, made it difficult for the U.S. to remain completely neutral. The American public was divided, with many households still maintaining connections to Europe.
During the 1930s, U.S. policy was firmly in favor of isolationism, with many Americans and politicians wary of entangling alliances that had led to World War I. Despite this, the raw materials and products of American industry were largely directed towards the Allies, and financial support was also unevenly distributed in favor of Britain and France. By the start of World War II, while official policy was still neutral, the U.S. was actively supporting the Allies, particularly Great Britain, through measures like the Lend-Lease Act, making its stance effectively not neutral at all (answer c).
The gradual shift from neutrality to active support reflects the complexity of maintaining true neutrality when global conflicts affected national interests—economic, strategic, or otherwise. The United States often found itself embroiled in conflicts despite initial claims of neutrality.