Final answer:
President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented a twofold neutrality policy which aimed to support nations fighting totalitarianism through legislative changes allowing cash-and-carry trade of military hardware, while maintaining American neutrality before the U.S. entered World War II.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the late 1930s, the United States, under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, adopted a policy known as the twofold neutrality. Despite the country's official stance of non-involvement, Roosevelt sought to actively support nations fighting totalitarian regimes while simultaneously maintaining this neutral position. President Roosevelt, understanding the growing threat of totalitarian powers, pushed for legislative changes that would permit the U.S. to offer more substantial support to allies without directly entering the conflict.
Roosevelt encouraged Congress to approve a two-ocean navy in 1938 and initiated aid to Britain and China. The pivotal change came when Congress repealed earlier Neutrality Acts, permitting cash-and-carry trade of military hardware in November 1939. This move strategically allowed nations at war, particularly Britain and France, to purchase American-made weapons as long as they paid in cash and transported the goods themselves, effectively supporting their efforts against aggression without breaching neutrality.