4 Why did President Roosevelt encourage the passage of the Lend-Lease Act? * He wanted to provide aid to Britain in its struggle against Germany. He wanted to help the American economy. He wanted to aid France in its struggle against Germany. He wanted to get Congress involved in the European crisis. What U. S. action likely triggered the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? * freezing Japanese assets in the US moving the U. S. fleet to Pearl Harbor providing massive military aid to China the U. S. declaration of war against the Axis A major underlying reason for the internment of Japanese Americans was * racism. security. land. patriotism. The following is one of the most controversial issues of World War II: * dropping the atomic bomb on Japan allowing the Soviets to sign the Atlantic Charter giving in to Soviet demands at Yalta promoting Oppenheimer to the position of chief scientist at Los Alamos.