11/2/2017 ReasonsforAmericanEntryIntoWWII|Owlcation

ReasonsforAmericanEntry
IntoWWII
UpdatedonJune09,2016

JDF78 more

WorldWarIIwasaterribleeventthatwillberememberedasoneofthedarkest
chaptersinhumanhistory.Withestimatesofthedeadrangingfrom60to80million,itis
unthinkabletoimaginethatthiseventwasallowedtofesteranderuptasitdid.Manyin
theUnitedStatessimplyfiguredtheproblemsofEuropewouldbecontainedtothat
continent.However,anewenemybroughtthewartoourshores.
Whenthewarbegan,theUnitedStateshadenteredaperiodofisolationism.Americans
viewedtheconflictasEuropesproblemandwishedtokeepitthatway.However,asthe
situationinEuropegrewincreasinglydire,theUnitedStatesbegantoslowlyedge
towardwar.Thebreakingpoint,ofcourse,wasthesuddenattackbytheJapaneseat
PearlHarbor.However,inretrospect,theattackmaynothavebeensuchasuddenand
unforeseenevent.TensionsbetweentheUnitedStatesandJapanhadbeen
consistentlyescalatingforseveralyearsbeforetheattack.
WhiletheUnitedStateswassufferingthroughtheeconomicmeltdownoftheGreat
Depression,Japanwasferventlydiggingitswayoutofafinancialcrisisofitsown.The
Japanesedecidedthattheirbesthopeforsurvivalhingedintheirabilitytoexpand
militarily.Infollowingthisphilosophy,theJapaneseattackedandoccupiedthesouthern
regionofManchuriainthefallof1931.ThepurposeofthisattackwastogiveJapana
territoryrichinrawmaterialsonthemainland.TheonlyproblemwasthatManchuria
wasalreadyunderthecontrolofChinaandwasanareaofstrategicimportancetothe
USSR.
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JapanInvadesManchuria

AlthoughtheUnitedStatesdistrustedtheUSSRbecauseoftherecentcommunist
takeover,thetwonationsmaintainedrelativelysociablerelationsatthetime.Irritated
thattheJapanesehadmovedintotheirbackyard,theUSSRbegantostronglycriticize
theJapaneseandbegantoposturemilitarilyinthenorthernManchuriaregion.Dueto
theUnitedStates'relativelyamicablerelationswithboththeUSSRandChina,ittoo
begantopubliclycriticizetheJapanesefortheirincreasingaggression.
TheUnitedStatescautionedJapanagainstfurtheraggressiveactionsbythreateningto
cutoffshipmentsofrawmaterialstothenation.Thiswasanespeciallyriskysituation
forJapan,itsonlysourceofoilandmetalcamefromtheUnitedStates,whiletheir
primarysourceofrubbercamefromtheBritishterritoriesinMalaya.Therefore,itwould
seemthatthenationwouldhavetotreadlightlytoavoidangeringtheWest.Orwould
it?
Inasurprisingactofdefiance,JapanpromptlyseparatedfromtheLeagueofNations,
whichwastheprecursortotheUnitedNations.Tensionscontinuedtomountinthe
regionforseveralyearsuntil1937whenJapanenteredfullscalemilitarycombatwith
theeconomicallydepressednationofChina.ThisconflictbecameknownastheSecond
SinoJapaneseWar,whichwouldlaterbesingledoutasthestartingpointofWorldWar
IIinthePacificTheater.
Inthefallof1940,JapanmetwithNaziGermanyandfascistcontrolledItalytocreate
anallianceknownastheTripartitePact.Underthisagreement,thesethreenations
agreedtoworkwithandsupporteachotherintheirrespectivecountrieseffortsto
createanewworldorder.

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TheUnitedStatesrespondedbybeginningtofunnelmoneyandequipmenttothe
embattledChinese.Thisaid,coveredundertheLendLeaseAct,wasatoolusedbythe
UnitedStatestoprovideaidtofriendsandallieswithouthavingtodirectlybecome
involvedinconflict.AlsoreceivingaidfromtheUnitedStateswereGreatBritainandthe
USSRasthosenationsstruggledtofendofthegrowingNazithreatinEurope.
ThismovefurtheragitatedtheJapaneseandbegantoturnanalreadyveryuneasy
relationshipintoanoutrighthostileone.AlthoughtheJapanesehadangeredtheWest
andisolateditselffromtheworld,thenationcontinueditsaggressivetactics.Inlinewith
thismilitaristicmovement,thenationthenattemptedatakeoverofFrenchIndoChina.
TheWesthadofficiallyhadenoughofJapansbelligerenceandpromptlycutoff
suppliesofnaturalresourcestotheregime.
Unabletocontinueitshopesofregionaldominationwithoutanadequatesupplyof
naturalresources,theJapanesedevisedanalternativeplan.Theywouldtakeoverthe
oilrichDutchEastIndiesandBritishMalaya,therebygivingthenationaninfinitesupply
ofnaturalresources.However,theJapaneseknewthattheUnitedStatesandtheWest
wouldnotletthishappenwithoutafight.TheJapanesesurmisedthattoeventheodds
theywouldhavetoreducethecapabilitiesoftheU.S.NavyinthePacificregion.
Therefore,theplottoattackPearlHarborwasdeveloped.
Weallknowwhathappenednext,theattackonPearlHarborwasinitiallyastrikingblow
totheUnitedStatesabilitytowagewarinthePacific.Japanwasleftuncheckedand
wasabletomopupwhatwasremainingoftheUnitedStatesmilitaryinthePacific,
promptlytakingGuam,thePhilippines,BritishMalaya,andmanyothersmallislands
andterritoriesinshortsuccession.ThemorningaftertheattackonPearlHarbor,
December8,1941,theUnitedStatesdeclaredwaronJapan.

TruetotheagreementoftheTripartitePact,GermanyandItalydeclaredwaronthe
UnitedStatesonDecember11,1941.Interestingly,theUnitedStateswasslowto
respondtoJapanmilitarily.Instead,PresidentRooseveltandBritishPrimeMinister
WinstonChurchilldevisedastrategytovanquishtheEuropeanthreatbeforefully
concentratingondefeatingJapanthisbecameknownastheEuropeFirstorGermany
Firststrategy.AlthoughJapanwasaseriousthreat,theAlliedleadersdeterminedthat
theycouldbecontainedtothePacificregionafteralltheJapanesewereboggeddown
withthewarinChina.Whileconversely,theNazishadwreakedhavocanddestruction
acrossallofEuropeandevenportionsofAfrica.
Thereforeinasurprisingtwist,theUnitedStateswentfrombeingattackedbythe
JapanesetoattackingtheAxispowersinEuropeinonlyamatterofdays.Thishasled
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sometospeculatethatPresidentRooseveltsomehoworchestratedorwelcomedthe
attackonPearlHarborasawaytoallowtheUnitedStatestoslipintothewarin
Europe.However,thereweremanysignsthattheUnitedStatesentryintothewarin
EuropemayhavebeeninevitableregardlessoftheeventsatPearlHarbor.
TensionsbetweentheUnitedStatesandGermanyhadbeentensesincetheendof
WorldWarI.NazileaderAdolfHitlersawtheUnitedStatesasaweakyetoverbearing
nationthatconsistentlymeddledintheaffairsofothernations.HitlersawtheUSAasan
ideologicalenemy,raciallymixedandthereforeinferior.HealsoassumedAmerica
wouldbebusyfightingJapanwhileGermanyconcentratedontakingovertheUSSR.
WiththethreatfromtheUSSRvanquishedhewouldthenbefreetofinishoffBritain
withlittleinterferencefromtheAmericans.
MuchofHitlersrationaleforcarryingouthiswarandantiSemitismcameaboutdueto
therepercussionsofWorldWarI.AnAustrianbybirth,HitlerhadservedintheGerman
ArmyinWorldWarI.Accordingtoreports,hewasutterlydevastatedwhenGermany
wasdefeated.Somuchsoinfact,thatheneverfullyrecoveredfromthe
embarrassment.HebegantoblameJews,Communism,andWesternmeddlingforthe
despairthathadbefallenGermany.Determinedtoseethenationrestoredtoher
previousglory,HitlersoonjoinedagrowingmovementcalledtheNationalSocialist
GermanWorkersPartyorNaziParty.

ThepartycametoseetheTreatyofVersailles,theagreementthatendedWorldWarI,
asresponsibleforthedestructionofGermanprideandsuccess.TheTreatyof
VersailleshadbeenpredominantlyconstructedbytheAlliednationsoftheEnglish,
French,andtheUnitedStates.ThetreatywasdesignedinsuchamatterthatGermany
wouldbepunishedseverelyforitsroleinWorldWarI,yetitshouldbelenientenoughto
allowGermanytoresistthecommunistmovementthatwasunderwayintheUSSR.
Undertheagreement,Germanywasallowedtopossessnosubmarines,nomilitary
aircraft,andonlyafewnavalvessels.Thenationwasalsoforbiddentoonceagain
unitewithAustria,orcreateanymoresecrettreaties.Andtotopitoff,Germanyhadto
makereparationpaymentstothenationsthatithadattacked.PresidentWoodrow
WilsonhadlittleinterestinharshlypunishingGermany.Instead,hechampionedtheaim
ofcreatingatreatythatwouldallowEuropetohandleanyfutureconflictswithoutthe
helpoftheUnitedStates.

TreatyofVersailles

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ThismentalitybegantopermeatetheUnitedStatesandculminatedinthecreationof
theNeutralityActsinthe1930s.Inessence,theNeutralityActstiedthehandsofthe
UnitedStatestohelpitsalliesbyrefusingtosellresourcesorloaningcashtoanywar
combatants.However,theNeutralityActsdidhavesomeshortcomingswhichallowed
manyAmericanbusinessestocontinuesupplyingresourcestowhomevertheypleased.
Nevertheless,asfarastheUnitedStatesgovernmentwasconcernedthecountrywas
tokeepthesolefocusonitselfandremainisolationist.
WhiletheTreatyofVersailleshadbeendevelopedtoremainsomewhatlenient,
Germanssawitasanythingbut.Instead,itwasviewedasapunishmentthatwas
meanttoembarrassGermanythatwassuckingthelifebloodfromtheirnation.Theloss
ofvitalindustrialterritorywouldbeasevereblowtoanyattemptsbyGermanytorebuild
hereconomy.CoalfromtheSaarandUpperSilesiainparticularwasavitaleconomic
loss.Combinedwiththefinancialpenaltieslinkedtoreparations,itseemedclearto
GermanythattheAllieswantednothingelsebuttobankrupther
(historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_versailles.htm,np,2011).
ThissentimentprovedtobetrueasGermany'sunemploymentrateandinflationbegan
toparalyzethenation'seconomy.TheUnitedStatestriedtostepinandhelpby
introducingtheYoungPlanin1929.HoweverthisarrangementsouredwhentheUnited
StatesenteredtheGreatDepressionlaterthatsameyear.Theeconomicinstabilityin
theUnitedStatescreatedamassivewaveoffinancialcollapsearoundtheworld,
includingGermany.In1933,HitlerandtheNaziPartywereabletotakecontrolofthe
GermangovernmentandimmediatelysetaboutundoingtheTreatyofVersailles.Hitler
immediatelysetaboutrebuildingGermanysmilitaryforces,tolevelsthatfarexceeded
themaximumsetforthintheTreatyofVersailles.Thenationalsobegantorebuild
prohibitedmilitaryequipmentsuchasmilitaryaircraft,tanks,navalvessels,andartillery.
In1936,theGermanmilitaryinvadedandoccupiedanareacalledtheRhinelandthat
hadbeensetasideasademilitarizedzonebytheTreatyofVersailles.AsHitlerhad
predicted,noneoftheAlliednationsrespondedtothisflagrantbreachofthetreaty.This
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lackofaresponseonlyservedtoemboldentheNazi's.Knowingthatviolatingthe
TreatyofVersailleswouldhavevirtuallynorepercussions,Germanybeganswallowing
upEuropethroughtrickery,lies,andforce.WhenGermanyinvadedPoland,President
RooseveltwasfinallyabletopersuadeCongresstoallowtheexchangeofwarmaterials
toouralliesonacashandcarrybasisonly.
However,itwasntuntilEuropewasonthebrinkoftotalcollapsethattheUnitedStates
begantoseriouslyintervene.InJulyof1940,FrancesurrenderedtoGermany,leaving
onlyEnglandandtheUSSRtofighttheNazionslaughtinEurope.Hitlerknewthatthe
onlyhopesforEngland'ssurvivaldependedonaidfromtheUnitedStatesandthe
USSR.However,healsoknewthathewouldnotbeabletowageasuccessful
campaignagainsttheAmerican'sontheirhomesoil.Therefore,hedecidedtopostpone
hisattackonBritainandinsteadfocusoneliminatingtheUSSR.Germanybelievedthat
thiswouldcreatesuchasizedisparitythatitwouldbeimpossiblefortheUnitedStates
towageanytypeofcampaigninEurope.
DueinparttoincreasinglyhostileruninswithNaziwarshipsandsubmarines,suchas
theattacksontheSSRobinMooreandtheUSSRuebenJames,PresidentRoosevelt
finallyconvincedCongresstobreakawayfromtheNeutralityActandactivatetheLend
LeaseAct.TheUnitedStatesthenbegansendingmassiveamountsofmilitary
equipmentandfinancialsupporttobothBritainandRussia,institutedamilitarydraft,
andexpandeditsnavalboundaries.TheUnitedStatesalsoagreedtosupplyBritain
with50navaldestroyersinexchangeforseveralmilitarybasesintheAtlanticand
Pacific.
ToprotecttheshipmentsofthesegoodsprovidedundertheLendLeaseAct,theUnited
StatesNavythenbegantoescortAlliedshippingconvoysacrosstheAtlantic.Hitler
begantosensethatPresidentRoosevelthadbeenincreasingnavalactivityinthearea
simplytocreateanincidentthattheUnitedStatescouldclaimasanactofwar.
Therefore,ontheeveofGermanysinvasionoftheUSSR,heorderedhisnavalforces
intheAtlantictonotfireonAmericanshipsunderanycircumstance.

However,theUSSRprovedtobeamuchtougheropponentthanpredictedandwas
abletoslowtheNaziadvancement.ThisboughtsometimeandallowedtheUnited
StatesandEnglandtofurtherfinetunetheirstrategy.Inthefallof1941,President
RooseveltandWinstonChurchillmetandestablishedtheAtlanticCharter.The
agreementsetforththegoalsforthepostwaryears,suchasfreedomoftheseas,
accesstorawmaterials,globalcooperation,andselfgovernment.Mostimportantly,it
calledopenlyforthefinaldestructionoftheNazityranny.
Indeed,theUnitedStateswaswellonitswaytowarregardlessofitsisolationist
attitude.ItwassomethingthatPresidentRoosevelthadcometorealizeovertheyears
astheNaziscontinuedtheirpathofdestruction.Inaspeechgivenbythepresidentat
thecommencementaddressoftheUniversityofVirginiain1940,heindicatedthatthe
UnitedStateswouldhavetointerveneatsomepoint.HeexplainedthattheUnited
Statesviewthatanisolationistmentalitycouldprotectuswasdelusional,andtheevil
spreadingacrossEuropewouldinevitablyreachourshores.
FurtherdrivingtheUnitedStatesawayfromitsisolationistpoliciesandmindsetwasthe
recentadventofmotionpicturesandradio.Thesenewtechnologiesallowedthe
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Americanpeopletoseeandhearunfoldingeventsindistantplacesastheyneverhad
beenabletobefore.MovietheatersshowedtheatrocitiesoccurringinEuropeandAsia
tothemassesandradiodescribedtheharrowingeventsindetail.Evenbeforethe
UnitedStatesenteredthewar,theAmericanpeoplebegantodislikeHitlerandthere
wasagrowingsentimentthathehadtobestopped.
AlthoughtheAmericanpeopleandRooseveltwerebeginningtosenseaninevitable
intervention,thepresidentknewthathewouldnotbeabletoconvinceCongressto
declarewaruntiltheeventsdirectlyaffectedtheUnitedStates.Afterall,Congresshad
onlyrecentlyallowedfortheenactmentoftheLendLeaseAct.Itwasalsothesame
Congressthathadsatidlybyandlettheworlddescendintochaos.Therefore,
convincingthemtotakeactionwasgoingtobeanuphillbattletosaytheleast.
ItwasntuntiltheattackonPearlHarborthatPresidentRooseveltwasfinallyableto
convinceCongresstoallowanAmericanresponse.Aninterestingsidenote,therewas
stilloneCongressmemberthatvotedagainstAmericaenteringthewar.Jeannette
RankinofMontanarefusedtoallowanAmericanresponsetotheattackonPearl
Harbor.Nevertheless,theremainingmembersofCongressrelentedandfinallyallowed
foranAmericaninterventioninthewar.

Roosevelt's"DayofInfamy"Address

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