Why did F.D.R join the war when Pearl Harbor was bombed?

Answer 1

Well, in a very real sense the war joined the USA when Pearl Harbor was attacked. It is true that FDR had very sincere sympathies with Britain and had instituted the Lend Lease Program and the US Navy was escorting European convoys as far as Iceland but FDR had resisted all attempts by the British, under Churchill to be actively drawn into the conflict.

When the Japanese attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor without bothering to make a formal declaration of war President Roosevelt asked the US Congress to declare that a state of war had existed between the United States and the Empire of Japan since the time that the first bombs fell upon Pearl Harbor. Germany declared war upon the United States a few days later and the war was now world wide.

There was US military intelligence on the table that the Japaneses were planning an attack against American forces somewhere in the Pacific but the best guess was that the attack would fall in the Philippines, which was on high alert. Pearl Harbor was considered by all the experts to be too far outside of the Japaneses sphere of influence to be a viable target for them. The idea that a Japaneses fleet might risk everything by sailing thousands of miles, deep into US territory, to launch the largest carrier attack ever made up till that time in history just wasn't considered or prepared for. While that might demonstrate a lack of imagination on the part of the US military planners it is not the same as saying that the attack was known and that American defenses were intentionally lowered. The US Pacific Fleet was seriously damaged in the attack but, despite what GANGSTA above might think, no American carriers were either sunk or damaged and they created a core from which the US Navy was able to rebuild and take the fight to the Japanese.

There is absolutly no evidence that FDR knew about the Pearl Harbor attack in advance and, to draw America into the war, allowed it to happen. That theory was the Kennedy Assassination, 9/11 Conspiracy crackpot idea of its day and is dismissed by serious historians. At some level, it is nice to see that some things, the loony conspiracy theorists for example, are eternal.

Answer 2

Bcoz over 4 Carriers were sunk and this also gave F.D.R an excuse to come out of isolationism and help Britain in the war.

Answer 3

It was pretty clear from his actions before the attack that FDR wanted to join the war on the side of the Allies but the majority of the American people were against getting involved.

After the attack most people changed their minds, they were angry at Japan for attacking and FDR would have been going against their wishes if he had not asked for a declaration of war.

Answer 4

Our allies, England and France have been in prefer of our help. in case you seem on the remote places coverage replace below FDR, you are able to tell we've been getting in touch. Neutality Acts, money and carry, to lend hire. We have been offering financial help to England and France and in the event that they fall to Hitler we get no longer something. Even in the previous we entered the war FDR grew to become into sending troops (air help) to China and England. They have been making waiting for war.

Answer 5

Because he finally had the support of the American public behind him. He hadn't gone in earlier because public opinion was against joining in the European war and he had an election to win in 1940.

Answer 6

Because Japan declared war on America and two days later Germant declared war on America.

Answer 7

He had to respond to Japanese aggression. Two days later Hitler declared war on the USA which pushed them into the war in Europe

Answer 8

The US was under attack by a foreign nation, what other reason would there be? Perhaps you asked the question wrong, since the answer to the one you asked is self-evident.

Answer 9

The US finally agreed that it should get involved. Up till that attack, it wanted to stay out, but FDR thought that the US needed a little "prompting"...so he did nothing about the intel he had about an impending attack and then it was Sunday morning, Dec 7th

Answer 10

It gave him political carte blanc which is what he wanted all along. The ' attack ' according to sources was anything but a surprise.