America and WWII?

Question

why did America wait till pearl harbor to enter WWII?

Answer 1

The isolationist movement in the United States was strong, and the political climate was such that there was support for aiding our ally in Great Britain, but we did not have enough interest to involve ourselves directly in the conflict. Keep in mind, anti-Semitism and pro-Naziism existed in the United States, with famous anti-Semites including Charles Lindbergh and Henry Ford.

When the United States was attacked, the public outcry was huge. In fact, the United States was ready to destroy Japan at that moment, joining the fight against Nazi Germany was simply a matter of course due to the Axis alliance and aid to Britain by this point.

Before then, we only cared enough about Japan to freeze assets when they were causing rampant trouble with the SE Asian colonies of our European friends.

Answer 2

The USA did not wait until Pearl Harbor to get in the war. We were actually supplying the British with arms through the lend lease program between 1939-1941. We had also imposed sanctions of fuel supplies to the Japanese during that time. So we were in the war from the beginning

Answer 3

There was a great deal of isolationist sentiment in the country at the time. Many people in the United States viewed this as European problem and did not want to get involved. Roosevelt was very anxious to enter the war, but Congress was siding with the people. The mood changed drastically on December 7th, 1941 and the rest is history as they say.

Answer 4

America participated in WWII through the Lend-Lease Act prior to Pearl Harbor.

It was probably inevitable that we would have joined in the War, but Pearl Harbor catalyzed the process.

Answer 5

Because there were a great many isolationists in this country who absolutely insisted that we not get involved no matter how bad it was in Europe or how badly the Brits were suffering. Many of these people had experienced the horrors of WWI and didn't want their sons to have to go through that.

Answer 6

there is a great theory based on the fact that Churchill was lord Admiral in WW1 and he supposedly remained silent on subs that would be assured a shot at American Supply ships. Then as Prime minister contacted FDR about offering up Pearl as a prize. The japs would attack and they knew it! The Idea was to place all the Carriers along the California coast and when the Over extended Japanese attacked the US mainland the carriers would destroy them. That would assure the Japs were out of it for quite some time, Get the US in and free us to attack the Germans. All pretty good reading.

Answer 7

America waited because of a reluctance to become entangled in what was seen as a European war. There used to be a tenet of Americanism that said we only fought as a last resort. How things change.

Answer 8

Who says we should have entered the war after Pearl Harbor?......What were we doing there to begin with? We should have surrendered to the Japaneeeeze then and there.Our standard of living today would be much better and we would have saved all those casualties from the war. I hate to say it.

Answer 9

We had an isolationist attitude and did not want to become embroiled in world affairs.

Japan took advantage of this and decimated our Fleet thinking we would just slink off...they didn't expect us to be to pissed off we would crush the opposition into a million pieces with the help of our allies

Answer 10

Because we were reminded of the horros of ww1, because Europe did nothing to prevent hitler when they could have, because some people thought that germany would be a better ally, because some people thought we should not be a world player.......many reasons prevented us from entering the war.