why did usa wait so long before entering ww2?

Answer 1

Too busy making money selling war equipment to both the Russians and the Nazis

Answer 2

Even though FDR wanted desparately to fight in Europe to help the French and English, it wasn't America's war. WW2 broke out because of unrealistic sanctions by France and England after WW1. FDR couldn't sell the idea of entering the war in 1940 to the public. America at that time was isolationist. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor that all changed. And when the Russians held Stalingrad against the Germans in February 1943, that was the beginning of the end for Germany. The main reason, however, was America was an isolationist country. It did help England in 1940 after the Germans conquered France by supply England with airplanes in FDR's Lend Lease Act.

Answer 3

Many Americans didn't want their sons, brothers, husbands and neighbors killed to save the British Empire. They didn't feel threatened, and they remembered the senseless slaughter of WWI.

The fellow with the bad English is partly correct. Much of the credit for defeating Germany goes to the USSR. There were 20 German divisions in France on D-Day, and 200 German/Axis divisions on the Eastern front. The USSR lost 20 million people, but managed to kill a million Germans. We sent some supplies to them. The USSR may have been using trucks, guns, blankets, beans and bullets from the USA, but it was their blood on the snow.

Answer 4

In the mid 1930's (like I think '36 or '37), Congress passed the Neutrality Acts. So basically, they meant we couldnt go to war. FDR still wanted to be able to help out our allies though, and so through programs like lend-lease, destroyers for bases, and cash-and-carry, he was able to aid the allied forces. Actually, we sent some soldiers over to some country close to the north pole to wait until Brittish troops needed reinforcements. Also, FDR actually met with Churchill off the coast of Newfoundland and signed the Atlantic Charter, which outlined things we could do to help, and basically what we would do once we got in the war.

Answer 5

Same reason that it's hard for us to enter any war (except Iraq). It's hard to sell the US people on a war happening on the other side of the globe.
The govt was basically isolationist and didn't see the real threat of Hitler for a long time. Then of course it was the Japanese, and not Hitler, that finally convinced us to act.

Answer 6

usa waited until it was convenient to join the war ... by that time the other countries were ****** up from every point of view ... economy politics human loss ... usa entered the war when the enemy became too weak and couldn`t stand a chance .. france and england fighted germany and experienced great loss yet the us is know as the great winner .

Answer 7

whenever we became a nation we said we weren't going to get involved in europe's wars.
the united states doesn't like people getting in our business, and it's really hard to sell americans on why we should go die for other countries who don't even want us there.

Answer 8

Possibly the same reason we waited so long to get involved in WWI (in the last year of the war). We were much stronger and had more resources than all of the other armies....