if pearl harbor didnt happen, would you...?

Question

america went into WWII for two reasons: the pearl harbor attack on dec 7, 1941, and germany's declaration of war on america a week after we declared war on japan.

lets say pearl harbor didnt get bombed, and the japs left us alone. but roosevelt, being the pro-war asshead he was, probably wouldve pushed for US entry into WWII. would you support or oppose WWII then? explain why or why not.

Answer 1

Roosevelt could not push hard enough to get the US involved without the attack on Pearl Harbor and took lots of political flak for concentrating the US forces on fighting Germany and not the Japanese. It was the correct thing to do but cost him political points. Without Pearl Harbor the US would have stayed out of WW2 and Germany would have lost to the Russians and the European continent would have been the Iron Curtain countries with England hanging on off the coast. In the Pacific the Japanese would have everything except American areas, Philippines, Wake, Midway and so on and the Australians would have held out but India probably would have fallen or revolted and gone neutral/struck a deal with the Japanese. So the US would have left with Canada, England, Australia plus South America against a very hostile and powerful Russian and Japanese Empires. But FDR could not have talked the US into entering the war-he had already tried and failed numerous times starting in 1939. Seeing that as a future I would have been in favor entering even prior to Pearl Harbor as we should have.

Answer 2

A 'what if' question. I don't think the USA get 'officially' into the war and WW2 remains an European war and last longer but with the eventual Germany defeat in 1946-7 instead of 45 (though slight possibility of Germany defeating and a bit better of Germany forcing a cease-fire and Hitler remains in power). The Russians lose many more people in the war.

I see the USA participating in the Atlantic war using tactics to possibly aggravate Germany into sinking US warships even more than in 1940-41. Britain stops Germany and Italy in Africa, but lack the forces and materials to invade Europe to open up a second front against Germany.

This also takes into account on how well Britain's air war goes in 1943-44. Do they start bombing factories in Germany?

I think depending on what transpires in Europe would depend on how FDR reacts. If Britain begins to lose, or Russia begins to lose he might push harder to get into the war. You might see him as a pro-war asshead, but he was right in this case, and if he'd been able to do more before 1941 things would have gone even better.

His biggest problem was getting isolationists on board for the war effort.

Personally I might not support it, instead I might view it as a European war/mess that they should sort out and not drag us into like they did WW1. However there is always a possibility that Hitler does something stupid and riles the American opinion for war.

A lot of 'what ifs' and you could write a book on it and be right (or wrong) about it.

Answer 3

Just in case you haven't heard, WWII actually DID happen, the Japanese actually DID perform a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, and because the U.S. declared war on Japan it was AUTOMATICALLY at war with Germany because Germany was an ally of Japan. United States policies actually led the Japanese to believe that they had no choice to attack the United States, the Japanese were supposed to have warned the United States but the ambassadors from Japan didn't deliver the message on time (so it came out as a "sneak attack" because of this).

Interesting that you are "Monday morning quarterbacking" an event which is solidly ensconced in the past. Silly, but interesting. Criticize Roosevelt for doing something that you had no control over whatsoever - interesting, and ridiculous. Get over it. Roosevelt wasn't perfect (nobody is) but he led this country through one of the most tumultuous times this country has ever known - successfully. How many countries have you rescued from the depression and turned into a world-wide superpower? You might want to consider actually READING a history book... ignorance is not bliss.

Answer 4

First, the pre-emptive attack by the Japanese Empire was forced on them by the aggressive boycotting, embargoes and economic strangulation on the basic resources Japan needed to continue its war of aggression against China. These were part and parcel of USA policy. It was American policy that limited exports into Japanese areas, that restricted coal, oil, metal and rubber imports to Japan. There was NO WAY that USA would not be attacked.
Second, it is so very, very true that the USA did NOT want to get involved in the war in Europe and Africa. They were making a fortune out of selling to both sides of the conflict, something they did again in Iran/Iraq war, by the way. It was very fortunate for Britain and Commonwealth that Japan did what it did at Pearl Harbour. Britain, at that time, had about 2-3 months finance left for the war effort. I seriously doubt that USA would have supplied Britain free of charge.
USA is run by big business for big business. Right, Wrong, Good, Bad, Democracy, Freedom mean nothing to the business mind. Profit is all they care about.
BUT JUST THINK FOR A MOMENT. If USA had not joined in on the Alllied side, they would not have had the Jet Engine, nor Radar, nor the Enigma machine. All these came, free of charge, from Britain. You would not have had the A-bomb, since it was a great deal of information from Britain and Allies, plus intel stolen from Nazi Germany, that was passed to USA by Britain that gave the success.
Thank your lucky stars that Roosevelt was a "pro-war asshead". If he hadn't been, New York would have been bombed before the end of 1944, and nuked by 1946. You would have lost without fighting.
Perhaps you could explain why Roosevelt vetoed the decision by Churchill to execute ALL the members of the SS? This was the worse thing that the President did in the whole war, to allow those depraved, nazi killers to live. I can't work out why he didn't allow the executions.

Answer 5

If PH did not happen it really would not matter (except to over 2K soldiers), FDR would have dragged us into the war no matter what. I don't want to be accused of COPING out so for your second Q:
I would not have gone to war. Despite all of what the jews say Hitler did NOT want to fite the US. he only wanted to kick the hell out of those Commies. Watch the movie Patton - what he says at the end about the commies and krauts. BTW I am a super kraut!! I love the jews in Israel they have guts (probably cause most came from Germany). But the rest of the jews just cower in other countries and wine if Israel is ever blamed for anything.
I know most people have never been told this BUT Hitler wanted peace with the western powers. He offered Churchill a peace treaty in which he would give up France, Norway, the Low countries, and Denmark if he would be allowed a free hand in the east. But old nimnuts Churchill refused. So now we all know who REALLY caused WW 2 Churchill and FDR PERIOD.

Answer 6

Please to disagree with the previous commentary, but Germany had this irritating habit of promising Britain things and then reneging on them all. Hitler was a liar and a cheat. He did the same thing to France, knowing that the weenies there couldn't fight for crap anyway. deGaulle was a dweeb.
Roosevelt could not possibly gotten us involved without the Pearl harbor attack. The Japanese WANTED us involved, because they wanted our oil reserves. WWII was about oil for Japan and Germany. Neither had it, and they both wanted it. They needed the US involved because without them, they'd always have a shadow looking over them.
In fact, World War II was justified merely to aid Great Britain. The fact is, if Germany had tried to overrun the UK, the US would have eaten them for lunch then. Japan just accelerated the entry, much to their chagrin.

Answer 7

I would have supported a massive military budget increase, rearmarment progrems, a military draft, and I would have supported funding the Manhatton project. That said I can not answer if I would have been in favor of getting involved.

Answer 8

dude,it's like if grandma had balls than you would not ask this pointless question ..........since you would not be here ! get it.

Answer 9

yes i would.