Why did the US get involved in World War 2?

Answer 1

Answer

The US provided millions of dollars in weapons, armament as well as money itself to the Allied forces. But the attack on Pearl Harbor pushed us officially into the war.

AnswerBecause Japan went to war with us, without a declaration or any warning, first by attacking our naval base at Pearl Harbor. Michael Montagne AnswerWe were attacked, without warning and without provocation, by Japan. So naturally we declared war on Japan. A few days later, again without provocation, both Italy and Germany declared war on us. So, we gave them all the war they could handle. Michael Montagne AnswerActually we had set up an embargo on Japan so it wasn't completely without provocation. AnswerThey joined the war because by Japan at pearl harbor because we were cutting off some supplies they needed for the war. and we couldn't just sit there and be attacked we had to take action! Why America Entered World War IIMany reasons, including that Nazi Germany was sinking American supply ships because the US was providing financial and military support to the Allied troops (England, France, China and Russia).

Most importantly, Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, without a declaration of war or any warning that hostlities were being commenced, sinking most of the battle fleet.

The day after the attack, December 7th, 1941, President Roosevelt went before the US Congress and asked for a formal declaration of War with Japan in retaliation. With the exception of Janet Rankin (Montana), the US Congress voted unamiously for War.

President Roosevelt never asked for war with Italy or Germany before the Congress. Instead, three days after December 7th, Italy and Germany declared war on the United States.

Here are more opinions:

• The US stayed neutral in WWII until the US Naval Base @ Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was bombed by the Japanese on December 07, 1941. The Japanese were then enemies of the United States.

• As mentioned, the Japanese attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, then the US bases in the Philippines. The US declared war on Japan, then a few days later Hitler declared war on the US, followed by a US declaration of war against Germany, and thus US was fully involved in the war.

• FDR wanted us in the war. he made very public statements, not 1, not 2, but three seperae attacks that Germans made on US vessels carrying civilians, no less. (I don't have their name on me because I'm at work, but The Idiot's Guide to WW2 does) Our isolationist populace wanted no part of the war in Europe. FDR did. We did pressure the Japanese with embargoes and made a bad economic situation with them much worse. We probably forced their hand. Then Pearl Harbor happened, and Hitler (in what is quoted as "the greatest military blunder in history") declared war on the US so that Japan would also attack the Russians on their eastern side (which they never did)Hitler was fighting a war on two fornts (which he knew was a major reason Germany lost ww1)if he could force Russia to also fight a two front war he might just get a shot at Moscow. (which the Germans were in sight of before being repulsed). Hitler did not know how bad off the Japanese were and thought they would help him because (by his own words)"we have allied with an army that has not seen defeat in over a thousand years" (which was true). Wilson did borrow money from them so was under influence. and Israel and we are viewed as the terrorists of the world by many. we do have the most weapons of mass destruction in the world and we train people all over the world in how to usurp their governments and we have funded a 50 million dollar a year terrorist campaign against Cuba (since the kenedy administration)and we helped put him in office because he was adictator that could be bought. No wwe don't like him because he wants to run things his way. The previous leader was elected very democratically but we didn't like his policies.

• Mainly as the Japanese were misguided enough to attack Pearl Harbour and it gave the Americans the incentive they needed.Great Britain had been standing alone for some time and if Hitler had gained Atomic warheads he would have launched long range V2 weapons against American cities so,they would have been involved sooner or later.Great Britain have been paying for it ever since especialy in time of strife (Kuwait,Iraq etc.) when they are called upon by America because their military skills are second to none.

• A lot of people are stating that we got into the war because of Pearl Harbor, but you my want to look further back as to why Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Japan had been aggressive towards China and so the US halted any trade with Japan in November 1940. Japan saw this as a hostile act towards them. About a year later, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. This was only part of there reason for going to war against the Germany, Japan and Italy. In March 1940, the Lend-Lease act was passed stating Roosevelt could direct aid to whoever he wanted. This meant that the US was no longer neutral. The US ended up contributing 42 billion dollars to the war effort by 1945. With Hitler taking over Europe, FDR saw fit to aid the British and French troops with arms, etc.

• It all starts many years before Pearl Harbor was bombed. It starts with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, China. The Japanese invade Manchuria on September 18th, 1931. China was in the middle of a depression (much like our own) so the Japanese quickly get a strong footing in Southern Manchuria. At this time, the United States is good friends with the Russians. It starts pissing off Russia that the Japanese are taking over China. If it pisses off the Russians, it pisses off us. Also, the Japanese invading China violated the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 which renounced war as national policy. So, the United states tells Japan if they don't get out of China, we'll stop trading oil with them. Japan stays in China, so, naturally, we stop trading oil. Eventually, Japan is forced out of China, but not without a lasting grudge against us Americans. Of course they hate us after this, so when Pearl Harbor was left for an entire day with everyone on holiday, they bombed the Hell out of it. America was looking for a very good reason that everyone could agree on to join the war. FDR had been wanting to join the war all along, and when the Japanese bombed us 10 years later, it had everyone in such an uproar that no one would back down from the fight.

• The answer is simple. I am a seventh grader and even I can answer that question. The bombing at Pearl Harbor was indeed a spark to the United Sates entering the second World War. America clearly felt that if we just laid down and allowed ourselves to be attacked, without a counterattack, we would be the target of many of our world enemies. I feel that Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a very fine president, of our strong country, and that the fact that he was able to cope with a depression and war at the same time, is simply outstanding.

AnswerThis is one of those questions that has exercised people for a long time, and as with many important events, has attracted some strange theories.

The basic facts given above are correct. The fundamental cause was indeed the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Such an attack is tantamount to a declaration of war. It's also true about Japan's invasion of China, and America's oil embargo. America had good relations with China (which was not communist) at that time. That was probably more significant that US-Soviet relations.

The theory that the President knew about Pearl Harbor in advance has been suggested many times. There is some interesting evidence that there was some advance knowledge (or possibly that there ought to have been) but pretty much all reputable historians agree that the President did not have definite information about the attack.

It's not true that Germany declared war on the US before Pearl Harbor. They did a few days afterward. It is just possible that, had they not done so, the US would have refused to declare war on Germany but fought only Japan.

It also should be understood that while the US was technically neutral up to Pearl Harbor, they were already providing substantial aid to the Allied side. The British were being provided with arms and supplies on favorable terms, and no such supplies were being sent to the Axis. Convoys across the Atlantic were being escorted by US warships for the Western part of the journey.

AnswerThe US was already trading with other countries through the Lend-Lease Act, a document allowing the US to "lend" countries like Britain war materials in exchange for money. Surely the Nazis knew this, but the real thing that got us into the war was Pearl Harbor. Of course there are theories that FDR knew about the attack on Pearl Harbor and didn't do anything to defend against it for the sole purpose of justifying entry into the war, but I don't believe that. Japan saw our navy as a threat to it's imperialistic desire to have power over all of Asia and the Pacific. The same US navy, which was conveniently, yet threateningly positioned nearly half way between the US and Japan. Japan also didn't have very good control over its military leaders, as General Tojo took his own action by attacking at Pearl Harbor. AnswerIt is a popular misconception among Americans that the US voluntarily entered WW2, at least against the Germans.

In fact, the US didn't. The US entered the general war as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor. But the US entered against Japan and did not, repeat not, declare war on Germany.

However, a few days after Pearl Harbor, Hitler declared war on the US, thereby putting an end to the US dilemma. After a meeting between Churchill and Poosevelt, it was agreed that the British and Americans would have a "Germany first" policy.

Whether the Americans would have declared war on Germany had not Hitler made the decision for them is one of the great unanswered questions of history. The US had, of course, been completely isolationist prior to 7 December 1941 - Roosevelt's Lend-Lease programme had got through Congress by one, repeat *one*, vote.

The answer is that yes, probably the US would have entered the war against Germany, but possibly not on the scale that it did, and almost certainly not with Germany being given priority over Japan.

But nobody will ever know for sure.

(This was written by a Brit, btw)

AnswerWe were attacked, suddenly, without warning and without a declaration of war, by Japan at our naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. AnswerBecause the Japanese bombed the US fleet at Pearl Harbour. AnswerOur naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked, without provocation or warning or a declaration of war, by the Japanese navy. Michael Montagne AnswerBy getting most of out battle fleet sunk in a surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Michael Montagne

World War 2 AnswerObviously the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan triggered a declaration of war and the 'official' entry of the USA into the war December 1941.

However, the USA was already unofficially at war with Germany since USA naval forces were shooting to kill German naval units in the Atlantic. The USA was sending 'volunteers' to fight in China against Japan. The USA was keeping Britain in the war by providing 'loans'. Some would say that the USA cutting off 100% of credit to Japan (along with the Netherlands and England) which meant cutting off Japanese oil supplies, was tantamount to a declaration of war by the USA on Japan, Summer 1941.

Clearly the USA was gearing up for war even as the population clammored to stay neutral. One way or the other Roosevelt was going to get the USA into the war......the Japanese just made his goal easier to achieve.

AnswerWe received an engraved invitation from Japan delivered to our post office box at Pearl Harbor! AnswerJapan bombed Pearl Harbor AnswerJapan, Germany, and Italy signed a pact with each other that if the U.S. declared war on any of the three the other two would declare war on the U.S. so, Japan on a early December morning attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii distoring U.S. naval ships and killing 1000s When the U.S. declared war on Japan Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. that is how the U.S. became involved in the European front. AnswerThe 7 December 1941 Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor was one of the great defining moments in history. A single carefully-planned and well-executed stroke removed the United States Navy's battleship force as a possible threat to the Japanese Empire's southward expansion. America, unprepared and now considerably weakened, was abruptly brought into the Second World War as a full combatant. AnswerBecause we were attacked without warning by Japan and then Germany and Italy declared war on us a few days later. Michael Montagne

Sorry but you are slightly off... Japan attacked Pearl Harbor unwarningly therefore we declared war on Japan. Shortly after Germany declared war on us, then the allies declared war on the Germans. Then Italy declared war on us, then the allies declared war on Italy.

Michael Muir, 2005 8th grade

AnswerThe United States was attacked December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor by Japan. On December 8 Congress declared war on Japan in retaliation to those lost at Pearl. By December 11 Germany declared war on us. Many tried to stay out of the war as we were not directly involved. As soon as we were attacked there was no stopping people joining the armed forces in an effort to, basically get revenge for the loss of life at Pearl. Answerit seems to me that when we where attacked at Pearl Harbor AnswerJapan bombing pearl harbor AnswerAlthough the US was leaning towards involvement in WWII, many people still saw it as a "European" conflict. That changed on Sunday, Dec. 7 1941 with the daring Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. A good portion of the US Navy was destroyed. The emotional reaction to Pearl Harbor was very similar to the feelings most Americans had after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center: Shock and disbelief followed by anger. AnswerAfter the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, America needed to join in rather than be pushed around...

-James

AnswerJapan bombed Pearl Harbor. AnswerThere was some pressure to come to the aid of our European allies well before the U.S. actually declared war, but the triggering event is widely accepted to be the Japanese attack on the U.S. base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Congress declared war on Japan, and the Axis powers in turn declared war on the U.S. Obviously, this is an oversimplification; there were many other reasons "WHY" the U.S. got involved, but the political/military reason was the Pearl Harbor attack.

AnswerBecause the USA was ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AnswerWe were attacked, at the battle of pearl harbor AnswerThe united states were giving supplies to the allied force. Also japan was invading china. russia was very good friend with the us and russia was getting pissed with japan invading china that it was pissing The Us to. so we stop trading oil to japan and japan attacked pearl harbor because they thought it was a very hostile act towards them. That's because japan really needed oil and they really needed it AnswerWe entered WII when Japan bombed us at Pearl Harbor AnswerWe stopped trading goods with Japan. When they bombed Pearl Harbor (to make us trade and stop interfering w/ their conquest for Asia), Harry S. Trueman asked to declare war on Japan. After we defeated the Germans, we came after Japan!

Additional answer

It's very common for Americans to use the word 'we' regarding who won WW2. Unfortunately, this completely excludes all the other nations - particularly the British - who also fought. It was a world war, not a US/German war. And don't forget that the allies (of whom the US was just a part), only fought in Europe in the west. What about the Russians, who had the whole of the eastern front to themselves. It's quite wrong of Americans to think they always save the world.

Interestingly, a film was made of the capture of an Enigma machine by the Americans. But who actually captured one? The British.

Also, interestingly, there is a great number of Japanese who don't know anything about the Pacific war or Hiroshima. They've never been told.

Don't let that happen to Americans - make sure you know some facts.
The Japanese attacked the US at Pearl Harbor. That act virtually demanded that the US become involved in the war against the axis powers.

Answer 2

The US had been preparing for WW2 for several years before Pearl Harbor, but the political climate in the US was still one of isolationism. It has been suggested in a theory which I find quite plausible that Germany had plans to destroy the US economically by defeating the British Empire and closing down British markets for US goods. As the US economy had become dependent on exports primarily to Great Britain and her colonies, this situation was a grave one. As with Germany's rearming in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, the US rearming had to be done with some secrecy to conceal from the US citizenry that their country was preparing for war. For example, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was publicized as a defensive weapon system to replace obsolete coastal defenses and intercept enemy ships hundreds of miles out to sea. After the war began it was seldom used in this way. Its major use was as an offensive platform for bombing enemy cities.

Answer 3

The US had no plan to enter World War II. In fact, a number of prominent business and political figures advised against it-- even when rumors began to spread that Hitler was killing millions of Jews, there was little interest by the majority of Americans of getting involved in an overseas conflict. The US was focused on getting out of the Great Depression, and the war in Europe was not seen as our problem. But then, in early December of 1941, the Japanese (one of the Axis powers) attacked Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii. That was when the American government finally decided a military response was needed; President Roosevelt announced that the US would finally enter the war.

Answer 4

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.