U.S. Reluctance in Entering WWII

       Although World War II began with Nazi Germany's attack on Poland in September 1939, the United States did not enter the war until after the Japanese bombed the American fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. Why was this? One of the main reasons for their reluctance was that as a country they were just beginning to recover from the Great Depression and not so long ago had lot a great number of troops in World War I.

Bombing of the American Fleet at Pearl Harbor

     With FDR elected as president his campaign ran on one idea that American soldiers would not be sent to any foreign wars. However with Great Britain as one the United States greatest allies and there death toll growing increasingly higher the US had to come to Britain's aid. Before the bombing at Pearl Harbor about 80% of Americans did not want to enter the war, mainly because of the still apparent damage form World War I. After the Japanese Navy Air Service led a surprise strike on an American military base at Pearl Harbor however, the American people came to realize that they could not sit back idly and watch as this war happened before their eyes and allowed their own people to be put in danger. 

     Just hours after the Pearl Harbor attack America was preparing for their entry into the war, it became a part of everyone's personal lives. Movies were made based off of the attack and the public helped in any way that they possibly could to aid the war effort. After the attack all the reluctance of entering the war because of the economy was thrown away and almost everyone became focused on fighting for what they had lost at Pearl Harbor. One very important thing that soldiers should have in order to guarantee their success in a war is a true purpose that they strongly believe in, for the American soldiers it was that they would be fighting for the the lives of the innocent Americans at Pearl Harbor.

Sources: https://visitpearlharbor.org/didnt-american-initially-join-war/
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor