Quote Originally Posted by Marsilius View Post
Er... oh, yes they did, I'm afraid. The USA didn't enter the war by choice but because war was declared on them (a) by Japan attacking at Pearl Harbor, and then (b) by Hitler declaring war on the USA (not the other way around). The USA may have been generally sympathetic to the anti-Axis cause before December 1941 but it was dragged into the conflict willy-nilly. It didn't enter the war on principle at that point but because they had no choice over whether to do so or not.
My thoughts were that the USA could easily have chosen to engage only with Japan and the Pacific War, and left Germany and Italy to their own devices in Europe.

I can't think what possible threat Germany and Italy posed to USA with their declaration of war, which is why I'm suggesting USA didn't have to actively enter the war in Europe.

After entering the war, I'm aware that Roosevelt agreed that Europe would be the priority and again I would suggest he and the USA didn't have to make it so.

Anyhow - I feel guilty having this discussion on NIrish's thread so I'm gonna say no more.