An in depth look at US neutrality in WWII and how it contributed to the war

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It is important to realize that up until Pearl Harbor, and even after, public sentiment did not support our getting personally involved in the European war. Roosevelt's hands were tied and he was only able to send equipment and material aid rather than troops. All this changed when Hitler allowed himself to be swindled by his Japanese allies. Hitler wanted Japan to attack the Soviet Union, which would have probably been enough to crush them between both countries attacks. Japan had no intention of attacking Russia; preferring to consolidate their chain of islands and keep fighting China instead. Still, Japan intimated to Hitler that if he would declare war on the US then they would declare against the Soviets. Hitler fell for it and his declaration against the US untied Roosevelt's hands; allowing a much greater presence in Europe and ultimately Germany's downfall.

During the 1930s, US public opinion as well as several Senators questioned the validity of US involvement in the Great War.

The belief became increasingly common that the nation was deceived into taking part in this bloody conflict by Allied propaganda and to serve the interests of profit-thirsty bankers and industrialists. The conclusions of the Nye Committee in 1934, tasked with investigating the excessive profits made by the war armament industry, reinforced the antiwar position of the American people and finalized the country's isolationist policy.

As a reaction to Germany's re-armament, and to prevent any US involvement in a possible European war, the US Congress voted the Neutrality Act, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 31, 1935. The Act prohibits trade in military material with warring countries and travel by US nationals on ships belonging to warring countries. It was amended in 1936 to prohibit loans to warring countries, and then in January and March...