What were some American viewpoints during World War 2?

Answer 1

Some Americans initially thought that the USA should stay out of the war entirely. After the devastation and loss of lives during WW I, many felt that the war was not something that the US should invest in. Charles Lindbergh was well-traveled and visited many of the world leaders during those times. He was against joining the war effort, some say because he felt the war was already lost and others say because he felt that Germans/Hitler were telling the truth each time they stated they were done. However, once Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japan, an ally of Germany, the war effort was approved by Roosevelt and Congress. Even before the US declared war, many men joined the Canadian and British military to become involved. And, once war was declared, by and large Americans became involved by buying war bonds, rationing and working factory jobs.

Answer

That was true for WWI. Before the Americans got into WWII they did not want to be in the war. They had lost many men and women in WWI and they really did not want to go to war again. They felt WWI had not accomplished a thing. They also thought the war in Europe was not their war so they did not want their son's and daughter's sent to another foreign war that was not their war. President Roosevelt promised he would not send them into another FOREIGN war. Many of the people in the USA did not really know much about Europe and their issues and they did not understand how evil Hitler was or what was happening to the Jews. This was not the age of television, internet, blogging and even cheap global telephoning. Many of the Americans could not even read or write. So they did not understand fully what was happening to England and other countries. They did get news in the newspapers but you know how the media can be. Hitler also censored Western newspaper writers submissions. So Americans did not get the full real news of Europe. Once Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii then the American were incensed and finally wanted to get into the war. So Roosevelt finally declared war on Japan and joined the European Theater of the war. But, he did keep his promise not to send Americans into a FOREIGN war because now the war was OUR war.