In any textbook of the 20th century history it says that the United States entered into World War II December 7, 1941 after the surprise attack of the Japanese aircraft carrier connections on Pearl Harbor, the US military base in Hawaii. From this point of view we can agree, but only if you count the day the Second World War, the date when the armed conflicts in different parts of the world with different parties finally merged into a single world war, and it was attended by the most important countries of both warring coalitions. In this case, the period from 7 December, hitting Japan on Pearl Harbor, by 11 December 1941, the date of the US declaration of war on the part of Germany and Italy, can be considered the beginning of the Second World War. But somehow the beginning of the war is considered to be September 1, 1939, the date of commencement of the German-Polish war. December 7, 1941 America was only apparent date of the outbreak of hostilities, and the United States have long been covertly working against the countries of the "axis." Japanese hit was actually a tough response to American provocation. Try to understand how the United States from a neutral country have become belligerent, and when they started not declared war against Hitler and his allies.
After the outbreak of war in Europe, the United States declared itself a neutral country, and acted according to the law of neutrality adopted by May 1, 1937 According to the law, which prohibits the export of weapons and military materials in the countries that are in a state of war. US court should not have been used to transport weapons and military materials to the warring countries. States participating in the war, could acquire civil products in the US if they are pre-paid and export on their own ships. US President Roosevelt pushed through changes in the law and in November 1939 the warring countries to buy US weapons and exported it to their ships. The English fleet dominated the sea and sea blockade completely destroyed ocean shipping Germany. Formally, the amended law of neutrality given the same opportunities to both sides of the conflict, but actually buy weapons and war materials in the United States could not all participants in the war. It was only for the benefit of the UK and its allies.
Britain has been very dependent on imports of raw materials, food and many other products. To her great danger represented by the naval blockade carried out by German submarines. The English fleet in 1940 lacked anti-submarine ships to protect convoys. Many of these ships were built in the British shipyards, but their entry into operation was a matter of the future, and the escorts were needed immediately. A few days after taking office, Prime Minister, Churchill appealed to US President Roosevelt to provide UK 50 old American destroyers. According to the Hague Convention of 1907, a neutral country does not have the right to send their warships warring states. But the United States went to the violation of the Convention and provided the UK in September 1940 destroyers in exchange for a rent of military bases on the territory of the British Empire.
March 11, 1941 the United States Congress passed the "Law to ensure the protection of the United States", better known as the law the Lend-Lease. According to this law by the President of any country, the defense of which was recognized as important to the United States, could be provided with everything necessary for the conduct of hostilities, including weapons and military equipment. To supply free of charge! US deliveries did not need to pay. Just in case, if at the end of the war supplied under Lend-Lease the property survived, it had to either return or pay. The first country to which, the law was extended, became the UK. In fact, the industrial power of the United States has been put at the service of the war against the "axis" countries. American Atlantic fleet began to openly promote the British Navy, conducting exploration in the Atlantic and informing the British about the location of the German ships and submarines. Even though these provocative actions, Hitler did not want to declare war on America. Then the United States went on. In July 1941, US forces occupied Iceland, replacing the British garrison there. The US Navy began to protect British convoys from the United States coast to Iceland. August 11, 1941 US, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt signed the "Atlantic Charter". At this point, the British were at war with Germany, so the signing of the Charter of the United Kingdom, which has provisions aimed against the legitimate democratically elected leadership of Germany was not awesome. But the United States is considered to be a neutral country! Word of the "final destruction of the Nazi tyranny" in the document, signed by the president of a neutral state, was blunt challenge and provocation against Germany. A word about that "States that threaten or may threaten aggression beyond its borders ... must be disarmed" and "the restoration of sovereign rights and self-government of the people which have been forcibly deprived of them" were a direct threat to Germany, Italy and Japan .
After the signing of the "Atlantic Charter" from September 1941, the US Navy took under his responsibility the protection of convoys across the western Atlantic Ocean. The incidents did not take long. September 4th 1941 English aircraft found U-652 German submarine and brought her an American destroyer "Greer". Americans spotted the submarine began her chase and send its coordinates to nearby British ships and aircraft. "Greer" did not attack the Germans, but it induced the British aircraft dropped on the submarine depth charges, and US destroyer continued her pursuit. The commander of the German submarine found that the destroyer attacked (he did not know that the US Navy destroyer belongs) and released by him in response to two torpedoes, but missed. A September 11 Roosevelt on the radio in his speech, called the attack a German submarine deliberate act of aggression. It was a shameless lie. Premeditated aggression were the actions of the American destroyer and a German submarine just defended! Americans routinely gave out black as white. As a result, this dirty propaganda action of the United States Navy was ordered to destroy any ships waging war against merchant shipping. A strange order for the Navy a neutral country! In fact, US forces launched the war against Germany.
Clashes with German submarines and combat losses are not long in coming. Going to the UK from Canada SC-48 convoy was attacked by a "wolf pack". He was somewhat anti-submarine ships were sent to the aid of Iceland. Among them were US destroyers. October 16, 1941 (remember that before the official US entry into the war was still almost two months!) US destroyers approached the British convoy and took their places escorted transports. At night, the German submarines struck another blow at the convoy. During one of the attacks for about 2 hours, the US destroyer "Kearney" night October 17 maneuvering in the vicinity of the convoy and dropped depth charges. At this point, it hit torpedo German submarine. The newest American destroyer was badly damaged, but he was able to get to Iceland. His crew lost 11 people dead and 24 wounded. Carrying out the order of President Roosevelt, the destroyer "Kearney" was where in any case could not be in a neutral country ship - escorted convoy in combat combatant Britain. Moreover, he participated in the attacks German submarines, which the United States at that time were not at war!
The destroyer "Kearney" was not the last of the American loss before the official entry into the war. At the end of October 1941 US destroyers in the Atlantic was accompanied by a convoy HX-156, carrying a weapon at war with Germany, the UK. On the morning of October 31 the submarine was torpedoed included in guarding a convoy US destroyer "Reuben James". He stayed on the water 5 minutes after being hit by a torpedo, then sank. It was rescued only 45 crew members and 115 American sailors were killed. As well as the "Kearny", "Reuben James" if the United States would actually observe neutrality, could be in the place where he was hit by a torpedo. Roosevelt used the death of American sailors for more large-scale provocation against Germany. He ran through the Congress amendments to the law on neutrality, the first of which allowed the US to arm merchant ships, which is directly contrary to international law and the Second Amendment allows US warships to swim in waters that were declared a war zone by Germany.
Sometimes hostilities against Germany, the US Navy looked anecdotally. After the declaration of war by Great Britain, some German merchant ships took refuge in neutral ports. Some of them then tried to break the blockade of Germany and to give her the necessary loads. One of the Blockade was "Odenwald", which came from Japan and was supposed to deliver a variety of goods to Germany, including 3,800 tons of much-needed military industry of the Third Reich natural rubber. November 6, 1941 in the South Atlantic, he was captured by a group of American warships. Since the United States has not formally at war with Germany, even the US military had doubts about the legality of the seizure of the German vessel. Then, in the course went absolutely anecdotal justification - "Odenwald" was detained by law beginning of the XIX century, as a suspect ... in the slave trade!
Roosevelt was anxious to draw the United States into the war, but according to the US Constitution did not have that right. War could only declare the Congress, and there were strong opponents of the position of America's participation in the European disassembly. Despite the violations of international law, hostile action, provocation and even direct participation of US warships in the hostilities against Germany, Hitler, Roosevelt did not present and did not declare war on the US, although the reasons for this was enough. But the US president this case was a fallback. Independent, but is much more vulnerable than the Germany of Hitler partner. Roosevelt provoked the war on Japan.
Since 1937, Japan led the difficult war in China. US not limited to diplomatic protests. They held anti-Japanese policy, supporting China's ability to resist the Japanese Army. Since February 8, 1939 the United States signed an agreement with the Government of China for the last 25 million dollars for the purchase of weapons and military equipment. I want to note that the signing of this agreement took place before the official start of the Second World War! Even then, Roosevelt outlined the future of one of the opponents in the World War. Not surprisingly, such an opponent was Japan - US rival in the Pacific and East Asia. Militarily, the Land of the Rising Sun was not so dangerous enemy, another US competitor - the United Kingdom, which has been assigned the role of an ally, pull the chestnuts out of the fire. Japanese inferior to the Americans in the Navy in the ratio of 5: 3 and repeatedly in economic power. They simply had no chance to win the long war in the United States.
Roosevelt was not limited to the sale of weapons to China. In January 1941 he was sent there to study the political, economic and military position of his assistant Carrie LA. As a result, May 6, 1941 the law the Lend-Lease was extended to China. It was a serious blow to Japan, whose army was bleeding on the fronts of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937. A group of mercenaries was organized in September 1941 by retired US military K. Shennoltom, which consists of about 100 American pilots and ground personnel. You may ask, what does President Roosevelt has mercenaries, go for the money to fight in China? The most direct! US President authorized the US military to volunteer to fight in China. In their part, they were considered a vacation, while remaining soldiers of the American army! The group, which became known as the "Flying Tigers", was armed fighters P-40, staged in China under Lend-Lease. So, with no advertised consent of their government, the American pilots managed to make war with the Japanese before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The supply of arms to China, and hundreds of American pilots were just annoying little things. Roosevelt was able to find a vulnerable spot of Japan and hit it. After France was defeated in Europe, Japan decided to take advantage of this to isolate China, with which it fought a war. In July 1940, China was stopped supplying military cargo through Haiphong, and on September 23 during the French Indochina, under the agreement between Japan and the legitimate government of France began landing of Japanese troops. July 23, 1941 between the French and the Japanese signed an agreement on the use of military bases in southern Indochina. The next day, Japanese troops entered southern Indochina, and on July 25 United States and followed by Great Britain and the Netherlands imposed an embargo on the supply of oil to Japan and froze Japanese assets in their respective countries. It was not just an unfriendly act on the part of the United States, the interests of which the Japanese forces did not threaten in southern Indochina. It was the death sentence of the Japanese economy, which produces oil from the US and Dutch colonies. Japanese diplomacy undertook superhuman efforts for the peaceful settlement of the conflict, and in return received November 26, 1941 Hull note that Japan has provided a choice between surrender and war!
Roosevelt did it. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Congress declared war on Japan. Subsequently, following the duty as an ally, Hitler and Mussolini declared war on the US. The formal declaration of war was only a belated recognition of the reality of the situation. In fact, the US armed forces took part in the fighting against Germany and Japan in September 1941. Actions that are incompatible with the status of a neutral state, were made against Germany in September 1940, and against Japan - in February 1939, before the generally accepted start of the Second World War!
Thank you for attention
P.s Sorry for my bad english