Posted on Dec 11, 2017
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On this day, Adolf Hitler declares war on the United States, bringing America, which had been neutral, into the European conflict.
The bombing of Pearl Harbor surprised even Germany. Although Hitler had made an oral agreement with his Axis partner Japan that Germany would join a war against the United States, he was uncertain as to how the war would be engaged. Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor answered that question. On December 8, Japanese Ambassador Oshima went to German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop to nail the Germans down on a formal declaration of war against America. Von Ribbentrop stalled for time; he knew that Germany was under no obligation to do this under the terms of the Tripartite Pact, which promised help if Japan was attacked, but not if Japan was the aggressor. Von Ribbentrop feared that the addition of another antagonist, the United States, would overwhelm the German war effort.
But Hitler thought otherwise. He was convinced that the United States would soon beat him to the punch and declare war on Germany. The U.S. Navy was already attacking German U-boats, and Hitler despised Roosevelt for his repeated verbal attacks against his Nazi ideology. He also believed that Japan was much stronger than it was, that once it had defeated the United States, it would turn and help Germany defeat Russia. So at 3:30 p.m. (Berlin time) on December 11, the German charge d’affaires in Washington handed American Secretary of State Cordell Hull a copy of the declaration of war.
That very same day, Hitler addressed the Reichstag to defend the declaration. The failure of the New Deal, argued Hitler, was the real cause of the war, as President Roosevelt, supported by plutocrats and Jews, attempted to cover up for the collapse of his economic agenda. “First he incites war, then falsifies the causes, then odiously wraps himself in a cloak of Christian hypocrisy and slowly but surely leads mankind to war,” declared Hitler-and the Reichstag leaped to their feet in thunderous applause.
The bombing of Pearl Harbor surprised even Germany. Although Hitler had made an oral agreement with his Axis partner Japan that Germany would join a war against the United States, he was uncertain as to how the war would be engaged. Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor answered that question. On December 8, Japanese Ambassador Oshima went to German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop to nail the Germans down on a formal declaration of war against America. Von Ribbentrop stalled for time; he knew that Germany was under no obligation to do this under the terms of the Tripartite Pact, which promised help if Japan was attacked, but not if Japan was the aggressor. Von Ribbentrop feared that the addition of another antagonist, the United States, would overwhelm the German war effort.
But Hitler thought otherwise. He was convinced that the United States would soon beat him to the punch and declare war on Germany. The U.S. Navy was already attacking German U-boats, and Hitler despised Roosevelt for his repeated verbal attacks against his Nazi ideology. He also believed that Japan was much stronger than it was, that once it had defeated the United States, it would turn and help Germany defeat Russia. So at 3:30 p.m. (Berlin time) on December 11, the German charge d’affaires in Washington handed American Secretary of State Cordell Hull a copy of the declaration of war.
That very same day, Hitler addressed the Reichstag to defend the declaration. The failure of the New Deal, argued Hitler, was the real cause of the war, as President Roosevelt, supported by plutocrats and Jews, attempted to cover up for the collapse of his economic agenda. “First he incites war, then falsifies the causes, then odiously wraps himself in a cloak of Christian hypocrisy and slowly but surely leads mankind to war,” declared Hitler-and the Reichstag leaped to their feet in thunderous applause.
Germany declares war on the United States - Dec 11, 1941 - HISTORY.com
Posted from history.comPosted in these groups: 
WWII World War Two
WWII World War Two
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 3
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Things really got ugly after that. Was always unsure why Hitler decided to declare war on the US.
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SSgt Robert Marx
Hitler cited the Pact of Steel of mutual support by Germany, Italy, and Japan as his reason. There was no obligation for Hitler's declaration of war against the US for Japan did the attacking while America received that attack.
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PO3 Donald Murphy
Especially considering that Japan did not do anything helpful for Germany, I'm surprised he did anything at all. Japan was scared s**tless of Russia in 1941, but Russia didn't know that. And the fact that Japan could "cross the border" at any given time, kept the Russians from devoting their full effort to defeating the Germans. Stalin had upwards of 1 million men in the East for just a contingency. So having a neutral - or vague - Japan actually helped Germany. Had Stalin thrown all of that million man force at Germany in 1941, the German invasion would have been stalled inside the border, but no pain and suffering of Leningrad/Stalingrad, etc.
From a German perspective, remaining vague against America would likewise have pissed the USA off. There would be a fear/prospect of Germany taking Japan's side at any moment, so the USA would have had to keep a sizeable chunk of assets on the East coast to counter such a threat. Britain - screwed no matter which way she turned - would more than likely have pulled out of Europe altogether and concentrated on just the desert and Italy.
From a German perspective, remaining vague against America would likewise have pissed the USA off. There would be a fear/prospect of Germany taking Japan's side at any moment, so the USA would have had to keep a sizeable chunk of assets on the East coast to counter such a threat. Britain - screwed no matter which way she turned - would more than likely have pulled out of Europe altogether and concentrated on just the desert and Italy.
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Just more proof that he has mentally unstable. Had he kept his mouth shut, America would have had to devote 100% of its Navy to the war in the East. This would have put Japan under by mid-1943 tops. With no need to rely on America, Britain and Russia would have opened a second front and Germany would be fighting Russia tooth and nail until 1946.
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Hitler sure could mesmerize everyone who followed him. Unfortunately for all of these legislatures, Germany was soundly defeated with most of her territory occupied by the end of war. Seldom in military history has a nation been as defeated in war as Germany was.
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