AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: U.S. Entry into World War II (Day 246/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about U.S. Entry into World War II as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

U.S. Sanctions on Japan

As Japan's imperialist objectives fueled its violent invasion of China in the late 1930s, the U.S. enacted economic sanctions which significantly stymied Japan’s access to oil and other materials necessary for war. 

The USS Arizona, Wikimedia Commons

Opting for a preemptive strike rather than allowing the U.S. to fully mobilize for war, Japan launched a military strike on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941.

“Remember December 7th,” Wikimedia Commons

The surprise attack inflicted substantial damage to the American naval forces and propelled the United States into the war. Public opinion quickly shifted from supporting neutrality to being galvanized against Japan and the Axis powers. 

War Declared, Newspapers.com

The following day, Congress declared war. While the Holocaust was ongoing during this period, it was not an immediate factor influencing U.S. entry, as the full extent of the genocide was not fully known until later in the war. 

The attack on Pearl Harbor marked a turning point, uniting the American people and leading to the U.S. commitment to defeating the Axis powers alongside its Allies in World War II.

Join me tomorrow as I explain World War II Mobilization in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!