The United States fought a global war while officially maintaining a strategy of Europe first.
In short: Though the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor pulled the United States into the Pacific conflict, American leadership remained committed to a grand strategy prioritizing the defeat of Nazi Germany. This decision was driven by the urgent need to prevent the collapse of London and Moscow, the two major Allied capitals.
The American path to World War II was marked by a shift from isolationism to becoming the Arsenal of Democracy. Despite the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s, the U.S. began supplying Britain, China, and the Soviet Union through the Lend-Lease Act in 1941. Even before formal entry, the U.S. Navy engaged in the Battle of the Atlantic, escorting convoys and occupying Iceland to secure supply lines. Following the 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. declared war on Japan, and subsequently on Germany and Italy on 11 December.
The Allied grand strategy, solidified at conferences like the Arcadia meeting, dictated that Germany was the primary threat. While the U.S. devoted significant resources to the Pacific, the defeat of the Nazis was the official highest priority. This was a pragmatic choice; the British feared that if the U.S. diverted its focus to Japan, Hitler would consolidate his control over Europe, becoming an unconquerable fortress. Consequently, the U.S. military effort was directed toward North Africa, Italy, and eventually the invasion of France in June 1944.
The scale of the American contribution was immense, with over 16 million citizens serving in the armed forces. The war effort was managed by a new command structure, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which made final strategic decisions. By 1945, military expenditures reached 38% of the national GDP. The war concluded with the surrender of Germany in May 1945, followed by the surrender of Japan in September 1945, marking the first time the U.S. remained fully involved in a general European war to shape the postwar outcome.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Military history of the United States during World War II
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