Why did many americans oppose US participation in world war II?

Question

i need to know

Answer 1

Many Americans, prior to Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) opposed US involvement in any "foreign entanglements."  Isolationsist (as they were called) argued that the US should keep its nose out of the affairs of the rest of the world, except where American economic interests were crucial, and even then, that it would be better not to go to war over it.  

Once Pearl Harbor happened, many changed their minds quickly.  Those few who continued to argue against involving ourselves were mostly drowned out by those who felt that now we had little choice but to defeat the enemies of democracy across the planet.

Answer 2

Just like today with the Moslem terrorists and 40 years ago with the Communists..... EVERY anti-American group has its supporters.  This is a free country and even those who hate the United States (ie Clinton and Obama) have their right to their say.   And idiots like myself have served ans sacrificed to give these enemies of this country that right.

Answer 3

Origninally it was viewed as a foreign war that shouldn't involve the US (it wasn't our fight).

Answer 4

Lots of reasons.

One was that people were protectionists-just as they are today- we don't have to police the whole world, just leave them alone.

One is that there are lots of peace-loving ( evolved )people who don't think war settles anything, but destroying a generation of young men.

Some people, as today, think the money and effort could be better spent at home.

Some people, as today, think the media and government and big business are in cahoots to make money off the fear of Americans.  They didn't believe it was a serious threat.

Some people didn't want THEIR children to go, but instead, send the congressman's kids. (I think if you vote for war, you should have at least one child that you SEND there.)

Answer 5

Do you want to die?

Answer 6

The United States was in a state of depression at the beginning of WWII. After the previous high number of deaths in WWI (the US joined late, but where they were deployed, they sustained a massive amount of deaths), no one wanted to enter into another world war. The prevailing thought was to let Europe settle their own war.

Furthermore, the United States was a divided government at that time. While FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) was President at the beginning of WWII, the government was primarily republican - very much in opposition to anything that FDR was considering because they considered him to have a very dictatorial "regime". However, when the government switched from pro-Rep, to pro-Dem, Franklin was able to get the votes from Congress. All that needed was the public support.

However, the general consensus was the public didn't want to go to war - mainly for the reasons stated in the first paragraph. Although there was a general feeling of sympathy toward the Allied power (which was why the US still traded massively with Great Britain - including lending huge amounts of money and equipment), people still wanted to remain neutral. The US still hadn't really recovered from the isolationist idea from the previous era. The US mainly became global after WWII.

Answer 7

They thought the oceans would prevent attacts on us but the Japanese proved them wrong.