Japan, who aligned itself with Germany and Italy to make up the Axis Powers, desired to extend their empire throughout East Asia. Roosevelt viewed these actions as a collective form of aggression from the Axis powers (Why We Go). FDR’s strategy, which was synonymous with that of other Western nations, was to isolate Japan both politically and economically and thus began to deny them supplies essential to continuing its expansion and intrusion (American President). The president believe that if he could keep Japan under control, he could focus on what he saw as the more pressing issue of what was going on in Europe, thus laying the groundwork for the later used strategy of “Europe First”. FDR knew that the U.S. could not prepare, let alone fight, a simultaneous war in both Europe and in the Pacific (American President). This strategy came with consequences however, as Japan viewed the U.S’ actions as threatening to their national interests. The Japanese addressed this in a way that would forever change the United States and the world for that matter. On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor. Congress declared war on Japan, and only a few days later Germany and Italy declared war on America. The United States was now officially …show more content…
The powerhouses of the Allied forces included the United States, Great Britain, and Russia (of which joined the alliance after Hitler broke his Non-Aggression Pact with the U.S.S.R). The strategy employed by the Allies was the same one that the United States and Great Britain agreed to before America’s entry into the war. This strategy, pushed by President Roosevelt, called for the U.S. to exert its efforts towards Germany and the European theater (Morton). Despite a longing to seek revenge against the Japanese, Hitler must be defeated first. In the meantime however, the American Pacific Fleet would do it’s best to keep Japan and its expansion at bay (Wartime Strategy). This strategy stands as one of the most important foreign policy decisions made in regards to the United States. Without this focus, Germany had the potential to dominate all of Europe to a degree that would have been impossible to defeat or destroy. For that reason, FDR put in place policies and standards that would allow a significant increase in America’s industrial capacity that aided in the defeat of Germany and