The United States had hoped to avoid fighting in World War II. At that time U.S. foreign policy strongly favored isolationism. Americans were eager to do business overseas, but they wanted few political entanglements with other countries.
As Nazi Germany began to invade parts of Europe the U.S. was called upon to help its allies. This aid came in the form of loans and military equipment and led to the passage of the Lend-Lease Act, though this act was a tough sell to Congress.
So, what brought the United States into World War II? The simplest answer would be the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and while this is correct, the reasons are deeper than that.
Japan led a fairly isolated existence from Europe and America for much of its history. That all changed by the mid Nineteenth Century as European powers and the United States began to close in on Japan through their efforts to colonize other parts of the world. As the world came to Japan the Japanese were forced to sign unfair trade agreements with other nations. This seeded the desire of the Japanese leadership to control its own destiny and become a world colonial power itself.
Over the next half century or so Japan began to strategically invade its neighbors. Korea, parts of China, and many islands of the South Pacific fell under Japanese control. This was done under the pretense of creating a unified Asia that could compete with other world powers. In reality the areas conquered by Japan suffered harsh occupation, the conquered peoples subjected to Japanese rule. This expansion also provided the island nation with natural resources it did not normally have.
As Japan expanded its sphere of influence, other nations with interests in the region (such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Netherlands) began to react by placing embargoes on Japanese trade. All this forced Japan to face the decision of whether to withdraw from some of its conquered territories, negotiate some compromise, purchase resources it needed from somewhere else, or go to war. The Japanese leaders, seeing the conflict develop in Europe with the rise of Nazi Germany and believing the American people had no appetite for war, chose to fight.
Pearl Harbor brought war to the United States. At the same time (though on December 8 because these events occurred to the east of the International Date Line) Japan launched offensives in northern China, Wake Island, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaya, Borneo and Burma. The American people, horrified by the news of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, called for action. The next day Congress declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy.
By June 1942, Japan had achieved nearly all its military objectives. Its Naval fleet was virtually intact while the opposition was seriously compromised.
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