A couple of pages on wiki: German declaration of war against the United States (1941) - Wikipedia On 11 December 1941, four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States declaration of war against the Japanese Empire, Nazi Germany declared war against the United States, in response to what was claimed to be a series of provocations by the United States government when the US was still officially neutral during World War II. The decision to declare war was made by Adolf Hitler, apparently offhand, almost without consultation. Later that day, the United States declared war on Germany. United States declaration of war upon Germany (1941) - Wikipedia
It seems to be hashed over a lot, just who wanted war and who did not. Saw this, just the other day: Pearl Harbor: The New Evidence - All 4 About the programme Did Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt know that Japan was going to attack Pearl Harbor, and conspire to let it happen? With the help of new evidence, this documentary reveals the answers I think I assume most Germans would not have been cheering war with the USA, unless they truly thought it would not be much of a fight. In which case I don't think that they could have been very well informed. Dresden 1941 der letzte Farbfilm vor dem angloamerikanischen Bombenterror (Dresden 1941 the last color film before the Anglo-American Bombenterror) coventrieren - Wiktionary Verb coventrieren (third-person singular simple present coventriert, past tense coventrierte, past participle coventriert, auxiliary haben) To devastate or raze (a city) in the manner of the November 1940 aerial bombardment of Coventry, England.
The German declaration of war against the USA undoubtedly was a mistake by Hitler which with the initiation of the Pacific war and the attack on Russia had turned a European war into a truly world war. Hitler had already made a mistake in invading Russia in June 1941.a repeat which Germany had made in the 1914 conflict of fighting a war on two fronts....a formidable task for ultimate victory.Hitler never consulted with anybody on political and military matters...in the end subordinates were reluctant to participate in decision or challenge the Fuhrer Principle....after all Hitler would steamroll such meetings such as the daily conference quoting his experience in the trenches of the earlier war as a common soldier For the Germans it was a case of supporting Japan who Hitler saw as fellow Aryans, a coalition or alliance,described by the Allies as an Axis which never achieved any fruition.However it is interestingly that US Lease Lend support by sea to Russia via its far eastern ports was subject to Japanese intervention before the attack on Pearl Harbour. Some might say the US made a mistake on the fall of France in the summer of 1940 when they officially recognised the Petain government of Vichy.....a policy which reflected CDG relationship with the US for the rest of his life...Petain and Laval also wished for a British defeat. They were dovetailed into the policies of the new order with collaboration to the fore with Petain and Laval congratulating Hitler on his successful offensive against the Bolsheviks of the USSR.
Mussolini's speech (English Subtitles), declaration of war on United States of America. Seems to contain a lot of glad cheering re. Mussolini's decision to go to war vs. the USA. "Rome, 1941, December 11. Italy's declaration of war on USA was announced by Mussolini from the balcony of Palazzo Venezia with the German and Japanese Ambassadors at 3 pm. At about 2.30 pm Count Ciano, the Foreign Minister, had formally conveyed the declaration to the American Ambassador Phillips. The crowd assembled in front of the National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II in Rome to hear Mussolini's declaration of war. Anti-American Axis propaganda. Italian war posters. Italian Declaration of War on United States – December 11, 1941" Part of Hitler's decision to declare war vs. the USA I have seen variously ascribed to his (Hitler's) contention then that "Germany was obliged to join with Italy to defend its ally Japan." Italian declaration of war on the United States - Wikipedia Interestingly re. treaty obligations, I think it was a case of pick and chose which to follow - as breaking or violating prior treaty obligations before this, rather seems to have been his rule Churchill's Speech To Congress - December 1941 (1941) - much more uplifting "Various shots of Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill, addressing US Congress during his visit to America in December 1941- natural sound. Some long shots of the Congress, some closer shots of Churchill speaking. He talks about a sudden attack on America and about war. Provided that every effort is made, he says - "the end of 1942 will see us in a better position then we are now." He speaks of possibility of the long and hard war." & National Churchill Museum | Winston Churchill's Address to Congress Speech "For the best part of twenty years the youth of Britain and America have been taught that war was evil, which is true, and that it would never come again, which has been proved false. For the best part of twenty years, the youth of Germany, of Japan and Italy, have been taught that aggressive war is the noblest duty of the citizen and that it should be begun as soon as the necessary weapons and organization have been made. We have performed the duties and tasks of peace. They have plotted and planned for war. This naturally has placed us, in Britain, and now places you in the United States at a disadvantage which only time, courage and untiring exertion can correct."
