Government of the United States

In 1938/1939 the army of the United States was ill prepared even to defend the nation against attack; the public and Congress were determined to avoid war and ignorant of military requirements. The foreign policy of the United States was in debate, and the policies that the President followed in this period of doubt soon raised a conflict between the request for aid and the demands of national rearmament. Amid this confusion the services had to prepare for the worst. From 1938-09 to 1941-12-07 it became increasingly probable that the United States would have to fight in the Second World War.