After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, did the general American public wish to only go to war with Japan or did they support a wider war against the Axis as a whole? If Hitler had not declared war on America, is it likely that general American public would have wanted the United States to fight Hitler as well or to focus only on Japan? How likely was it after Pearl Harbor that the US government would declare war on Hitler had Hitler not declared war on America first?
How likely was it after Pearl Harbor that the US government would declare war on Hitler had Hitler not declared war on America first?
On this point there was actually some debate at the White House as news of the attack came in and as FDR drafted up his address to Congress for the next day.
There had been some initial reports that suggested planes very much appearing like the BF-109 and Stuka's may have been mixed in with the Japanese aircraft or other reports of Japanese aircraft with German markings. So that raised the question of if Germany should be added to the President's remarks. Doubly so in light of the undecleraed war then underway in the Atlantic between USN Convoy escorts and Neutrality Patrols and U-Boats with deaths on both sides.
However due to the desire for a focused initial statement and understanding that the reports out of Pearl were still very stressed and confused it was decided to leave that out for the time being and await more full reports or additional developments.
This wouldnt be the only time something happened like this too. BF-109's were reported by more than one US pilots at the Coral Sea but obviously we know that was not the case and based on a combination of over exaggerated intel and newer Japanese aircraft then in development like the Ki-61.