Would the US have declared war on Germany?

[Simulacra53]

You can discuss the judgement of German strategic planning, misjudging US industrial output etc.
OTOH America did manage to join in 1917 just in time to have a significant impact on the Western Front.

The US would have entered the war eventually, as it was preparing for war - both its industry and military.
It was already participating indirectly, by the support you mention, and directly by protecting convoys in the Western Atlantic.

From a German in perspective 1941 it mattered little at that point if they were facing the RN or USN.
By declaring war after Pearl Harbor they freed up the U-Boots - directly leading to the albeit short term success of Paukenschlag.

Other decisions, other events, other timelines...and endless talk.
[8|]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Simulacra53

Other decisions, other events, other timelines...and endless talk.
[8|]

warspite1

What do you mean?

[Simulacra53]

What ifs

[philabos]

There are two possible reactions to more Reuben James attacks.
One is a declaration of war - maybe.
The other is Roosevelt put his chin out there, which he assuredly did, and what did everyone expect?
Given the state of public opinion, either is possible. Remember, FDR campaigned in 1940 on NOT taking America to war.

[IslandInland]

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

Hitler was the Allies secret weapon.

His actions were never reliably smart. Most of his choices would never occur to a wargamer. North Africa a side show, never going to happen. Stalingrad, nope not doing that either. Jets as bombers, give me a break. Kursh, nope. Battle of the Bulge, nope.

The Germans lost, because Hitler thought he was a great military mind. He wasn't. Great politician, great orator. Lousy general.

Lousy humanitarian?

[Lobster]

ORIGINAL: Simulacra53

You can discuss the judgement of German strategic planning, misjudging US industrial output etc.

In Hitlers second book, Zweites Buch , (from wiki) "In contrast to Mein Kampf, in Zweites Buch Hitler added a fourth stage to the Stufenplan. He insinuated that in the far future a struggle for world domination might take place between the United States and a European alliance comprising a new association of nations, consisting of individual states with high national value. Zweites Buch also offers a different perspective on the U.S. than that outlined in Mein Kampf. In the latter, Hitler declared that Germany's most dangerous opponent on the international scene was the Soviet Union; in Zweites Buch, Hitler declared that for immediate purposes, the Soviet Union was still the most dangerous opponent, but that in the long-term, the most dangerous potential opponent was the United States."

That does not sound like a misjudging of the U.S. Hitler never wanted a World War in 1941. He wanted to keep it a European War and bring that to a successful conclusion before going on to conquer the rest of the planet. Hitler's opinion of the U.S. did a complete turn around between 1924 and 1928. He went from the U.S. imploding due to it's racial inequities (in his opinion) to being admired for it's racial policies (segregation, forced sterilization of the mentally ill, etc) and it's industrial power and prosperity. Hitler considered the U.S. as the most dangerous Allied power.

Regardless of what Hitler thought of the U.S. when the Japanese, an Axis power, attacked the U.S. the writing was on the wall. A World War was going to happen regardless of what Hitler wanted. I'm fairly certain he knew in his gut that his plans were shot after 7 December 1941. Declaring against the U.S. was simply a formality and he likely knew it. Too bad he didn't let Japan in on his plans for the Soviet Union. Things would have gone a bit differently I'm sure.