What if the U.S. Went to War Against Germany in 1938?

[Bo]

If it would have opposed the Munich Agreement. Go.

[minionofmidas]

Alone? How the hell?

Get realistic. Ask a question like "what if the US had entered the War in the spring of 1941".

[Bo]

Alone? How the hell?

Get realistic. Ask a question like "what if the US had entered the War in the spring of 1941".

No, not alone. What if Roosevelt threatened to withhold American loans and funds from Britain and France if they did not join the U.S. and fight Germany in order to prevent the German conquest of Czechoslovakia.

[President Mitt]

Wouldn't happen.

[Bo]

Wouldn't happen.

Why? If FDR wanted to, he could probably pressure the Democratic Congress to declare war (Democrats were very internationalist even back in the 1930s) and could portray it as a way for people to get jobs and as a stimulus for the economy to recover.

[President Mitt]

The public didn't want to go to war, and FDR and Congress knew that going to war might compromise the New Deal, which was what the Democrats really cared about.

[Psychic Octopus]

What the fcuk? Why the hell would we?

[Bo]

What the fcuk? Why the hell would we?

Because in this scenario, Roosevelt would see Hitler for who he truly is before WWII would start and thus try to stop him as soon as possible and by any means possible.

[J. J.]

What the fcuk? Why the hell would we?

Because in this scenario, Roosevelt would see Hitler for who he truly is before WWII would start and thus try to stop him as soon as possible and by any means possible.

I don't think he had a crystal ball.

[minionofmidas]

What the fcuk? Why the hell would we?

Because in this scenario, Roosevelt would see Hitler for who he truly is before WWII would start and thus try to stop him as soon as possible and by any means possible.

He pretty much did.

Alone? How the hell?

Get realistic. Ask a question like "what if the US had entered the War in the spring of 1941".

No, not alone. What if Roosevelt threatened to withhold American loans and funds from Britain and France if they did not join the U.S. and fight Germany in order to prevent the German conquest of Czechoslovakia.

They wouldn't have cared in the slightest.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Because in this scenario, Roosevelt would see Hitler for who he truly is before WWII would start and thus try to stop him as soon as possible and by any means possible.

He did.  It was stupid, blind isolationists like Borah and Taft and Wheeler that kept us out of the War.

[rob in cal]

I just can't see how FDR could have pulled it off through the congress.  1941 was one thing, but in 1938 the ground hadn't been prepared at all.  An example of this is the Spanish Civil War wherein FDR may very well have wanted to help the Republicans but was so timid out of fear of alienating Catholic Democrats.  If he was hesitant about that, how much more so over the Sudetenland issue. I'm wondering if a war against Japan in the late 1930's would have beeen more likely, especially once their war against China was on in 1937.
   Concerning the isolationists, its ironic that many of them, such as Wheeler (who was a key backer of FDR in 1932 and was hoping to be on the ticket), Lafollette, Norris etc. backed much of the New Deal. However, they were strongly against US involvement in another world war, not because they were pro-Hitler, but out of fear of the war's implication for American life and government. 

[minionofmidas]

   Concerning the isolationists, its ironic that many of them, such as Wheeler (who was a key backer of FDR in 1932 and was hoping to be on the ticket), Lafollette, Norris etc. backed much of the New Deal.

Which is part of the reason Roosevelt had to tread so carefully.

[Хahar 🤔]

No. Just no.

[ag]

US had no army, no navy and a public opinion opposed to the war. Brits could do it, French could do it, US had about as much of a chance of doing it as Argentina.

[12th Doctor]

The mentioned scenario could not have happened, but...

If Britain, France and Poland had declared war on Germany over the Sudetenland, the war might have lasted all of a year, with Hitler being overthrown.

[Bo]

The mentioned scenario could not have happened, but...

If Britain, France and Poland had declared war on Germany over the Sudetenland, the war might have lasted all of a year, with Hitler being overthrown.

I think that in this war, Hitler would not have been overthrown unless the U.S. stepped in on the side of Britain and France.

[12th Doctor]

The mentioned scenario could not have happened, but...

If Britain, France and Poland had declared war on Germany over the Sudetenland, the war might have lasted all of a year, with Hitler being overthrown.

I think that in this war, Hitler would not have been overthrown unless the U.S. stepped in on the side of Britain and France.

Little known fact:

The attack on Poland in 1939 was not a blitzkrieg since, at that time, the Germany Army did not have the volume of essential elements needed for that type of warfare to be successful.  Had they gone to war with France, in 1939, with the same units they deployed against Poland, they would have been smashed.  The "sitzkrieg" during the Winter of 1940 was essential for the Nazis in building up their war machine which, to that point, was not terribly impressive... even though the Allies believed it to be.  So much more the case in 1938.  Had the Allies challenged Hitler, he would have either had to back down (not likely) or would have been forced to throw himself into a ruinous war with only a small fraction of the armored and air force (including Stukas, which were a key element to the Nazi offensive tactics) they had in 1940.  The Czechs could easily have blunted an assault through Bohemia, and the Allies could have practically have walked right into Germany.  Without the promised victories, and being so easily hammered in their first action, the Germans likely would have turned on Hitler.