Few moments in American history mark as dramatic a reversal as the nation's entry into World War II. As 1941 dawned, the country stood firmly committed to avoiding the conflict that was consuming vast swaths of the globe. Germany's armies had swept through most of Western Europe, and England was enduring a devastating and prolonged bombing campaign. Across the world, China struggled to repel a Japanese invasion. Bound together in a military alliance, Germany, Italy, and Japan appeared, for a time, capable of conquering the entire world. Nation after nation found itself either locked in combat or living under the shadow of invasion.
Everything changed with stunning speed when Japan launched a surprise attack on the American military base at Pearl Harbor on December 7 of that year. The very next day, President Roosevelt delivered his iconic "Date Which Will Live in Infamy" speech, calling on Congress to declare war on Japan. In response, Germany and Italy declared war on America. Just like that, a country that had been determined to remain on the sidelines found itself pulled into the global conflict.
What followed was one of the most enormous and rapid military mobilizations the world had ever seen. The sheer scale of expansion required was staggering — vast numbers of newly drafted soldiers and volunteers had to be trained swiftly and effectively. Factories and essential infrastructure sprang up across the nation to support the war effort. On the home front, civilians took to planting 'victory gardens' so they could feed themselves, freeing up the country's agricultural output to nourish the growing ranks of soldiers. For similar reasons, a sweeping recycling and conservation campaign was launched nationwide.
In what seemed like no time at all, America had undergone a profound transformation — from a nation resolved to keep the war at arm's length to one fully prepared and willing to wage war on two fronts, battling Japan in the Pacific and the Nazis in Europe.