United States History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

United States History - Essay Example Furthermore, the events of those horrific years marred not only the countries overseas, but our own country as well. Even though the United States played a more passive role during the Holocaust years, we were still involved in the era as much as Germany had been. World War II had already been underway when the Holocaust reared its ugly head, having started in 1939, approximately when the more rash events of the Holocaust began taking place. In 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, forcing the United States into the war. Only four days later did Hitler declare war on the United States (Bluhm, 2008), making not only the war the business of the United States, but the Holocaust as well. Prior to our involvement in World War II, the United States had merely watched the world burn, bidding its time until its military troops were called to the front lines. It was because of our reluctance to be a part of the war that many people believed that we did nothing to stand in the war of the Holocaust, or the progression of the war itself. However, with the sudden attack on Pearl Harbor and the war raging across the globe, it is almost no wonder that the United States wanted very little to do with the events, though this was no reason for them to stand aside and watch everything else fall. Also, after the first World War, America had adopted a policy of Isolationism, which would prevent them from involving themselves in the conflicts of other countries (Wexler, 2007).