Question

Why were Americans so reluctant to get involved in World War I?

Answer 1

The US had no reason to enter the war prior to 1917. No American interests were at stake, and the country was doing very well from trade with the Allies, leading to great prosperity.

Answer 2

The USA was reluctant because they did not want to be drawn into another European problem/conflict. The view of many Americans was the actions of Germany and Japan involved lands and people many Americans had no interest in so why get involved.

At the start of WWII in 1939 the US military was inferior to Japans Navy and Germany's army, however President Roosevelt fearing the eventual involvment of the USA ordered a massive military built up to get our branches ready for combat.

The thought was that the US would enter if needed once our military forces were ready, however this changed with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 1941. Given all the different conditions of WWII newer designs and technologies were required inorder to win. Better planes were needed to defeat the Japanese Zeros and German Luftewaffa. Newer ship designs were required in order to allow more firepower and better manuvability.

Since the US mainland was largely untouched by the war, our cities and their manufacturing areas where allowed to produce record numbers unabated. At the end of WWII nations like the Soviet Union, Germany, Japan, and most of Europe had to rebuild and who better to supply those materials then the USA hence the boom to our economy.