What did England France and the other allies think of the US staying neutral after they declared war on Germany?

Answer 1

Answer

England and France expected to beat Germany. I doubt that they had any thoughts about the US. Besides, they had treaties with Poland, the US did not.

Answer

After the capitualation of France following Germany's invasion in 1940, Britain fought alone. What did Britain and the Free French think to America's neautrality?

Most likely with disbelief and fustration and understandable anger that post May 1940, America could stand by and let Hitler swallow up Europe.

America started to supply Britain then the Soviet Union with war material up to and beyond America's entry in December 1941, but by then which was bordering on 1942, the majority of Europe had either been fighting actively against or had been crushed by the Nazi jackboot, meaning near on 3 years of war before America entered.

There is still much resentment from the older generations of Britain and elsewhere that Americans claimed to have saved Europe with their sole actions when for the most part they joined relatively late in active war, when Britain had been fighting since 1939, in the meantime, having to see France it's main big ally against Nazi Germany, swallowed up along with alot of Europe, France's people seeing their country occupied and in June 1941 there was the invasion of the Soviet Union who at December 1941, had the German Army at the gates of Moscow.

Plus,it took Pearl Harbor (A Japanese attack) then a declaration of war by Nazi Germany and not vice versa for America to join in December 1941.

Thus, because of their late arrival in the war which had been going on since 1939 (2, nearly 3 years, long time in war) America earned the nickname by the British of 'Johnny come lately' for their rather late arrival.

Answer

The opinion of the Europeans was "the U.S. only entered W.W.1 when it was over, then said we won the war for them,they join in W.W.2 when its almost half over,this is no different"

Answer

FDR had many talks with Churchill regarding USA's entry into the "European War". FDR told Churchill that American resistance to entering the war had to be over-come as many Americans in the mid-west didn't know where Europe was. FDR needed the attack on Pearl Harbor to galvanize American support for joining the war. Still, the population thought of the European war as England's problem, while the USA should concern itself with Japan. The economic and military concerns of the USA were more in conflict with Japan than Germany. Then Hitler made the mistake of declaring war on the USA, causing the industrial might of the USA to be used against Germany. Perhaps Hitler thought that his declaration of war would cause his ally Japan to declare war on the USSR (it did not), while America would ignore his declaration and concentrate on Japan (it did not). Also, there was a growing "pro-German" movement in the USA (the Bund), as well as Lindberg's speeches in support of Germany influencing popular opinion. FDR used attacks on American shipping (some real, some contrived) to build support for going to war with Germany. There was also the "lend-lease" program (cash & carry, use of US oversea bases like Iceland, etc) going on prior to US entry, so the USA was not totally neutral. FDR knew that eventually the USA would declare war, and Churchill knew this too, he just wished it was sooner than later. The P-51 fighter for example was originally designed and intended for GB. The plane was named "Mustang" by the British.

Churchill was adamant from the start of the war(1939) that England needed the USA to be involved as an ally. I never heard what France thought of the USA's neutral position, but for one France thought that she could defeat Germany (the great Maginot line and all), and 2, France surrendered after a short campaign. England (Great Britain and its Empire) held firm and fought on alone, defying Germany and saving Europe.

If any of you recall the Johnny Horton song of the 50's called "Sink the Bismark", the opening line states "In May of 1941 the war had just begun. . ." Of course this it totally wrong as the war started in Sept 1939. This added to the myth that the USA joined the war soon after hostilities. Interestingly, the first foreign troops that the USA fought in the European War where the French during Operation Torch in North Africa. France had surrendered and concluded action against Germany. The French viewed the American and British landings on their possessions as an act of war and a violation of their sovereignty.

Answer

The same thing they thought about the US in WWI: That we're a bunch of cowards, fair weather friends who only show up when our own financial interests are at stake.