As unrest grew in Europe, the United States did not want to get involved in another European war. The young nation was dealing with its own economic troubles and took many steps to try to avoid joining the war overseas. With the Neutrality Act of 1935, the banned loans to belligerents in 1936 and the "cash-and-carry" requirement of 1937, the United States had made its intentions clear.
As the situation grew worse in Europe, the United States implemented the Lend-Lease Act in 1941, this allowed the United States to support Allies fighting against Germany, Italy and Japan. "The implementation of lend-lease marked the unofficial entrance of the United States into the European war" (Henretta, 2012, Pg.730). The official entrance came after the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese bombers on December 7, 1941. With approximately 2,400 dead, multiple ships and hundreds of airplanes destroyed, President Roosevelt asked Congress to go to war.