Today we are looking at the week of December 25 to December 31, 1941. The start of the US involvement in World War 2.
It was a surprisingly smooth transition from the chaos of December 7, where no one had any idea what was happening either in Hawaii or Washington.
World War 2 was 3 weeks old and already we knew the outcome. It was assumed that we would win. Where and when this ultimate victory would occur was not known. But not whether we would achieve ultimate victory.
Now, three weeks into the war, the transition to a plan for victory was deftly performed. Factories switched over to wartime production. Leaders were putting plans into motion for how to finance, arm and transport this massive war machine.
In the last week of December 1941 here was no hint that victory was not within reach. It was not a plan for survival or a plan to eke out a victory. The plan was clear, we are going to create a massive war machine and crush the enemies into an unconditional surrender. There was anger, there was determination, there was fear and anxiety. But there was no doubt.