Germany Declares War on US—in 1941

It was on this day, December 11, 1941, that Germany declared war upon the United States. Since Japan had bombed Pear Harbor four days earlier, Hitler knew it was a matter of time before Franklin D. Roosevelt would declare war upon the European members of the Axis that included Japan. Hitler also believed Japan to be much stronger than it was and figured they would handle the US and then could join the Reich in defeating the Russians.