Declaration of War on Nazi Germany, 1941
DECLARATION OF WAR ON NAZI GERMANY
F. D. Roosevelt to the Congress:
On the morning of December eleventh, the Government of Germany, pursuing its course of world conquest, declared war against the United States.
The long known and the long expected has thus taken place. The forces endeavoring to enslave the entire world now are moving toward this hemisphere.
Never before has there been a greater challenge to life, liberty, and civilization.
Delay invites greater danger. Rapid and united effort by all of the peoples of the world who are determined to remain free will insure a world victory of the forces of justice and of righteousness over the forces of savagery and of barbarism.
Italy also has declared war against the United States.
I therefore request the Congress to recognize a state of war between the United States and Germany, and between the United States and Italy.
The Congress, promptly and unanimously adopted the following two joint resolutions declaring a state of war between Germany and Italy and the United States:
''Whereas the Government of Germany has formally declared war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it
''Resolved, etc., That the state of war between the United States and the Government of Germany which has thus been thrust upon the United States, is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Government of Germany; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States.''
''Whereas the Government of Italy has formally declared war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it
''Resolved, etc., That the state of war between the United States and the Government of Italy which has thus been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Government of Italy; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States.''
Last update: April 29th, 2002.