Hitler predicts war with US
24th March 1941: The Fuhrer rages against 'Roosevelt and the Jews' and wants a 'merciless war' on sea traffic from the Unites States
On 11th March 1941 Roosevelt had signed the Lend Lease Act, providing US Aid for the supply of food, oil and munitions to Britain, Free France and the Republic of China. Although Roosevelt’s formulation was that the United States was engaged in ‘Armed Neutrality’, this was was the clearest sign yet of America’s position of opposing Hitler’s Germany.
The supply of aid to countries that were standing against Nazi Germany and Japan provided them with a lifeline. It was especially important in allowing Britain to continue the war alone in Europe. Without American munitions Britain would not have had the means to continue the war, without American food her population would have suffered severe hardships, even starvation.
The message that was sent to Hitler was unmistakeable. The practical reality of America being the ‘Arsenal of Democracy’ had daunting implications for him. The stakes were now even higher, he had to complete his war of aggression before American assistance turned the tide of war in Britain’s favour.
Major Gerhard Engel, Hitlers Army Adjutant, was present at a meeting when Hitler gave his views on the position of the United States1. Everything was seen through the prism of Hitler’s hatred for the Jews:
24 March 1941
The Lend-Lease Pact
[The Fuhrer] spoke at length and in ample terms about the Lend-Lease Pact with frequent tirades against the Americans, particularly Roosevelt. The Americans had finally let the cat out of the bag; if one wanted, one could see a justification for war in it. Without anything further he could let it lead to war [with the USA]. At the moment he did not want to talk about the matter.
Eventually there would be war with the USA. Roosevelt, and behind him Jewish high finance, wanted war and had to want war, for a German victory in Europe would bring with it enormous losses of capital for American Jews in Europe.
The unfortunate thing was that we had no aircraft capable of bombing American cities. He would very much like to bring the lesson home in this way to American Jews. This Lend-Lease legislation brought him additionally major problems.
He was in no doubt that success would only be hindered by a merciless war on sea traffic. In any case with regard to the U-boat war he would not make the same mistakes as had been made in World War I.
The subtext that Hitler blamed the ‘Jews behind Roosevelt’ was revealing of Hitler’e motivations for intensifying the Holocaust. As America became ever more closely associated with the British war effort, particularly in the Battle of the Atlantic, he would become ever more vindictive to the Jews in Europe.
