December 11, 1941
Hitler Declares War on the United States
Historical context
On this day, December 11, 1941, Germany declared war on the United States, four days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Archive record
Read the event, then follow its documented sources and archive threads.
- Date
- December 11, 1941
- Verified sources
- 1
- Archive threads
- 6
On this day, Germany declared that it was at war with the United States. The National WWII Museum records that Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop told the American chargé d'affaires in Berlin that morning. That afternoon Adolf Hitler addressed the Reichstag at the Kroll Opera House. Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor four days earlier.
Hitler's speech blamed Franklin Roosevelt and attacked Jews. He pointed to the Tripartite Pact with Italy and Japan. The United States Congress answered with its own declaration of war against Germany.
Research trail
Sources and further reading
- Hitler's Declaration of War on the United States · The National WWII Museum · The National WWII Museum View source
Share this history
Support the work
If this history matters to you, you can support Jewish Original.