if and when the United States would get involved, the army could only gather a mere one hundred thousand, when the French, Russian and Japanese armies numbered in millions. Its weapons dated from the first World War and were no match compared to the new artillery that Germany and its allies had. American soldiers were more at home with the horse than with the tank (Overy 273). The air force was just as bad if not worse. In September 1939 the Air Corps had only 800 combat aircrafts again compared with Germanys 3600 and Russias 10,000 . American military Aviation (AMA) in 1938 was able to produce only 1,800, 300 less than Germany, and 1,400 less than Japan. Major Eisenhower, who was later Supreme commander of the Allied forces in the second World War, complained that America was left with only a shell of military establishment (Chapman 234 ). As was evident to Roosevelt the United states military was in no way prepared to enter this European crisis.Another aspect that we have to consider is the peoples views and thoughts regarding the United States going to war. After all let us not forget that the American government is there for the people and by the people and therefore the peoples view did play a major role in this declaration of Neutrality. In one of Roosevelts fireside chats he said We shun political commitments which might entangle us In foreign wars...If we face the choice of profits or peace-this nation must answer, the nation will answer we choose peace ,in which they did. A poll taken in 1939 revealed that ninety-four per cent of the citizens did not want the united states to enter the war. The shock of World War one had still not left ,and entering a new war, they felt, would be foolish. In the early stages of the war American Ambassador to London was quoted saying Its the end of the world, the end of everything ( Overy 261). As Richard Overy notes in The Road To War, this growing estrangement from Europe was not mere selfis...
