veteran’s corner

Tom Krabbenhoft

Another anniversary has passed of 7 December 1941 – Pearl Harbor Day.

Most of us have heard the haunting tone in President Franklin Roosevelt’s voice as he proclaimed it “a day that will live in infamy.” Was he ever correct! The attack on the Hawaiian naval base led to the United States’ official entry into World War II.

However, there’s more to the story. Many theories suggest that United States diplomacy at the time forced the hand of the Axis Powers to attack the United States. Prior to its entry into the war, the United States had tried to have the best of all worlds. We were striving to maintain a delicate balance of neutrality, appeasement of isolationists, and capitalism all at once – all while supporting our allies and hindering the Axis. It was inevitable we would enter sooner or later.

The United States had been actively involved in equipping the World War machine for a long time. It was also involved in trying to make conquest by Japan and Germany more difficult, while passing several neutrality acts in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1939.

The 1935 act was basically just aimed at Italy after it invaded Ethiopia the same year. The 1936 act was written to extend the prior act to include “belligerent countries,” not including civil wars, with one coincidentally taking place in Spain at the time. The act did not ban the sale of commercial equipment like trucks, cars and other goods.

Subsequent acts widened to other countries as battle lines were being drawn. More countries were deemed belligerent, and a “cash and carry” policy was implemented. These acts were intended to make Japanese and German aggression more difficult, both economically and from a strategic goods viewpoint.

The establishment of the Flying Tigers in China in 1940 was another finger in the eye of the Japanese. Japan had invaded China in 1931. This group consisted of almost 100 P-40 Tomahawk fighter aircraft and 300 American volunteers. They defended Chinese assets, bombing and strafing the Japanese forces.

The Lend-Lease Act of early 1941 stated that the United States had the authority to lend or lease ammunition, aircraft, tanks and other materials on a deferred payment plan. Only countries deemed “vital” to the defense of the United States were eligible to receive goods. Great Britain, Russia and the underground resistance in France all started receiving weaponry. Meanwhile, the United States was still attempting to maintain its neutrality.

Interestingly the Russian asked for the B-29 bomber of Hiroshima fame in 1943, which they did not need. It was a weak attempt to obtain our top-of-the-line equipment.

North Dakota has a unique tie to the Neutrality Act. Lockheed Aircraft purchased 5,000 acres in Pembina, North Dakota, which was then turned into an airfield. They flew bombers and other aircraft there. A Canadian farmer then crossed with a team of horses and towed them across the border. The planes, staffed by Canadian pilots, then took off for European or the Pacific theaters. Six hundred aircraft were delivered this way.