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Reacting to Pearl Harbor
December 07, 1941
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These are examples of poll data Gallup collected to assess Americans’ views about the European War between April and October of 1941. By this point, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had established his Lend-Lease policy. In September, in the wake of the Greer incident, Roosevelt ordered U.S. ships to protect British convoys carrying American goods overseas and to shoot on sight any German submarines or ships discovered in American-controlled waters. In announcing each policy, Roosevelt asked for the nation’s support. Gallup polled Americans to determine their reactions to these developments.
We have edited Gallup’s presentation of the data he collected. On two occasions (the April 25 and October 8 polls), Gallup excluded the “no opinion” or “decline to respond” option when calculating the percentages for other possible responses. To avoid confusion, we provide the “no opinion” data for these two polls in footnotes.
April 1941
Do you think the United States should send part of our army to Europe to help the British?
April 21, 1941
Yes 17% No 79% No opinion 4%
Do you think the United States should send part of our air force with American pilots to Europe to help the British?
April 21, 1941
Yes 24% No 69% No opinion 7%
Do you think the United States should send part of our warships manned by American sailors to Europe to help the British?
April 21, 1941
Yes 27% No 67% No opinion 6%
Should the United States Navy be used to guard ships carrying war materials to Britain?
April 23, 1941
National Response
Yes 41% No 50% No opinion 9%
By Region
New England
Yes 41% No 49% No opinion 10%
Middle Atlantic
Yes 41% No 49% No opinion 10%
East Central
Yes 35% No 56% No opinion 9%
West Central
Yes 33% No 58% No opinion 9%
South
Yes 59% No 30% No opinion 11%
West
Yes 42% No 52% No opinion 6%
If it appears that Britain will be defeated unless we use part of our navy to protect ships going to Britain, would you favor or oppose such convoys?
April 23, 1941
Favor 71% Oppose 21% No opinion 8%
National Response
Which side do you think will win the war—Germany and Italy, or England?
April 25, 1941
Germany & Italy 11% England 57% Stalemate 8% No opinion 24%
Do you think Britain should try to get together with Germany to work out some sort of peace, or do you think Britain should go on fighting?1
April 25, 1941
Make peace 29% Go on fighting 71%
Do you think the United States will go into the war with Europe sometime before it’s over, or do you think we will stay out of the war?
April 27, 1941
Will go in 82% Will stay out 18%
If you were asked to vote today on the question of the United States entering the war against Germany and Italy, how would you vote—to go into the war, or to stay out of the war?
April 28, 1941
Go in 19% Stay out 81%
If it appeared certain that there was no other way to defeat Germany and Italy except for the United States to go to war against them, would you be in favor of the United States going to war?
April 28, 1941
Yes 68% No 24% No opinion 8%
May 1941
Are you familiar with the views which Charles Lindbergh has expressed concerning American foreign policy?
May 9, 1941
Yes 58% No 42%
Asked of those who responded in the affirmative: Do you agree or disagree with what Charles Lindbergh says?
May 9, 1941
Agree 24% Disagree 63% No opinion 13%
If Canada is actually invaded by any European power, do you think the United States should use its army and navy to aid Canada?
May 10, 1941
Yes 90% No 5% No opinion 5%
September 1941
Do you approve or disapprove of having the United States shoot at German submarines or warships on sight?
September 26, 1941
Approve 56% Disapprove 34% No opinion 10%
October 1941
Should the Neutrality Act be changed to permit American merchant ships with American crews to carry war materials to Britain?
October 1, 1941
National Response
Yes 46% No 40% No opinion 14%
Democrats
Yes 51% No 33% No opinion 16%
Republicans
Yes 42% No 48% No opinion 10%
In general, do you approve or disapprove of having the United States Navy shoot at German submarines or warships on sight?
October 3, 1941
Approve 62% Disapprove 28% No opinion 10%
So far as you personally are concerned, do you think President Roosevelt has gone too far in his policies of helping Britain, or not far enough?2
October 8, 1941
Too far 27% About right 57% Not far enough 16%
Conversation-based seminars for collegial PD, one-day and multi-day seminars, graduate credit seminars (MA degree), online and in-person.