On December 7, 1941, in an unexpected and sudden move, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, drawing the United States into the until now neutral world war . On December 8, just hours after the attack, the United States of America declared war on the Empire of Japan. Germany and Italy then declared war on America, but the United States also had its allies in Britain, Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. , and temporarily China. When the United States entered World War II, the Allies were at a serious disadvantage, with France under German control, Britain under siege, and the USSR trying to repel the German invaders. North Africa was under German and Italian control. The Allies' initial strategy was to win the war in Europe first, then work in North Africa and the South Pacific. America wanted to attack Germany first and try to get to the root of the problem directly. In late December 1941, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill and their top advisors met in Washington, DC. The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) was established, a high-level Anglo-American military committee based in Washington. Its objective was to create, develop and execute common strategies. General George C. Marshall of the United States Army wanted to gather troops and munitions in England and then cross the English Channel to northwest Europe, thereby regaining control from the Nazis. The problem was that the United States could not take much action in Europe in early 1942 because it had no troops stationed there and was still building up its army/navy and convert American industry into a developed war machine. American and British strategists disagreed, but ultimately, President R...... middle of paper ... nevertheless, German resistance was strong. The Allies held their position and around a million troops were in France a month later, in July. In August, Paris was liberated from the control of Nazi Germany. France was completely recaptured by the Allies in September. During a major and famous battle, the Battle of the Bulge, the Germans launched a surprise counterattack, creating a bulge in the Allied lines. After months of hard fighting, the Allies pushed back the bulge, resulting in heavy casualties and casualties for the Axis powers. On May 7, 1945, the Germans surrendered when Berlin was taken by Soviet forces and Hitler committed suicide in his bunker. After two atomic bombs and the threat of another, Japan officially and unconditionally surrendered on September 2, 1945 aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Harbor. World War II was over. The Allies' strategy worked.