It is often claimed that Hitler attacked the United States in ignorance or in spite of its immense power. This is not so. As we have seen, he declared war on the United States because of its colossal industrial and demographic potential. In late 1941, the Führer saw a narrow window of opportunity not to defeat the United States outright but to create a self-sufficient Axis bloc strong enough to withstand it. Otherwise, he risked gradual strangulation.
