December 11

1941 - Germany declared war on the United States, bringing America, which had been neutral, into the European conflict.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor surprised even Germany. Although Hitler made an oral agreement with his Axis partner Japan that Germany would join a war against the United States, he was uncertain as to how the war would be engaged. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor answered that question.

On December 8, Japanese Ambassador Oshima went to German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop to nail the Germans down on a formal declaration of war against America. Von Ribbentrop stalled for time; he knew Germany was under no obligation to do this under the terms of the Tripartite Pact, which promised help if Japan was attacked, but not if Japan was the aggressor. Von Ribbentrop feared the addition of another antagonist, the United States, would overwhelm the German war effort. But Hitler thought otherwise.

Nice guess Adolph.

The Allies were lucky this nut took over control of the German armed forces, dragging them down with the 'Fuhrer Principle' (all major, and many minor, decisions could only be made by the Austrian Corporal)...It would have been much more difficult to defeat Germany had their military people been in charge with the ability to make reasonable tactical and strategic decisions.

Also, why didn't the U.S. declare war on Germany on Dec. 8 (as it did with Japan)?...I wonder if we would have stayed out had Hitler not jumped the gun. Hmmm!

1620 - 103 'Mayflower Pilgrims' landed at Plymouth Rock.

They left England searching for religious freedom...And must be rolling over in their graves seeing what is going on in modern-day America, with Liberals trying to destroy religion in America.

1972 - Challenger, the Lunar Lander for Apollo 17, touched down on the Moon's surface. It was the last time man visited the Moon. The last two to walk on the surface of the moon were Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan.

We must return...Our Manifest Destiny did not end at the Pacific Ocean.

2006 - The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said it granted the U.S. and Russia a five-year extension to the 2007 deadline for destroying their chemical weapon stockpiles. The Chemicals Weapons Convention which went into effect in April 1997. Extensions were also granted to India and Libya as well as one country that requested anonymity.

Call me a skeptic, but I highly doubt any country which had/has chemical weapons is fulfilling their agreement on this matter...Including the U.S.