T he W ar on T error : F orgotten L essons F rom W orld W ar II

Setting Priorities In World War II, the Roosevelt administration believed that Nazi Germany was its most dangerous opponent. Administration officials reasoned that only Germany could possibly conquer Great Britain, and Britain’s demise would open the whole Atlantic region to German dominion and leave the United States dangerously exposed. The administration therefore adopted a “Germany First” strategy, under which it focused its power first against Germany, while only checking Japan in Asia; and concentrated on defeating Japan only after Germany was beaten.3