[BroJoeK]

"You're making the assertion US wartime production would have been what it was even without US involvement in the War."

No, I'm only saying that by 1940, as the graph shows, US employment was already the highest in history to date, the Great Depression was behind us and FDR did not need more "stimulus" from yet more increased war-time production.
By 1940 the US was doing just fine economically.

So the "real reasons" for the US going to war go back to what was said at the time -- FDR wanted to help out our British, French, Dutch, Norwegian & other allies, and he especially wanted to defeat "unconditionally" the Nazi Germans.

[ealgeone]

IF, as you assert, FDR wanted to defeat the Germans he could have asked for a Declaration of War in 1939 when the British and French declared war on Germany....IF he wanted to defeat the Germans.

btw...what is the source for your employment figures?

[Vehmgericht]

“FDR wanted to help out our British, French, Dutch, Norwegian & other allies.” You left out the most important one: the Soviet Union. He was able to give them half of Europe and decisive power in the Far East.