[PzLdr]

The war was always about Russia, from Hitler's point of view. That's where the Lebensraum was, and where, in his opinion, the future of Germany lay. Almost everything done diplomatically by Germany in the latter half of the ‘30s was done to that end, including a rebuffed offer to prewar Poland to join the Axis, in return for Danzig, the Corridor, and free passage for German troops to the Soviet Union.

Hitler ordered the initial preparations for BARBAROSSA in June of 1940, BEFORE the French sued for an armistice. So Russia was always going to be a war objective.

As for the U.S, Hitler probably initially saw that as a more distant opponent, after victory in Europe, consolidation, and further rearmament. But U.S actions, and belligerence [in practice] no doubt moved his calculations forward, and Japan's initial surge probably tipped the scales for then as opposed to later.

[deadmenvote]

I like your analysis,

thank you Homer for this info. read it daily