The United States was suddenly plunged in the worldwide conflict known as the Second World War by an attack on the naval base at Hawaii. The nation and a majority of its citizens had preferred to stay out of the wars in Europe and Asia. After Dec. 7, 1941 the nation had no choice.The new year 1942 opened darkly—as Axis forces were on the march across the globe and American forces were either in retreat or trying desperately to organize for battle. Amid all the Allied worries was one whether other nations in the Americas would join the Axis, which if they did in Central and South America would isolate the U.S. and Canada, as well as provide bases for Nazi and Axis sea and land forces. At the same time, an "ally"— Soviet Russia — the USSR, was battling Nazi forces, it was spying on its principal ally, the U.S. with the assistance of some Americans who became traitors because of their faith in world communism. The year 1942 was perilous, a very dark year.