Maybe it was changed, but the declaration doesn’t throw away the mongolian bonus last I checked. Only movement into the specified territories does, DOW regardless. What the Soviet destroyer blocks is SZ 6 units from going to Pearl. It seems like the best way to prevent the US from getting 10 trns to gibraltar would be to take Hawaii, but the DD prevents that, not that it was a super move anyways.
The combined US/UK fleets gave Germany 0 chance of attacking the American fleet. Gibraltar was stacked with ftrs, so bombing was not a realistic option either. Allies had 1 BB, 2 CA, 1 CV, 1 Ftr, 3 DD, 2 sub, +3 scrambles. They could have had more brit ships if they wanted.
US moved 2 transports from the pac to 89 US 1, that’s how they got 10 by Gibraltar US 2.
Maybe if Japan doesn’t head south, and then waits for the US to buy the trns, they can take hawaii, but Japan was not able to challenge Hawaii J2 or 3, even though the US moved 1 carrier to 89. That would then mean of course Japan can’t get rich as fast. However, Japan would need quite a lot to take hawaii anyways, since the US had 2 inf 1 mech 1 art 1 aa 2 ftr 3 tac (2 more ftr if ANZAC sends 2). Navally, they had 3 CA, 4 DD, 3 Sub, 1 CV, 2 ftr (including Anzac) and of course there are three scrambles on top of that, and USA can block instead/too. How, other than starting in Algeria, are German planes going to even get to 91?
After US moves to 91, they buy pretty much all Pac US 2 onward until their defense is golden. ANZAC starts out with a lot more than it seems, and buys defensively. Japan doesn’t have a prayer of winning before US defends the pac while it creates major headaches in Europe, delaying the success of Barbarossa and forcing Italy to go very defensive. If Japan is in a position to take Pearl J2 with this US buy, then it seems they are not at all in a position to do much of anything else, especially get income down South.
IMO USA starts out with far, far too many land units.