FDR & Pearl Harbor

[Taylor]

What did FDR know about Pearl Harbor before 12/7/41? I believe he knew there was a chance Japan would most likely attack but chose to sit back and wait until they attacked rather than invade Japan first. Does anyone else have a take on this? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/computer2.gif

[ChatterBug]

Well, America was isolationist back then, so he would not have invaded Japan because of a threat. Also, if he knew that Pearl would be attacked, he would not have been able to invade Japan, because he would have had to mobilize the fleet, then travel the entire pacific just to get there. There would have been no chance for him to attack first, Pearl would have been hit anyway since Japan would have had a head start.

[ThomasMore]

I have strong reservations about the theory.

The best exposition of the argument that "FDR knew about the impending attack, or deliberately provoked it" that I have read, was written by Robert Stinnett and titled Day of Deceit (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743201299/qid=1080356877/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-9244710-2970257?v=glance&s=books&n=507846).

But also be sure to read this review (http://www.usncva.org/books/book-10.html#top) of Stinnett's book, from the U.S Naval Cryptologic Veterans' Association -- the very people who would best know and understand the business of signals intelligence and how intelligence is processed. This group's main website is found at www.usncva.org. (http://www.usncva.org.)

[Beowulf]

Pearl Harbor, too many, was inevitible. As a protest to Japan's invasion of China in 1937, shipments of metal and fuel were cut and eventually ended. At the time, we were their only source of fuel. Japan's answer was to invade Indochina which was rich in sources of fuel and rubber. Yes, the US tried Isolationism but between that and cutting off Japan, much antipathy was built up in Japan, unbeknowest to the US.

And the attack itself could have been very different. Radar was in it's infancy and detected the inbound fighters. A young Lieutenant dismissed them as a flight of B-17's inbound on a weekly supply route from California.
Also, 4 midget man submarines were found around Pearl Harbor hours before the attack. Another warning sign ignored even if all 4 were dealt with in some way.

I could go on. If you want a good book on Pearl Harbor, go find "At Dawn We Slept" by Gordon W. Prang. I've read it twice and it has full maps and info on the attack. You will learn much.

[Taylor]

I'll have to check out that book sometime.

[Turret Gunner A20]

I'll have to check out that book sometime.

I think it is "THE" book on the subject. It follows the events leading up to the attack almost day by day -- on both sides.

The movie Tora! Tora! Tora! follows the book quite closely, and is THE movie that gives the closest to the accurate story.

Great reading and viewing.

[Taylor]

I don't think FDR actually knew about Pearl harbor but I do think he did everything he could to provoke it while lying to the American people and telling parents their boys wouldn't go to war.

[BuckeyeMike]

He (FDR) and Winnie wanted us in the war............they got us in the war!

[DesertFox]

Actually, the Japanese got us in the war.

[nene]

The world needed us to be in the war.

[Republican_Legion]

Watch the movie "PATTON" and turn on the Commentary and u'll learn that patton predicted Pearl harbor and that he actually wrote a report to G2 intel about it , and like 911 they didnt take it serious .