...and then waited until December 8, 1941 to declare war against Japan...
...so as to induce Hitler to declare war on us on December 11...
...so that we, already at war with Japan (for three whole days) could finally turn around and declare war on Germany in order to help the USSR.
That FDR was one clever sumbitch, I'll tell you what.
***...so as to induce Hitler to declare war on us on December 11... ****
We were already in an undeclared war with Germany when the Japs attacked Pearl Harbor.
Have you heard of that ship the good RUBEN JAMES? Sunk by a German U-boat on October 23, 1941.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Reuben_James_%28DD-245%29
http://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Sinking_Of_The_Reuben_James.htm