There is little doubt that FDR wanted to get us into WW2. He saw that as a necessity, and he was right.
But here’s the thing. FDR had a special fondness for the Navy. He had once been Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He carried out that job with vigor.
So I could see him maybe hanging the Philippines out as bait. But the fleet at Pearl Harbor? Nope, not buying it.
You’re exactly right — FDR was keen to drag the US into the war, and he used a blockade of Japan to create the necessary provocation. I’ve read that FDR wasn’t at all surprised by Japan’s attack, but he was surprised that they attacked Pearl Harbor. Reportedly when aides rushed in to tell him about the attack, he replied “Pearl?! They attacked Pearl?!”
Neither do I.
FDR was not so keen on getting into WW2 until the precious socialist utopia USSR was attacked, then he was all in. Same for the leftists in Britain. Germany and USSR had sighed a non-aggression pact. So the Brit leftists were not all that supportive until June 22, 1941, when Hitler violated the pact and the National Socialists invaded the Communist socialists. Then they were all united. “Papa Joe” Stalin was their favorite socialist, the great Soviet utopia had to be saved.
“The seduction of Marxism is especially acute among the western secular intellectuals. It’s lethal history largely ignored. Marxism is the opiate of the intellectual” - Stefan Molyneux
I don’t believe it either.
FDR probably thought the Japanese could not do too much to actually hurt the USA.
My supposition is he was surprised at the amount of damage they did.