What was J. Edgar Hoover's position on counter-espionage? I thought he kept strict control over how his enforcement resources were used.
I think it's fair to say that Hoover was not then a completely independent actor. His priorities would have reflected Roosevelt's.
They were clearly concerned about Nazis, and apparently not concerned about Communists.
But I'm not 100% certain of this, so I ask the question: does anyone know of examples where Hoover or anyone else chased down Communist spies before or during the war?