fascinating. we forget that france was more of an ally to germany in war than otherwise. i am constantly amazed at the fact that japan was well into the planning of pearl harbor while negotiating with the US. that just blows my mind and makes you wonder about any negotiation in the international sphere.
does anyone know if roosevelt had assessed the possibility of war with japan and what washington thought the liklihood and timing was?
By an amazing coincidence BroJoeK addressed just that on a post this morning on yesterday's thread. I shall attempt to duplicate it here:
Lonesome in Massachussets: "What could possibly go wrong?"
If you assume (and why would you?) that FDR wanted to avoid war at all costs, then obviously, everything went wrong.
But that assumption would be incorrect.
In fact, Roosevelt wanted to do everything he could, short of declared war, to help the allies and prepare Americans for all-out war.
As for declaring war on the Axis powers, Roosevelt knew that could never happen -- and he had promised voters it would never happen -- short of a major attack on the US.
No, some U-boat sinkings of US ships in the Atlantic would not do it.
It had to be a major attack, and the enemy must commit the first overt act of war.
So how was all this going to happen?
Well, there was a plan, called the Eight Action Plan, developed by US naval intelligence (Cmdr. Arthur McCollum).
The plan was intended to provoke the Japanese into war, and one-by-one, FDR executed McCollum's eight actions.
The result, as intended, was war.
Of course, whether FDR & company knew or suspected specifically that Japan intended to attack the fleet at Pearl Harbor is still hotly debated -- i.e., CougarGA7 and I will no doubt go at this one again before December 7.
But the fact that FDR needed and wanted a major enemy attack on US assets -- major enough to declare that "a state of war has existed" -- is beyond dispute, imho.
So, nothing "went wrong."
FDR's plans, brilliantly conceived and flawlessly executed, produced just the results he intended.