07-12-2010, 06:25 AM
According to recent books FDR was well aware of the attack in advance since the Japanese code had been broken. And in fact he had provoked the Japanese into attacking, by blocking their access to oil, since he could not provoke Hitler into attacking so needed a back door into the war. On one hand he had promised the US would not enter a foreign war. On the other hand he wanted to help Churchill fight the Nazis. The solution to the dilemma--an outrageous "unprovoked" attack against the US on its own soil.
By some accounts FDR was stunned at the high number of casualties from the attack.
By some accounts FDR was stunned at the high number of casualties from the attack.