FDR's foreknowledge of a Japanese attack

[Vir0n]

An area of continued debate in American history is just how much the FDR administration knew about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened. Some say the US deliberately provoked it. Others say FDR "allowed" it to happen. What are your thoughts and why?

[PADDYBOY]

I have no idea, but i really like to paricipate in polls. :D

[Nick]

He knew there would be a Japanese attack but didn't know they'd target Pearl Harbor.

[POTUS]

I think he knew something was going to happen, but not when or where. I think he was hoping for something to happen so he would have a good reason that congress and the people would accept for war. If he had known he would have at least built up Pearl Harbor a little so it wouldn't be such a terrable defeat, and loose so many battle ships.

[Soldiers Valhala]

The way I see it is... there was so much noise coming through the wire, I conjecture that an attack was reported to be imminent very often.

[HistoryBuff7]

They always thought that there was a possibility of an attack but it was considered so daring that they thought that it would never happen.

[Bucephalus]

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was so audacious that its scope took FDR's administration by surprise. While an attack of some sort, somewhere, was not unexpected, a massive carrier-borne aerial assault to try to wipe out our entire Pacific fleet while it was at harbor was something that Washington had not envisioned.

We had plenty of intelligence that forewarned of an imminent attack, but we made the ancient mistake of underestimating our potential enemy...

[Lucius]

Japanese carrier attacks against the Phillippines were expected. Japanese sabotage attacks against Hawaii were expected. The incredible audacity of the carrier attacks on Pearl Harbor caused many Americans to believe that attacks on California would be next.

[lindamarshall]

It wasn't only Roosevelt.

J Edgar Hoover ALSO knew about the attack as did the Soviet intelligence services.

[tjadams]

I think he knew something was going to happen, but not when or where....

I agree. The entire planet knew what the Japanese had been doing.

[Richard Stanbery]

Is it plausible that the leaders in the US thought that the IJN might try to attack the Phillipeans, and try to lay an ambush for the US fleet as it rushed to the aid?

Im thinking that the Mahan doctrine would be the supposed battle plan of the IJN, and Washington was expecting something like that more than a surprise raid on Oahu.

[mlipo]

I think Churchill received intelligence and knew exactly when and where the attack was coming, but didn't tell FDR because he knew it was the only way to get the US fully into the war.




;)