FDR asked a lead Analyst “what could we do to instigate war with Japan” and was literally handed the list of what to do.
FDR then did exactly those things. The Japanese also had a code of Bushido and couldn’t do a surprise attack. They told us through their ambassador in DC they had declared war and would attack the western United States.
A. Make an arrangement with Britain for the use of British bases in the Pacific, particularly Singapore
B. Make an arrangement with the Netherlands for the use of base facilities and acquisition of supplies in the Dutch East Indies
C. Give all possible aid to the Chinese government of Chiang-Kai-Shek
D. Send a division of long range heavy cruisers to the Orient, Philippines, or Singapore
E. Send two divisions of submarines to the Orient
F. Keep the main strength of the U.S. fleet now in the Pacific[,] in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands
G. Insist that the Dutch refuse to grant Japanese demands for undue economic concessions, particularly oil
H. Completely embargo all U.S. trade with Japan, in collaboration with a similar embargo imposed by the British Empire
If by these means Japan could be led to commit an overt act of war, so much the better. At all events we must be fully prepared to accept the threat of war.
There is mystery and suspicion around what exactly happened - but Japan absolutely intended to declare war in person citing the flagrant disregard for seeking a common ground ( their words ). They basically said it was obvious the United States was not interested in working things out - therefore there "would be no further negotiations"
This.
Research the McCollum Memo.
FDR asked a lead Analyst “what could we do to instigate war with Japan” and was literally handed the list of what to do.
FDR then did exactly those things. The Japanese also had a code of Bushido and couldn’t do a surprise attack. They told us through their ambassador in DC they had declared war and would attack the western United States.
A. Make an arrangement with Britain for the use of British bases in the Pacific, particularly Singapore
B. Make an arrangement with the Netherlands for the use of base facilities and acquisition of supplies in the Dutch East Indies
C. Give all possible aid to the Chinese government of Chiang-Kai-Shek
D. Send a division of long range heavy cruisers to the Orient, Philippines, or Singapore
E. Send two divisions of submarines to the Orient
F. Keep the main strength of the U.S. fleet now in the Pacific[,] in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands
G. Insist that the Dutch refuse to grant Japanese demands for undue economic concessions, particularly oil
H. Completely embargo all U.S. trade with Japan, in collaboration with a similar embargo imposed by the British Empire If by these means Japan could be led to commit an overt act of war, so much the better. At all events we must be fully prepared to accept the threat of war.
Yes. The attack was planned to happen at 1:20 - 1:30 and the Ambassador of Japan supposedly was planned to delivery the declaration at 1:00PM
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/WorldWar2/memo.htm
There is mystery and suspicion around what exactly happened - but Japan absolutely intended to declare war in person citing the flagrant disregard for seeking a common ground ( their words ). They basically said it was obvious the United States was not interested in working things out - therefore there "would be no further negotiations"
The Japanese claimed they tried to message about it 2 weeks prior. I left that out.
It’s one of those things we know very little about.
If I recall the actual memo was locked under National Security law for 55 years or so.