Notes on Pearl Harbor: Did FDR Know?

  • Background of Pearl Harbor Attack

  • Date: December 7, 1941, at 7:55 a.m.

  • Event: Japanese air assault on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

  • Casualties: 2403 Americans dead, eight battleships crippled or destroyed, 188 planes damaged.

  • Immediate Impact: United the American public against Japan, shattered U.S. isolationism, and led to America's entry into WWII.

  • Public Reaction: Shock, anger, and humiliation; heavy criticism directed at Japanese deceitful negotiations leading up to the attack.

  • Initial Responses and Investigations

  • National confusion and anger at military preparedness.

  • Post-attack comments reflected disbelief at the lack of preparation (e.g., Henry Morgenthau's statements).

  • Congress initiated its own investigation examining Roosevelt's potential knowledge of the attack.

    • Duration: November 1945 - July 1946.
    • Findings: Use of "Magic," American intelligence had broken Japanese codes, revealing intentions for Southeast Asia.
    • Result: No prior knowledge of the attack at a governmental level; responsibility attributed to commanders in Hawaii.

  • Two Schools of Thought

  • Orthodox View

    • Acknowledges mistakes in Washington.
    • Attributes significant blame to Admiral Kimmel (Naval Commander) and General Short (Army Commander).
    • They were warned of imminent war but failed to prepare adequately.

  • Revisionist View

    • Critiques Roosevelt's administration, suggesting he had prior knowledge and allowed the attack to provoke entry into war.
    • Key ideas include:
    • Roosevelt's diplomatic strategies as deceptive.
    • The concept of a back-door entry into WWII.
    • No solid evidence supports the claim that Roosevelt deceived military leaders.

  • Detailed Examinations of Evidence

  • Gordon W. Prange

    • Chief contributor to the orthodox view; concluded there was no conspiracy.
    • Based findings on extensive interviews with both American and Japanese officials involved in the attack.

  • John Toland

    • Pulitzer Prize-winning revisionist author who argued Roosevelt welcomed the attack.
    • Presented controversial evidence including claims of undisclosed signals to Japanese forces and ignored radio traffic by U.S. personnel.

  • Criticism of Revisionism

    • Lack of definitive evidence supporting conspiracy claims.
    • Assertions based often on insinuation rather than facts.
    • Counter-arguments based on common sense, such as risks involved with a potential plotting by Roosevelt against military interests.

  • Factors Leading to Surprise Attack

  • U.S. perception of Japan: Underestimation of Japanese military capabilities due to racial attitudes.

  • Misleading intelligence assessments focused on Southeast Asian threats rather than the Pacific.

  • Poor communication and lack of comprehensive war preparedness.

  • Human errors in response to warnings (e.g., radar operator disregarded alerts).

  • Conclusion on Pearl Harbor Attack

  • Summary: The Pearl Harbor attack resulted from a combination of inaccuracies in American intelligence, incorrect assumptions about Japan, and various blunders.

  • Enduring legacy of conspiracy theories likely due to the complexity and confusion surrounding the events of that day.

  • Verdict on Roosevelt's knowledge: Based on available evidence, Roosevelt was uninformed about the attack's timing and details—surprised just like the rest of America.