Fdr Speech Before Pearl Harbor Essay

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan”1 Franklin Roosevelt declared in his speech to congress, urging a declaration of war upon Japan. However, the tragedy that is Pearl Harbor lacked the suddenness that FDR emphasized in his speech. Instead the former president knew what the Japanese had planned, he knew precisely where and when the Japan would attack American territory, he knew what the events would lead to. In 1941 the world was at war and America had signed the Neutrality Act. However, FDR had already violated the treaty without the consent of congress, by sending equipment to England because

First of all he waged an economic war against Japan. then FDR froze all Japanese assets, an act that not only destabilized the American economy every time that it happened, but is often done against countries that Washington wishes to declare against, for example nearly every country but Nicaragua that America has froze the assets of received a declaration of war with soon after. Not only did FDR just freeze the assets of Japan but he closed the Panama Canal to the entire country. And one by one Washington D.C. halted exports until a full embargo was in affect against Japan. Because of this Japan starved for vital recourses like steel and oil. 90% of all Japanese oil came from America so the Japanese had no choice but to respond.2 FDR provoked Japan into attacking for their very

Months before the event Ambassador Konya sent a peace treaty to FDR. RDR flat out ignored him. The ambassador attempted again to ratify the peace treaty. Tokyo itself begged FDR to accept. Also the U.S. ambassador Joseph Grew urged FDR to accept the treaty as well. However, FDR ignored the message. “At a Nov. 25 meeting of FDR’s war council, Secretary of War Henry Stimson’s notes speak of the prevailing consensus: ‘The question was how we should maneuver them (the Japanese) into … firing the first shot without allowing too much danger to ourselves.’”2 The same article also quoted the Navy Secretary at the time Frank Knox in saying, “we can wipe the Japanese off the map in three months.”2 After seeing that Washington would not accept peace, Japan attacked to regain precious oil. By leading the country during WWII, FDR gained glory. However, as the American Conservative put it, “Unfortunately, he achieved his glory over the corpses of tens of thousands of American servicemen and several million Japanese citizens.”2 FDR could have achieved peace but he rejected the treaty for his own personal