Hmmm...well, maybe I will go and see it.

I believe the FDR administration was entirely aware that war with Japan was coming imminently, but I do not think they ever dreamed Japan could mount a major attack on Pearl Harbour, nor were they aware of the very high expertise of the Japanese naval air squadrons (which were the most highly trained units of their kind in the world at that time).

They were expecting the Japanese to attack the Phillipines, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia, but not Pearl. The only thing they were seriously worried about at Pearl was sabotage by local Japanese agents in Hawaii, and sniping by Japanese submarines. Thus, they moved all the airplanes into tight groups on the fields that could be well guarded from saboteurs, and they stepped up the anti-submarine patrols (which did bag at least one Japanese minisub prior to the air attack).

Admiral Yamamoto was indeed very reluctant to go to war with the USA, and he resisted the notion...until given the actual order to proceed by his superiors in the Army cabinet. Typical Japanese honour system. Once given the order, even if you have the gravest doubts, you carry it out with absolute devotion to duty, regardless of consequence.

This was seen again and again during the Pacific war, and it led to the tragic and unnecessary deaths of a great many good men on both sides of the conflict.

It's true that the ordinary public was given very scanty information. My mother said that a lot of people were afraid the Japanese might invade the West coast of the USA and Canada. To think such a thing was to totally fail to understand the strategic realities of the situation.

- LH