Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sidney Reilly who wrote (29086)	1/25/1999 8:16:00 PM
From: Father Terrence	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 108807

Bob: I cannot prove it, but I personally believe that no matter who was President at that time, we would have entered WWII. FT

To: Sidney Reilly who wrote (29086)	1/26/1999 2:38:00 AM
From: nihil	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

Bob, You had better consult either an alienist or a good historian. The FDR plot has been thoroughly refuted several times. It is true that the U.S. had been on war footing in the Pacific for months. It is also true that the Pacific Fleet and all other Pacific commands had received a war warning. Roosevelt, while commander in chief, operated through the normal military command structure, which delegated to commanders in the field, as always, the responsibility for the safeguarding of their troops and bases. Admiral Bloch, commander of PH Naval District, controlling US patrol planes -- conducted only a desultory, incomplete surveillance of the approaches to PH. Admiral Kimmel, CINCPACFLT, followed a peacetime routine although he had been warned. The ships kept no dawn readiness -- routine in war -- the double bottoms were opened for Sunday morn inspection, there were no keys to the ready boxes for AA ammo, submarines were contacted and sunk on Dec 7 without a general alarm, planes from the north were detected by radar, and ignored. There was no direct radio communication with Washington, the warning based on Kurusu and Nomura note severing relations was delayed for hours while RCA was transmitting it. Nothing was denied the Pacific commands. They were all asleep, including MacArthur who had been planning for this war for 30 years. The officers in command were at the greatest fault. The CINCUS and Marshall were next at fault for trusting the intelligence and readiness of their subordinates, instead of clucking over them like a hen. The master mind behind it all was Roosevelt, who couldn't handle every detail but had to trust his commanders. He and Hull had chivvied Tojo about withdrawing from China, had embargoed oil and scrap metal, had forced Japan to pull back and become peaceful or strike out desperately in a war they knew they could not win. Any one else would have backed off, but the war crowd in Japan was so in love with death that they forced everyone to go along. Yamamoto, planning his assault, said "For six months I will run considerably wild, but after that?" He knew the power that Roosevelt was building would crush them unless they killed us quick. At the same time, Roosevelt was playing a dangerous critical game in Europe. He and Churchill had agreed to save England and USSR by all means short of war. We had been fighting battles in the North Atlantic -- sinking and losing ships of our own (Reuben James). Hitler had returned to the attack on us, and was determined to crush England and Russia and to prevent our trading with and supporting them as was our right. Most of the people of America were asleep to the crisis of the world. No one but Luce cared about China. Few but some Wall Street bankers cared much about England. The communists and lefty-liberals had switched from isolation to support for Roosevelt and war when USSR was attacked. The peacetime draft passed by a single vote. Our soldier drilled with broomsticks and trucks signed "tank" in the Louisiana manuevers. A general was reprimanded because his men yelled "yoo hoo" at some girls. The German American Bund and Lindbergh and Colonel McCormick of the Chicago Tribune -- the isolationists and America Firsters -- fought rearmament and arms for England. I am sure that FDR would have tricked Japan and Germany into attacking, but it wasn't necessary. He never would have sacrificed a single sailor, soldier, or marine to start even a necessary war. That he put them in harm's way was consistent with his oath and duty. He had a world to save.