I thought I would add this in because tomorrow is Dec 7, the anniversary of the sneak attack by the Japanese Navy on Pearl Harbor.
Roosevelt wrote a last ditch letter to the Emperor of Japan
Quote:
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President Roosevelt wrote a personal appeal to Emperor Hirohito to avoid war between the United States and Japan. "Developments are occurring in the Pacific area which threaten to deprive each of our Nations and all humanity of the beneficial influence of the long peace between our two countries." the president wrote. "Those developments contain tragic possibilities ... I address myself to Your Majesty at this moment in the fervent hope that Your Majesty may, as I am doing, give thought in this definite emergency to ways of dispelling the dark clouds. I am confident that both of us, for the sake of the peoples not only of our own great countries but for the sake of humanity in neighboring territories, have a sacred duty to restore traditional amity and prevent further death and destruction in the world."[1
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6 Japanese fleet carriers carrying a total of about 120 Japanese Zero's a compliment of about 100 Val dive bombers and about 150 Kate Torpedo Bombers were closing in on their early morning launch position to attack Pearl Harbor.
Meanwhile 5 I boats each carrying a mini sub closed to within 10 miles of the entrance to Pearl.
The Japanese flight crews were stood down except for standard patrols and rested and fed.