Preview of Coming Attractions

[Louis N Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 4 Aug 1995, Howie Chodos wrote:
>
> Actually, Louis, I would look forward with eager anticipation to a
> full-scale elaboration of your views on this issue, even if it means being
> deprived of your regular contributions for a few days.
>
Louis Proyect:

"One problem troubled us very much. If you know that your enemy is
going to strike you, it is not usually wise to wait until he gets the jump
on you by taking the initiative. In spite of the risk involved, however,
in letting the Japanese fire the first shot, we realized that in order to
have the full support of the American people it was desirable to make
sure that the Japanese be the ones to do this so there should remain no
doubt in anyone's mind as to who were the aggressors. We discussed at
this meeting the basis on which this country's position could be most
clearly explained to our own people and to the world, in case we had to
go into the fight quickly because of some sudden move on the part of
the Japanese. WE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF A STATEMENT SUMMARIZING ALL
THE STEPS OF AGGRESSION THAT THE JAPANESE HAD ALREADY TAKEN, THE ENCIRCLEMENT
OF OUR INTERESTS IN THE PHILIPPINES WHICH WAS RESULTING AND THE THREAT TO
OUR VITAL SUPPLIES OF RUBBER FROM MALAY. I reminded
the president that on Aug. 19 [1941] he had warned the Japanese
Ambassador that if the steps which the Japanese were then taking
continued across the border into Thailand, he would regard it as a
matter affecting our safety, and suggested that he might point our that
the moves the Japanese were now apparently on the point of making
would be in fact a violation of a warning that had already been given."

(Transcript of statement made to War Cabinet by Henry Stimson in
November, 1941. Cited in Charles Beard's "President Roosevelt and the
Coming of the War"



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