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Originally Posted by Captain Nemo
lot of conspiracy theories have suggested that FDR knew in advance that the Japanese attack was about to happen and did nothing so that the USA would be drawn in to the conflict taking place in Europe
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I've noticed that none of conspiracy theories ever explain Hitler's unexpected and inexplicable decision to declare war on the United States a few days later which was the event which really drew the US in the Second World War. In the terms of his pact with Japan he was under obligation to do so only if Japan was attacked
first. Had he stayed neutral he would have had Roosevelt over a tricky political barrel trying to convince the US and Congress to join in a war in Europe after being attacked by a third party in the Pacific. Yes, Japan and Germany were technically allies, but a declaration of war by one didn't mean war with all. The Soviet Union was at war with Germany but stayed neutral with Japan until Germany was defeated.