Was WW2 based on deceit & lies?

Another aside

There were American volunteers - fighting already - and Asian culture brands the many by the actions of the few - that's why shame and honour are real powerful

Also the US or factions within was supplying "surplus" military equipment by dropping it off just across the border. The US supplied a lot of equipment and took our military scientists in return

Avro forever!

 

You are making an excellent case on this issue and I, for one, would support the ascribing of these motives to FDR.

 

I think it is very important to note that the Japanese were involved in very aggressive expansionism in the Far East, and were known for their butchery of the peoples they conquered. More than a million Chinese civilians had been ruthlessly tortured and killed by the Japanese Army in their war in China (so much so that some Nazi observers we sickened by it and even secretly aided some Chinese people).

These measures were intended to cripple the Japanese military machine (cut off their oil) and prevent the Japanese from overrunning the British bases since Britain was very distracted by a fight for its survival with Hitler. It was the 1941 version of sanctions.

 

And FDR was right to try to peacably stop the aggression of the Japanese through the use of these pressures. The Japanese weren't minding their own business until we made things difficult for them... they were invading, torturing, killing and destroying other countries, especially China. How could we ignore that?

I'm not a fan of FDR by any means, but he was absolutely right on this.