We can see now that we Americans were caught unprepared, because we were ordinary human beings, following the best advice we had at the time. No one would have guessed in 1941 that we would be attacked in such an unsportsmanlike manner as we were. No one could have visualized Pearl Harbor, either out there or in Washington. But if we had known then what we know now, we would have expected an attack in 1941.
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It could be inferred from President Roosevelt's public statements that the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had come as a complete surprise to his administration - that it had not been, and could not have been, anticipated. . . . 'The United States was at peace with that Nation Japan and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic relations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack. It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.'
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
The presidency is not merely an administrative office. It is pre-eminently a place of moral leadership.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
They (who) seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by a handful of individual rulers ...call this a new order. It is not new and it is not order.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
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Based on Topics: Time QuotesBased on Keywords: guessed, unprepared, unsportsmanlike, visualized
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