FWIW, Admiral Leahy who was present with Richardson at the meeting with FDR said "I am surprised also to hear Richardson's recollection that the President said he would not go to war if they, if the Japanese, invaded the Philippines.
From my knowledge of the President and my relations with him in the matter of war for the preceding years I feel quite sure that if the Japanese had invaded the Philippines, which was then under our Government, the President would have recommended a declaration of war. [923]
Senator FERGUSON. In other words, you had conversations with the President that brings you now to this answer that if the Japs had invaded the Philippines he would have recommended to Congress that we go to war?
Admiral LEAHY. That is my thought from a very intimate knowledge of what the President was thinking about and doing.
Senator FERGUSON. Yes.
Admiral LEAHY. I cannot believe that he would not have recommended war if the Japanese had invaded our territory.
Now maybe Admiral Leahy's memory wasn't perfect or he had a motive to distort the facts--but the same may be said about Admiral Richardson. In any event, in determining whether the US would have gone to war if the Philippines had been attacked, one alleged statement by FDR, of whose exact contents we cannot be sure- --and which if made, was made in October 1940, well over a year before the start of the Pacific War--simply cannot be decisive.
From my knowledge of the President and my relations with him in the matter of war for the preceding years I feel quite sure that if the Japanese had invaded the Philippines, which was then under our Government, the President would have recommended a declaration of war. [923]
Senator FERGUSON. In other words, you had conversations with the President that brings you now to this answer that if the Japs had invaded the Philippines he would have recommended to Congress that we go to war?
Admiral LEAHY. That is my thought from a very intimate knowledge of what the President was thinking about and doing.
Senator FERGUSON. Yes.
Admiral LEAHY. I cannot believe that he would not have recommended war if the Japanese had invaded our territory.
Hearings
books.google.com
Now maybe Admiral Leahy's memory wasn't perfect or he had a motive to distort the facts--but the same may be said about Admiral Richardson. In any event, in determining whether the US would have gone to war if the Philippines had been attacked, one alleged statement by FDR, of whose exact contents we cannot be sure- --and which if made, was made in October 1940, well over a year before the start of the Pacific War--simply cannot be decisive.
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