Is it proven that the president of the United States knew about impending attack on Pearl Harbor, and did nothing?

by Hanzo44
DBHT14

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8gvnlv/my_teacher_brought_up_the_other_day_that_america/dyf4goy/

You may be interested in one of the previous answers Ive written on this topic.

In brief to expand it wasnt really a surprise in general that war broke out in the Pacific, for 30 years leaders on both sides had been making plans. But that US senior leadership, including FDR, had fore knowledge of the specifics including an attack on Oahu, doesnt hold much water.

While documents like the Plan DOG Memo, and actions like moving the fleet full time from San Diego to Hawaii, trade an economic embargoes, etc show a clear political calculus in putting the fleet in position to be ready for war and a desire to posture to Japan, there simply wasnt a totality of intel gathering available to the US in late 1941 that could paint an accurate picture of IJN intentions. Nor should we undersell IJN counter intelligence and concealment efforts. They managed to hide the fact that the better part of their main striking power was at sea under strict radio silence in a stretch of the North Pacific that is almost unbelievably vast and empty.

While even if we take it at face value that FDR had decided he was going to force one of the Axis powers to punch first to better bring out American support the specifics dont make sense then for him not doing anything about Pearl Harbor. He was a navy man through and through, to risk the main body of his most potent naval tool at the outset of a war in the Pacific that they would have to carry the larger burden for isnt a great plan.