Pearl Harbor: The Seeds and Fruits of Infamy - Ludwig von Mises ...

The Countdown Begins 187
Th e Japanese ambassador pointed out that “wars never settle
anything and that war in the Pacifi c would be a tragedy.” But he
added that
the Japanese people believe that the United States wants to
keep Japan fi ghting with China and to keep Japan strangled.
He said that the Japanese people feel that they are faced with
the alternative of surrendering to the United States or of fi ghting.
. . .
Th e Ambassadors said that they understood the Secretary’s
position in the light of his statements and they would report
the matter to the Japanese Government. 11
Japanese Troop Movements Portend
Early Attack in Far East
By the end of the month, Captain Arthur H. McCollum,
offi cer-in-charge of the Far Eastern Section of the Navy
Department’s Division of Naval Intelligence in Washington, had
become seriously concerned by the massive Japanese military
buildup in Indochina and the preparations being made for their
reinforcement. 12 McCollum’s
duties consisted of evaluating all forms of intelligence received
concerning the Far East, correlating it, and advising the
Director of Naval Intelligence and through him the Chief of
Naval Operations on political developments in the Far East
and all forms of information concerning the Japanese Navy
11 Department of State, Japan: 1931–1941, vol. 2, pp. 772–77. Th is account of
Hull’s December 1 meeting with the Japanese ambassadors is taken from State
Department’s Joseph W. Ballantine’s memorandum.
12 Joint Committee, Pearl Harbor Attack, part 36, p. 13. McCollum testimony
before the Hewitt Inquiry.