WAR‐ENTRY PLANS LAID TO ROOSEVELT

Churchill’s account of Roosevelt’s attitude toward the war was contained in the minutes of that Cabinet meeting. The minutes, quoting Churchill indirectly said:

“He [Roosevelt] obviously was determined that they should come in.”

“If he were to put the issue of peace and war to Congress, they would debate it for months,” the Cabinet minutes added.

“The President had said he would wage war but not declare it and. that he would become more and more provocative. If the Germans did not like it they could attack American forces.”

The President had taken this very well and made it clear that he would look for an incident which would justify him in opening hostilities,” Churchill told the War Cabinet, according to the minutes of the meeting.

The New York Times, 1972