Diary+2-+Dec+08,+1941

Dear diary,

If only world politics mirrored good old-fashioned sportsmanship. The strength of certain players like Joe DiMaggio, who I was pleased to discover ran his hitting streak to 45 straight games this past June, would be undeniable. And losers of games hold their heads high and shake hands for a game well-played. Instead, we live in a world where the strong seek to mangle and destroy the weak around them. We live in a world that has turned toward violence as a sport. In this world I desperately try to find peace for my citizens, but fail with my hands tied behind my back. The Axis powers have been growing, with Yugoslavia as the last to join in March. There had been a glimmer of hope for peace when Japan signed a neutrality pact with the Soviet Union in April. I should have known such hope was futile.

In June Germany attacked the Soviet Union, which, after signing the neutrality pct, had embarrased their allies, the Japanese, considerably. Anticipating our inevitable participation in this war, I signed the Two Ocean Navy Expansion Act that would increase our navy by 70%. I then pledged all possible support to the Soviet Union, who up until now, have shown to act upon good faith in their agreements. Whether or not they deserve our support has yet to be determined. I still do not fully trust them.

Germany continues to spew hatred and the persecution of Jews has spread like wildfire. The Nazis have lost all concept of humanity.

After freezing German, Italian, Japanese and Chinese assets in the U.S., I then placed an embargo on oil exports to Japan. It was a last ditch attempt at restricting war resources, and hopefully putting a damper on Japan’s plans for further battle. But Japan invaded the Philippines and Thailand regardless. The drums of war resounded in my head, and I reluctantly set up preparations by issuing a top-secret order to equip a civilian schooner as a war ship and planned on sending it to the south of the Philippines where my generals believed there to be a Japanese fleet patrolling the shore. But before the schooner even set sail, the war was brought to our doorsteps at Pearl Harbor. December 7th will haunt my mind until I die- a date of infamy. At 7:50AM Japan launched an aerial attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, the home base of our Pacific fleet, and in doing so, Japan forced our entry into the war. With 2,338 lost American lives and thousands more wounded, Congress had little choice but to agree. Now I am reluctant to admit that as a God-fearing man I could harbor an intense hatred toward any follow man, but this attack on the good men and women who serve this democratic nation pulls at my emotions in a way I fear would condemn me to hell. This attack on Pearl Harbor will change our relationship with the Japanese forever.

Today the petulant Japanese have attacked the Philippines and we have officially declared war on Japan. As hard as I have tried to avoid it, our nation must punish the world’s trouble-makers and unfortunately more lives must be lost. There is no more room in politics for any sportsmanship. It seems that diplomacy and respect for life have been lost. And though I am confident that the U.S. will clean up this global mess, this past year has been shameful for all human kind.