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As readers and posters continue to re-examine the outbreak of the Japanese-American War in Dec. 1941, I am reminded of a one-word correction to the published record. In David Dilks' edition of the Cadogan diaries (NY: GP Putnam's Sons, 1972), entry for Dec. 4, 1941, pp. 415-16, there is a sentence that reads: "We had a very good telegram from Roosevelt about Far East, which removed many of P.M.'s doubts, and he said we could NOT guarantee Dutch." The manuscript version of that sentence has the final clause as follows: ". . . and he said we cd. NOW guarantee the Dutch." [I have capitalized "not" and "now"] Good grammar says "he" was Churchill, but the message certainly suggests that FDR had provided some sort of reassurances. The message from FDR came via Halifax and concerned warning the Japanese there would be serious consequences if they invaded the NEI. Of course by Dec. 4th the Americans were simply waiting for the shoe to drop. Have fun digging! Warren Kimball Rutgers University
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