In anticipation of open conflict with this country, Japan is vigorously utilizing every available agency to secure military, naval and commercial information, paying particular attention to the West Coast, the Panama Canal and the Territory of Hawaii.Paul Bedard of U.S. News & World Report attempts to make much of this "warning." If I were FDR, my reaction to that, on Dec. 4, would have be "No kidding? To what other places would you expect Japan to pay attention?"
Those are the major areas of U.S. Pacific exposure. I wouldn't even have wondered why Alaska was left out, since in 1941 there was no overland transportation route between the lower 48 states and Alaska.
The U.S. understood that relations with Japan were very tense and might end up in warfare. It was merely the surprise attack without formal declaration of war that was considered especially evil, like someone hitting you when you back is turned.
