re Britain they would then have control over British Canada, which was an immediate threat to National Security. Because of this potential danger Roosevelt "felt that the Americans needed a call to action" (Stinnent 7). Opinion polls exemplified American Isolationist beliefs. Roosevelt wanted war to protect the nation, but the American people did not. This put Roosevelt in a difficult situation. The solution to Roosevelt's problem came from a U.S. navel intelligence officer stationed in the Far East. Lieutenant Arthur McCollum suggested to Roosevelt via an "eight-action memo" (Stinnent 8) that he provoke Japan to attack the U.S. After reading the message Roosevelt consulted with his top military advisers and systematically the eight steps to provoke a Japanese attack included in the memo were carried out.
             In 1940 Roosevelt carried out the first of the two vital steps to provoke a Japanese attack. He ordered Admiral Richardson to move his fleet from a secure position along the U.S. west coast to the unprotected Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Admiral Richardson did not approve of this action for several reason
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