There a few days in the World History we are very fortunate to be able to honor today with a Wonderful Program and new book that just came out. Look at that. Thats great. Your support makes these programs possible. Last year cliff lobby who is our Program Manager we put on 58 programs here at the library which was very impressive because of your support we can have these programs for free. We feel so strongly that fdr loved this area. We are honoring his wishes. Our speaker today lew paper is a journalist and he taught at harvard and was involved in george georgetown. As written a number of very numerous books. He wrote a book called promise in performance about john f. Kennedy and interestingly he then wrote a novel about john f. Kennedy. About his assassination. Both the nonfiction in the fiction book. I bet they are good combination. His rise to power parallels the time of relevant vince with radio to television. Another book on louis brandeis. He has a deep grounding and 27th history. I really fresh perspective in the book that he was good to talk about today called in the cauldron. It is a very complicated time. How they were trying to navigate this transition. When he wanted to get into this war american policy was forcing the decision one way or another. You will hear a fantastic story. At the the book is called in the cauldron please welcome lew paper. [applause]. Think you all for coming. When paul said he was going to introduce me i have only one request i said i dont care if it is true or not just make me look good. I think he did a great job. I do want to thank paul and cliff for the invitation to be here its a great honor. Im very privileged and flattered to have received the invitation. Being here has a special meaning for me. When i was a little boy my father talk to me all the time about president roosevelt. And the reason he talked to me was because i had been stricken with polio as a little boy. My father wanted me to know that polio would not prevent me from being a success in life. He no better had no better example than president roosevelt. Might polio was not as severe as president roosevelts later when i got older my father brought me here. I can only say i wish my father was with me here today. I think you would really enjoy it. Pearl harbor weve all seen that film a president roosevelt. Standing in the wall of the house of representatives on december 8. 1941. Seen that september 7, 1941 is a date that well live in anthony because of japans surprise attack on the u. S. Naval base in pearl harbor. There is no evidence that his cabinet knew in advance specifically that japan would attack pearl harbor. But they should not had been surprised that japan would attack the United States. In november 1941 only a few weeks before pearl harbor joseph sent to telegrams the secretary of state cordell hull warning him that japan was prepared to launch a suicidal war against the United States and that Armed Conflict could come with dangerous intermatic substance. So who was he and how did he know that. In november 1941 joseph grew was 61 years old. Tall, lean, he had been an american diplomat for almost 40 years. And he had been americas ambassador to japan and he had been americas ambassador to japan i recognized i was recognize i was using the wrong microphone. He had been americas ambassador to japan for almost ten years. There were four factors that led him to said the two telegrams the secretary of state cordell hull in november 1941. The first factor was the japanese economy the United States have imposed economic sanctions on japan in an effort to curb the military aggression in china and then southeast asia. They have crippled the japanese economy race was being rationed. There was no gasoline for cars the few cars at the streets had to be fitted with charcoal engines. Imparted coffee was also unavailable. It had been replaced by another brew about which the correspondent said it was better not to ask too many questions. There was a second factor. In november of 1941. That was a japanese mindset grew new that a crippled economy would lead to a sense of desperation among the japanese. And a sense of desperation would lead to war. It was all part of the same right do or die spirit that still prevailed in japan. For japanese leaders annihilation through a suicidal war with the United States was better than the humiliation of succumbing to american pressure. There is a story which illustrates that japanese mindset. In the fall of 1941. They came from a welltodo family and he wanted his family back in japan to know that he was alive and well the pass the word onto the japanese government and he soon received a reply. The government said that neither it nor this mans family were interested as far as they were concerned the japanese soldier was dead. Any japanese soldier who have allowed himself to be captured have dishonored his family and dishonored his government. There was a third factor that led them to send those telegrams to cordell hull in november 1941. In that concerned the japanese leader ability to control the japanese population. If i was writing a book about nazi germany i would not had to tell you about the brutality of the government. Japan was also a very repressive society. Secret police were everywhere. Surveillance wasnt pervasive. No dissent was allowed. And in discrete word uttered to a friend and neighbor, a family member. A person could find themselves arrested and thrown in jail. They understood the upshot of all of this. If japanese leaders issued a command to launch a suicidal war against the United States. They would fight to the death. There is a fourth factor that led them to haul. In november 1941. That revolved around discussions which japanese representatives were having in washington dc about a possible agreement between japan and the United States to resolve the differences between the two countries. Notwithstanding that do or die spirit japanese leaders recognized the risk of war work with the United States. And so they supported an initiative in the spring of 1941 to head discussions with hall in washington to see if the two countries could reach an agreement. Secretary of state cordell hull knew there was virtually no chance of japan and the United States reaching an agreement. Hall regarded japan as one of the first desperados in the history of mankind. He subscribe to the view that no promises on paper would be worth anything but they could not tell that directly to the japanese representatives that came to washington dc. In the spring of 1941. The capabilities were inadequate. The military chiefs urged holte to grab those conversations out. As long as possible. To give the United States time to bolster its military capabilities and to defer or delay any conflict in the pacific for which the United States were prepared. From the spring into the summer into the fall. In 1941. He spent untold hours talking with representatives about an agreement that he knew probably would never come to fruition. By the fall of 1941 the japanese leaders were very frustrated they were beginning to sense that the United States was not really interested in an agreement the United States was merely playing for time. But for japan time is running out. In those months before pearl harbor they made many recommendations to president roosevelt. About things they could do that might avoid the war. Very few of the recommendations were acknowledged none was accepted. Back in the United States. And in Washington People could not believe that they would directly attack the United States. People in washington and elsewhere thought it would be stupid for japan to directly attack the United States. And so, we would later write that american policies in and those months before pearl harbor was completely inflexible and that the reporting to the government from tokyo was like throwing pebbles into the lake at night. Joseph was very frustrated and bitter. The Roosevelt Administration have squandered a chance to avoid war. They are taken as prisoners of war. They were all placed in the American Interest embassy in tokyo. They worked out a pneumatic Exchange Agreement so that american diplomats in japan could return to the United States. During the six months that he was held as a prisoner of war 60 the detail his criticism of american policy in the months before pearl harbor. He planned to get that report to president roosevelt and the secretary of state cordell hull when he returned to the United States. And never happened. When he returned to the United States in august, 1942 he showed the report to the secretary of state cordell hull. He glanced at the report he immediately saw that the report criticized decisions that they have made and that months before pearl harbor. As a subordinate official in the state department he felt he have no choice but to agree to his demands. And so he destroyed that report. I should add there is no evidence that president roosevelt knew about the report or its destruction. He never publicly and acknowledged the destruction of the report even when he was asked in a postwar congressional hearing whether he have prepared any report to give to haul upon his return to the United States. Thank you for that indulgence. So how did i come to write this book about joseph grew and pearl harbor . About six years ago i was going to write a book about america in 1941. It was a pivotal year for the country Franklin D Roosevelt had been inaugurated for an unprecedented third term as president. They have signed the first contract with the cart manufacturer. And 56 consecutive games which still stands as a record. In japan attacked pearl harbor. In the course of my research i came across the name of justice dash mike joseph grew. His effort to orchestrate an agreement between japan and the United States toward the war he saw coming. His story have never been told. And so i switched gears to tell that story. In writing this book i wanted to bring the characters alive for the reader. Take president roosevelts. He as a central is a central figure in this drama. When you see roosevelt singing and the wile of the United States house of representatives on december 8, 1941 saying that december 7, 1941 as a date that well live in infamy he looks so strong here is a man who have been chicken by polio and could not walk. I was thinking about it when i was writing the book. Uni, we get up in the morning we go to the bathroom do our business we come back get dressed we go about our day. Roosevelt could not do all of that without assistance. In that assistance was not going to be provided by his wife eleanor she have her own bedroom down the hall in the white house and more than that she was almost always traveling. Instead roosevelt relied on a valet. They had two valets during the 12 years in the white house. I thought wouldnt it be great if i could find some commentary from those valets about what roosevelt was like in the private moments. And i was able to find that commentary i learned that in this primary private moments roosevelt almost displayed a sweet disposition. Roosevelt valley in december 1941. Was a big black man who was a chief petty officer in the United States navy. He was also a very goodlooking guy. And although he was married roosevelt liked to tease him about being a ladies man. And every time he would tease him. About being a ladies man. He would respond one does not refute the chief executive. I wanted to provide the same intimacy in talking about joseph grew. To do that. I talked to many members of his family his grandchildren his cousins has great grandchildren. They told me many stories that were very useful. One story stood out because it displayed the diplomatic skills and his stature. It was january 1949 he was asked to provide some remarks at a dinner in honor of George C Marshall who was retiring as secretary of state. General marshall have been chief of the army during world war ii. After the war truman appointed him as secretary of state. Now, in january 1949 general marshall was going to retire to his farm in virginia with his wife. In the audience was general dwight d eisenhower. Im sure you know general eisenhower was the one that led the invasion of normandy. In his Closing Remarks in honor of general marshall he said all he wants to do was retired to his farm in virginia with mrs. Eisenhower as soon as he said that. People began to laugh. Grew immediately recognize the mistake in quickly and clearly said my apologies to the general. At that point he blurted out which general. I did not rely solely on discussions with the family. I also had access to a lot of documents no document was more important than cruise diary. This guy, was incredibly disciplined through his long diplomatic career almost every evening during the week and on weekends he would sit at his desk has pipe clenched between his teeth his smith corona typewriter in front of him and he would write out what have happened what have been said and what he have about the previous day. I had access of thousands of pages of cruise diary i knew everything he thought in those months for pearl harbor. I knew his favorite scotch was Johnny Walker red and i knew also about his deep feelings for his wife alice. And in fact in many respects this book is a love story when joseph grew married alice perry in 1904 she was a tall facias beautiful woman with long dark hair. Alice came from a prominent family in boston but she have little formal education because the family was always traveling. But alice was very smart and she have a lot of opinions and alice wanted to share those opinions with her husband. And he was willing to listen. He rarely sent out an Important Message or communication. Rarely did anything of consequence. A Formidable Force in their own right. That was illustrated by a story told by the private secretary. It concerned a social evening at the American Embassy in tokyo shortly before pearl harbor. They invited over for dinner. Sir Robert Craigie the British Ambassador to japan and his wife. They thought she was a nasty woman. They would often show a movie after dinner. The projector they use to show the movie was often breaking down. On this particular asked explanation. The projector again broke down. Is an unfortunate my dear that that machine of yours is always breaking down. Without skipping a beat alice it turns into the lady. The same intimacy as describing the other characters in this drama both american and japanese. You will see the attack at pearl harbor was not merely a clash of governments it was a product of the personalities the perspectives and the prejudices of people like you and me. It will change the way you look at pearl harbor. I want to thank you for coming and if people have questions i would be happy to answer any questions that anyone might have. Just keep it clean. I think there is a microphone. Have a couple of questions. One of the things the japanese are fairly well known for our the reform resourcefulness. Forgive me that we all drove here today and we are all aware of of the price of gas. Back in those days the primary source of fuel for not only their navy in their army. It seems like the british the germans with their raiders steaming around. They didnt have any problem getting fuel for their ships. The japanese attempted to get a loyal consortium agreement. With the southeast. And nothing seemed to ever happen. Why couldnt the japanese by bite fuel biofuel from the nei. Why do they have to come 5,000 miles across the pacific and 5,000 miles back. I know it doesnt pertain exactly to what you were talking about. But he had been there for ten years. Somewhere along the line. Maybe you guys had to think about another fuel source than the u. S. Notwithstanding anything i said. I dont want to create a misimpression here. He was a patriot. He saw his role as an ambassador as a representative of the United States he saw as his mission to promote peace because he had been in the Berlin Embassy during world war i. He understood the consequence of war. So he was desperate to try to avoid war. To protect america. Into go to your question. He would not have given the japanese any advice about that but the japanese you are correct are very resourceful and they did pursue other alternatives to get oil like the dutch east indies. There were stymied everywhere that they went. In part because the United States also recognized what they just said. To prevent japan from running around the embargoes and the sanctions. If they could be resourceful. And get around it. Then the sanctions would not be effective. The government was very much aware of that. I just had one other questions since you were able to see all of this is a diary. That he kept. Was there any mention of a person i did he keep a diary like that not only when he was in japan but throughout this whole time. Was there any mention by the name of tyler kent. I cannot remember the name quite frankly. You can go for those of you interested in the book. You can go to my website if you go to my website there is a fuller description of the book and you can see some reviews. And you can see a video about the book. I know it doesnt sound like a blockbuster. There is a video about the book on the website. If you had questions after you leave here today and you say i wish i wouldve asked them this or that. You can reach me through my website and i promise you if you send me a question i will do my best to