Grew's summit advice and Konoe's limited authority

Grew advocated a Roosevelt-Konoe summit on the grounds that Japanese concessions could be delivered at the meeting but could not safely be promised beforehand. The episode describes American distrust of Grew as too sympathetic to Japan, alongside Japanese violence against people considered too friendly with him. Its interpretation is that American officials overestimated the authority attached to Konoe's title: the premier remained dependent on other cabinet members and the services. Extremists could push decisions toward war without any one faction exercising coherent control over the whole government. Distrust of the available intermediaries obstructed communication about the limits of Konoe's authority.