Richardson's opposition did not remain an informal complaint within the fleet. He traveled twice to Washington to argue the case directly before President Roosevelt. After each meeting he wrote formally to Chief of Naval Operations Harold Stark, setting out the evidence behind his judgment. Those letters recorded his warning that the Navy and country were unprepared for war with either Japan or Germany and were not correcting the deficiency quickly enough.
Notable Point · 48:35-49:15
Richardson turns protest into a formal warning record
Two personal appeals to Roosevelt were followed by letters to CNO Harold Stark documenting that the United States was neither ready nor preparing adequately for war.