In 1940 and 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt wished to prolong negotiations with the Japanese rather than go to war, despite continued conflicts and Washington’s overt bellicosity toward Japan. Why?

he knew that US did not have a large enough navy to fight both Japan and Germany.

Explanation:

Between 1940 and 41, Japan made several treaties and alliances with European countries. With alliances formed with Soviet Union, Italy and Germany, it drastically strengthened Japan's military capability against the US. President Franklin Roosevelt wished to prolong negotiations with the Japanese rather than go to war, despite continued conflicts and Washington’s overt bellicosity toward Japan because he knew that US did not have a large enough navy to fight both Japan and Germany.However, when the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor was bombed by Japanese military planes on December 7, 1941, the United States declared war a full-fledged war against Japan the following day.