Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
What role did the US play in the attack ?
Build up to War:
Japan starts wars in 1894, 1904, and 1914 with simultaneous declarations of war and surprise attacks.
United States restricts Japanese immigration with Gentleman's agreement in 1920s.
Japan invades china and conquers Manchuria in 1931.
Japan signs Tri-Partite Treaty with Germany and Italy in 1939.
During 1940 and 1941, the United States restricts and finally stops most trade with Japan. Japan is cut off from a major source of oil. United States freezes Japanese assets in 1941.
Major Bloopers:
Summer of '41--
After United States broke Japan's top secret diplomatic code (Purple), Washington has decoding machines (MAGIC) sent to the Philippines and London-----but not to Pear Harbor.
United States Pacific Fleet commander requests the fleet be moved from Pearl Harbor to the West Coast, citing unpreparedness----President Roosevelt refuses.
March '41--
FDR authorizes transfer of 26 ships from the Pacific Fleet to duty in the Atlantic.
August '41--
America rejects Japanese request for a summit meeting
Fall '41
Japanese agents in Hawaii regularly report the size, type, and location of the sips in the harbor at Pearl Harbor. MAGIC decodes this both in the Philippines and in London, but the information is not relayed.
November 28--
General Short puts Army personnel on "sabotage alert" and so notifies the War Department. This means that planes and other equipment are bunched together to be more easily guarded.
Immediate Indicators we did not respond to:
December 3--
Japanese embassies in London and Washington have carried out orders to burn code books and destroy files. MAGIC decodes this. Pearl Harbor is not informed.
December 3,4,5--
MAGIC decodes greatly increased radio traffic from Hawaii to Tokyo regarding the fleet at Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is not notified.
December 6--
Magic decodes 13 parts of a 14 part message. FDR reads it and says "This means War." No warning is sent to Pearl Harbor.
WAR:
December 7, 1941
0300 Periscope detected outside harbor. Two ships investigate and defective submarine net remained open upon their re-entry.
0653 WARD'S commander Captain Outerbridge sends message to Commandant 14th Naval district: "We have attacked, fired upon and dropped depth charges upon submarine operating in defensive sea area".
0702 Private's Lockhard and Elliott of Opana Radar Station pick up what appears to be a flight of unidentified aircraft bearing in 132 miles north of Oahu...discussion follows.
0710 Elliott phones in information to Fort Shafter...Only person present at Information Center is Lt. Tyler...having begun his on the job training Dec. 3...conversation last ten minutes.
0715 Capt. Outerbridge's attack message, delayed in decoding is delivered to duty officer, 14th Naval District, and to Admiral Kimmel's duty officer...Japanese launch 2nd wave of 168 assault aircraft...
0720 Lt. Tyler feels certain that the unidentified planes are B-17s scheduled to arrive from the mainland...instructs Opana station to shut down...Privates Elliott and Lockhard however continue to plot incoming flight...
0733 Important message from Gen Marshall from Washington to Short received via RCA in
Honolulu...cablegram has no indication of priority...not delivered until 12 noon after the attack
0735 Reconnaissance plane from Japanese cruiser reports main fleet in Pearl Harbor...
0739 Opana Station loses aircraft on radar 20 miles off coast of Oahu due to "dead zone" caused by surrounding hills...
0753 Japanese radios code to entire Japanese Navy "TORA TORA TORA" indicating success...maximum strategic surprise...Pearl Harbor caught unaware...
December 8, 1941
President Roosevelt declares war by stating that December 7, 1941 is
"A day that will live in infamy."
0342 Minesweeper CONDOR sights periscope off Honolulu Harbor ...notifies patrol destroyer
WARD to investigate. 0458 Minesweeper CROSSBILL and CONDOR enter Pearl Harbor...
defective submarine net remains open.
0600 - 200 miles south of Oahu carrier ENTERPRISE launches 18 aircraft to scout ahead...then
to land at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor...ETA 0800.
0610 - 220 miles north of Oahu Admiral Nagumo orders launching of 1st wave of 183 aircraft
off six carriers...2 are lost during takeoff.
0630 Destroyer WARD again notified of submarine sighting this time by supply ship ANTARES off Pearl Harbor entrance...Navy patrol plane (PBY) dispatched to the scene.
0645 WARD opens fire on target hitting conning tower...as she closes in drops depth charges..air attack by PBY follows.
653 WARD'S commander Captain Outerbridge sends message to Commandant 14th Naval
District: "We have attacked, fired upon and dropped depth charges upon submarine operating in
defensive sea area".
0700 Commander Fuchida flying towards Oahu directs his pilots to home in on local radio
station. 0702 Private's Lockhard and Elliott of Opana Radar Station pick up what appears to be a
flight of unidentified aircraft bearing in 132 miles north of Oahu...discussion follows.
0710 Elliott phones in information to Fort Shafter...Only person present at Information Center is
Lt. Tyler...having begun his on the job training Dec. 3...conversation last ten minutes.
0715 Capt. Outerbridge's attack message, delayed in decoding is delivered to duty officer, 14th
Naval District, and to Admiral Kimmel's duty officer...Japanese launch 2nd wave of 168 assault
aircraft...
0720 Lt. Tyler feels certain that the unidentified planes are B-17s scheduled to arrive from the
mainland...instructs Opana station to shut down...Privates Elliott and Lockhard however continue to plot incoming flight...
0733 Important message from Gen Marshall from Washington to Short received via RCA in
Honolulu...cablegram has no indication of priority...messenger Tadao Fuchikami proceeds on normal
route...
0735 Reconnaissance plane from cruiser CHIKUMA reports main fleet in Pearl Harbor...
0739 Opana Station loses aircraft on radar 20 miles off coast of Oahu due to "dead zone" caused
by surrounding hills...
0740 1st wave sights North Shore of Oahu...deployment for attack begins...
0749 Commander Fuchida orders attack...all pilots to begin assault on military bases on Oahu...
0753 Fuchida radios code to entire Japanese Navy "TORA TORA TORA" indicating
success...maximum strategic surprise...Pearl Harbor caught unaware...
0755 Island wide attack begins...Japanese dive bombers to strike airfields Kaneohe, Ford Island,
Hickam, Bellows, Wheeler, Ewa...Aerial torpedo planes begin their run on ships in Pearl Harbor...