HOW PEARL HARBOR HAPPENED

Excerpts from the report of the Commission headed by Associate Justice Roberts which investigated and fixed the blame for the disaster at Pearl Harbor:

>In a letter of January 24, 1941, the Secretary of the Navy advised the Secretary of War that the increased gravity of the Japanese situation had prompted a restudy of the problem of the security of the Pacific Fleet while in Pearl Harbor. The writer stated: "If war eventuates with Japan, it is believed easily possible that hostilities would be initiated by a surprise attack upon the Fleet or the Naval base at Pearl Harbor. . . . The dangers envisaged in their order of importance and probability are considered to be: 1) air bombing attack; 2) air torpedo plane attack; 3) sabotage; 4) submarine attack; 5) mining; 6) bombardment by gunfire." The letter stated the defenses against all but the first two were then satisfactory.

>The Secretary of War replied February 7, 1941. Admiral Kimmel and General Short received copies of these letters.

> On October 16, 1941, the Commanding General, Hawaiian Department [Short], and the Commander in Chief of the Fleet [Kimmel], were advised by the War and Navy Departments of the changes in the Japanese Cabinet, and of the possibility of an attack by Japan on Great Britain and the United States.

>November 24, 1941, the Chief of Naval Operations sent a message to Admiral Kimmel in which he stated that in the opinion of the Navy Department, a surprise aggressive movement ... by the Japanese . . . was a possibility.

>November 27, 1941, the Chief of Staff of the Army informed the Commanding General that hostilities on the part of Japan were momentarily possible.

>On the same day (November 27, 1941) the Chief of Naval Operations sent a message to the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet, which stated in substance that the dispatch was to be considered a war warning.

>November 28, 1941, the Commanding General received from the Adjutant General of the Army a message stating that the critical situation required every precaution to be taken at once against subversive activities.

>The Navy Department sent three messages to the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet; the first of December 3, 1941, stated that it was believed certain Japanese consulates were destroying their codes and burning secret documents; the second of December 4, 1941, instructed the addressee to destroy confidential documents and means of confidential communication; and the third of December 4, 1941, directing that in view of the tense situation the naval commands on the outlying Pacific islands might be authorized to destroy confidential papers.

>At about noon E.S.T. (6:30 a.m. Honolulu time) December 7, an additional warning message indicating an almost immediate break in relations between the United States and Japan, was dispatched by the Chief of Staff. . . . The delivery of this urgent message was delayed until after the attack.

>The Commanding General [Short], the Commander in Chief of the Fleet [Kimmel] and their principal staff officers considered the possibility of air raids. Without exception they believed that the chances of such a raid while the Pacific Fleet was based upon Pearl Harbor was practically nil.

>On the night of December 6 numerous officers of the Army and Navy attended social functions at various points on the Island of Oahu. The Commanding General and the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet were both guests at dinners away from their posts but returned to their quarters at an early hour. . . . There is no evidence of excessive drinking by any officer of either service.

>On the morning of Sunday, December 7, Army posts and Naval vessels and stations were adequately manned by men fit for duty.

>In the attack on Oahu a suspicious object was sighted in the prohibited areas off Pearl Harbor at 6:30 a.m. Between 6:33 and 6:45 this object, which was a small submarine, was attacked and sunk by the concerted action of a naval patrol plane and the U.S.S. Ward. A report of this action by the Ward reached the Naval Base watch officer at 7:12 a.m., who notified his Chief of Staff.

> December 7, the antitorpedo net at Pearl Harbor was opened at 4:58 a.m. for the entrance of two minesweepers. It was kept open until 8:40 a.m.

>The state of readiness prescribed for Army aircraft prior to the attack required them to be ready for flight only after four hours' notice. ^The aircraft warning system, which was remanned about 8:30 a.m., December 7, 1941, failed during the balance of that day to furnish any reliable information of enemy aircraft returning to their carriers.

>During a period of ten days preceding the Japanese attack, the responsible commanders held no ... discussion of the meaning of the warnings and orders sent them. The attitude of each demonstrated a lack of appreciation of the responsibilities vested in them and inherent in their positions as Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, and Commanding General, Hawaiian Department.

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