[GreenLanternCorps]

Pearl Harbor should have been on alert and in some respects was, however you should remember, that:

-Pearl at the time was deemed to shallow for torpedoes

-Both Kimmel and Short were short on long range patrol aircraft. They did not have enough planes and crews to maintain a 24/7 patrol in a 180 degree radius let alone a 360 degree radius.

- The general consensus was a Japanese move on the Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, and Singapore/Malaya, The US was engaged in a major build up in the Philippines to prepare for this eventuality.

On December 7th/8th (the international date line really can confuse things!) 1941 the Japanese:

Attacked Pearl Harbor

Invaded Thailand from French Indo-China

Bombed Hong Kong

Seized Guam

Attacked Wake Island

Bombed the Philippines

Invaded Malaya

Pearl Harbor or no Pearl Harbor, Japan wanted war in 1941.

[LS]

Oh, I agree. But remember, DESPITE the shallowness of Pearl, nets were deemed SOP for the navy in hostile waters, and in that situation, Pearl was hostile.

I certainly agree---this is the point of my post---that EVERYONE, including all the codebreakers, thought that the real J. offensive was south. Modern Americans do not grasp the phenomenal ambitious nature of the Japanese offensive in the Pacific, essentially striking three major targets simultaneously as you point out.

My only point was that commanders on a "war footing," which K. and S. should have been, would have found a way to get recon aircraft up and to at least show some FREAKING concern.

[jamaksin]

Thank you for your comments here - it is appreciated that an awareness and interest in this topic persists.

Also, especially thanks for the prescient remarks regarding torpedeos. The US Navy was fully aware of the success at Taranto and decided that torpedeos nets were not urgently needed at Pearl Harbor ...

On wanted war versus say national survival because of the total oil embargo, losses in China, ... many facets of that aspect to consider.

Again, many thanks.