Pearl Harbor minus 1

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DeeEss57
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Pearl Harbor minus 1

Post by DeeEss57 »

December 6, 1941

*President Roosevelt-convinced on the basis of intelligence reports that the Japanese fleet is headed for Thailand, not the United States-telegrams Emperor Hirohito with the request that "for the sake of humanity," the emperor intervene "to prevent further death and destruction in the world." The Royal Australian Air Force had sighted Japanese escorts, cruisers, and destroyers on patrol near the Malayan coast, south of Cape Cambodia. An Aussie pilot managed to radio that it looked as if the Japanese warships were headed for Thailand-just before he was shot down by the Japanese. Back in England, Prime Minister Churchill called a meeting of his chiefs of staff to discuss the crisis. While reports were coming in describing Thailand as the Japanese destination, they began to question whether it could have been a diversion. British intelligence had intercepted the Japanese code "Raffles," a warning to the Japanese fleet to be on alert-but for what? Britain was already preparing Operation Matador, the launching of their 11th Indian Division into Thailand to meet the presumed Japanese invasion force. But at the last minute, Air Marshall Brooke-Popham received word not to cross the Thai border for fear that it would provoke a Japanese attack if, in fact, the warship movement was merely a bluff. Meanwhile, 600 miles northwest of Hawaii, Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese fleet, announced to his men: "The rise or fall of the empire depends upon this battle. Everyone will do his duty with utmost efforts." Thailand was, in fact, a bluff. Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii was confirmed for Yamamoto as the Japanese target, after the Japanese consul in Hawaii had reported to Tokyo that a significant portion of the U.S. Pacific fleet would be anchored in the harbor-sitting ducks. The following morning, Sunday, December 7, was a good day to begin a raid. "The son of man has just sent his final message to the son of God," FDR joked to Eleanor after sending off his telegram to Hirohito, who in the Shinto tradition of Japan was deemed a god. As he enjoyed his stamp collection and chatted with Harry Hopkins, his personal adviser, news reached him of Japan's formal rejection of America's 10-point proposals for peace and an end to economic sanctions and the oil embargo placed on the Axis power. "This means war," the president declared. Hopkins recommended an American first strike. "No, we can't do that," Roosevelt countered. "We are a democracy and a peaceful people."

*Dutch and British pilots see Japanese invasion fleet at Singapore.

*Japanese forces leave Palau bound for the attack on the Philippines.

*FDR agrees to ABDUCAN plan to help defend British empire if attacked

*9:30pm, Dec. 6 - FDR reads 13-part 900-series intercept: "this means war"

Meanwhile, in Europe:

*Soviet Army launches a major counter-offensive around Moscow.



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wang_chi7
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Re: Pearl Harbor minus 1

Post by wang_chi7 »

DeeEss57 wrote:"This means war," the president declared. Hopkins recommended an American first strike. "No, we can't do that," Roosevelt countered. "We are a democracy and a peaceful people."
I really think that if it wasn't for the public basically being isolationists at the time, the U.S. would have been in the war much earlier than we were. FDR wanted in, he wanted in badly but had to wait for a reason. I wouldn't go as far to say that he knew the attack was coming and let it happen to get the public to OK going to war, but I think he was pleased at least on some level that it did happen.

FDR didn't want to commit political suicide, otherwise there's a good chance the US would have already been involved for at least a year already instead of being a silent partner to the allies.
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