ANC RADIO SPECIAL REPORT[1]
NOVEMBER 1, 1940
Earlier this morning, United States Marines landed on the coast of France in what Navy Department officials are calling a large scale raid. It is not known how many Marines are taking part in this raid on the French port of Dieppe, nor is it known how many casualties, if any, the Marines have suffered.
GERMAN PROPAGANDA
BROADCAST[2]
NOVEMBER 2, 1940
“This is Jairmany calling! Jairmany calling! Jairmany calling! Yesterday a group of American Marines landed in France without our permission. Well you boys know what happens when someone uninvited shows up, you beat them up and that is what we did to you Marines. Our forces sent you boys packing with a bloody nose to Mamma Next time call ahead and let us know you are coming so we can have the prison camps ready.”
EXCERPTS FROM
WORLD WAR II
IN THE PACIFIC
CHAPTER VI: BUILDUP TO WAR -
NOVEMBER 1940[3]
By Dr. Christopher Hall
Louisville Press
1999
Since the mid 1930s, Japan had been planning for a war in the Pacific and while China had been a distraction and the Soviet Union a concern, planning had never really stopped. Planning for the Pearl Harbor and Panama Canal attacks began on Admiral Yamamoto’s orders after the British raid on the Helgoland Bight.
The Japanese planned three attacks on US territories 1) The Philippines, 2) Pearl Harbor, and 3) the Panama Canal. By attacking the Philippines, Japan would remove the US garrison and gain valuable resources for Japan. By attacking Pearl Harbor, the US Pacific Fleet would be removed from the equation. And by destroying the Panama Canal, US naval reinforcements would have to come into the Pacific via the tip of South America.
The Philippines would be handled mainly by the Japanese Army and Army Air Force with some help from the Navy. Pearl Harbor would be attacked by Japanese Naval Forces, and the Panama Canal would be attacked by freighters packed with high explosives. To avoid the ships being inspected, the holds would have diplomatic seals on the hatches to prevent the Americans from entering.
Thailand’s armed forces would send troops to China which would free up Japanese forces for operations against the Western Allies. The Japanese believed that the Thais could hold their own against the “inferior” Chinese troops.
BEBC NEWS[4]
NOVEMBER 6, 1940
Good evening, this is London. In response to the Argentine Government’s expelling of the American and British Ambassadors from Argentina, both the US and British Governments have demanded that Argentina’s ambassadors leave Washington and London immediately.
Earlier this afternoon, Argentina upped the stakes by demanding that both nations’ embassies be closed within thirty days.
In other news..
TRUE STORIES
OF THE RESISTANCE[5]
By Jamie Belinda Hunicutt
Province Books
1985
France (November 10, 1940)
Corporal De Forest Kelley, US Army Air Forces, was crouched down in a farmer’s field 40 km east of Dieppe. He had joined up with De Gaulle’s people after being shot down over Dieppe. Right now he wished he was back in his nice big bomber, this ground pounder stuff was for the infantry!
Right now he and his “squad” (De Gaulle’s resistance cells called themselves squads) were waiting for the weekly air drop from England. This drop was supposed to provide grenades, explosives and ammunition for their weapons. They had seen some combat with German troops The Germans had been sweeping the area looking for Marine stragglers and shot down airmen like him. Thus far they had not found him.
This air drop would give them the supplies they needed to raid a German supply depot not too far from here. This cell had had some minor successes in the past and they had hopes to do better.
They heard the sound of engines in the air and the men lit the signal fire…
At roughly the same time, the Westervoort resistance cell was coming back from sabotaging parked German trucks (they had slit the tires of 18 trucks) and planting some explosives. If all went well, the Germans were in for a nasty surprise when they started those trucks in the morning.
INTERNAL US ARMY AIR
FORCE MEMORANDUM[6]
NOVEMBER 15, 1940
To: General George C Marshall
From: Lieutenant General Arnold
Re: P-40 replacement
As the General is well aware, the P-40 fared badly in combat against front line German fighters and the Army Air Force was forced to purchase a number of Chance Vought’s F4U Corsairs as an interim measure until more advance Air Force fighters came in to mass production.
I am pleased to inform you that beginning December 1, the Lockheed P-38 will be put into squadron service here in the US and then in Europe and North Africa. The remaining P-40s will be withdrawn to training units here in the States or front line combat units in the Pacific and Far East. They should be superior to any Japanese fighters.
COPY OF A LETTER
OF REPRIMAND TO
COLONEL RUFUS S. BRATTON, USA[7]
To: Lieutenant Colonel R.S. Bratton
From: Brigadier General Carter Clarke; Head, Military Intelligence Section
Date: November 22, 1940
Subject: Insubordination
On November 18, 1940 you disobeyed my direct order not to discuss your personal opinion regarding Japanese intentions with President Roosevelt and General Marshall. You were ordered to present the official report of this department and instead disobeyed orders by presenting your opinions.
Your actions discredit your uniform, the Military Intelligence Section and the Army.
You will be transferred from this command as soon as a replacement can be found for you.
Signed
BG C. Clarke
By Colonel Rufus S. Bratton, USA (Retd)
By mid November the signs were all there. We had reports of increased activities by known and suspected Japanese spies in the Philippines, Hawaii, the Panama Canal and here in the US. Japanese planes kept “accidentally” straying into Philippine air space. We had reports of suspected Japanese submarines spotted near Pearl Harbor and the Panama Canal. Taken separately, the reports didn’t mean much, taken together; they added up to one thing – war. But the problem was no one was reading all of the reports. I read most of them, the ones I could get my hands on, but every time I attempted to raise the alarm, my superiors shut me up. Brigadier General Carter Clarke, the Head of the Military Intelligence Section was looking for an excuse to get rid of me, and I provided it.
On November 18, 1940 I briefed both the President and General Marshall, the Army Chief of Staff. I was supposed to brief them on the official MI assessment of Japanese intentions. Instead, I predicted war was about to break out in weeks and that the Japanese would be in a position to really do some damage. That was all Clarke needed, I was reprimanded and banished from Washington. I was sent south to Mexico where I couldn’t do any more damage. As the world knows, my assessment was pretty close.
EXCERPT FROM
ROYAL NAVY SUBMARINES
AT WAR 1914-2000[9]
By Sir Jason Unger
Columbia Books
2002
Just before dusk on November 20, 1940, HM Submarine HMS Thrasher, the Royal Navy’s first snorkel equipped submarine, entered the Baltic in search of German ships. The journey through the Skagerrak and the Kattegat had not been easy. They were able to slip through the German minefields and avoid the patrol boats, but the cost in nerves had been high. One of the engine room ratings had lost his nerve and had to be sedated (he would be transferred off the boat once they made it back to England)
Lt. Commander Thomas Kelly had orders to sink any German flagged merchant vessel or warship that he came across. He was not to enter the territorial waters of the neutral countries surrounding the Baltic. He could not attack any neutral flagged vessel even if it was coming out of a German or Polish port. He was to spend as much time in the Baltic as his supplies would allow.
November 22: Kelly had a grim smile painted on his face as he watched through the periscope as the 2nd German merchant ship to be attacked in the last 22 hours slip beneath the waves. Aside for two smaller patrol boats, the only other warship sighted had been flying the Swedish flag.
November 23, the ship they were trailing had been picked up by the hydrophones several hours before. Due to the fog, they had spotted her yet, but they knew she was nearby. The XO was of the opinion that since they knew where she was and she was in torpedo range, they should just fire. Kelly gave the order to surface the ship; perhaps they would have better luck spotting her. Minutes went by without seeing her, but they heard engines off to port, it sounded like they were traveling parallel. Just then a lookout spotted a light, with his submarine closing in, they were able to pick up the brightly lit ship, and painted amidships, was a rather large red cross, they had been stalking a hospital ship! They immediately dived, not sure if they had been spotted, but Kelly turned the sub 180 degrees around and moved as fast as they could go. They had been spotted, but the crew of the General von Steuben had mistaken her for a U-boat.
November 24, Kelly had been woken up by his XO at 0530, the sun was rising and they had spotted a German U-boat on the surface. From all appearances, they were undetected. Battle stations torpedo was the word and Kelly decided that 2 fish should be used. If they were lucky, the Germans would never know what hit them.
Minutes later the two torpedoes were launched. Based on the sudden flurry of activity on board the enemy sub, they had heard the launch, but they were too late! The first torpedo hit just below the conning tower, the second hit towards the stern. The sub quickly went under. As Captain Kelly was looking through his periscope at the sinking sub, there was a sudden explosion and he was thrown to the deck. Jumping up, he looked through the periscope and saw a flying boat turning around and heading for their position, they had been spotted!!
Ordering full ahead while taking her as deep as she could go without bottoming out, Kelly was hopeful they could escape before German surface vessels arrived on scene. He ordered a change in course away from the German coastline, which hopefully would throw off his pursuers.
November 25. The Thrasher had managed to avoid any further pursuit for the last day, but Kelly had let several worthwhile targets slip by to give him and his crew some breathing room. They had encountered the von Steuben again, but this time they didn’t surface. However, around 10am on the 25th, the hydrophones picked up the screws of a large surface vessel (cruiser size or better). By 11am, they had picked up a heavy cruiser being escorted by 6 or 7 torpedo boats. Kelly didn’t know it, but he and his crew were witnessing the shakedown cruise of Germany’s newest P Class heavy cruiser the Prinz Karl August. She had been launched three days before and the heavy escort was because of the Thrasher and because Grand Admiral Raeder was on board the cruiser. Getting into an effective firing position was difficult but not impossible. After three hours, Kelly and his crew managed to get into position. Thanks to the large numbers of ships in the area, the German sonar operators were unable to get a fix on the Thrasher before she fired her torpedoes. The Thrasher had slipped by the nearest torpedo boats and launched a full spread of 8 torpedoes. Three hit 2 separate torpedo boats, blowing them out of the water. The remaining torpedoes smashed into the hull of the Karl August. Admiral Raeder, touring the aft engine room, was killed instantly when a torpedo hit that compartment. Of the 1,000 crew on board, only 350 survived to be pulled out of the water. The Thrasher lasted four more hours before finally being crippled and trapped on the bottom of the Baltic. Finally Kelly ordered his crew to abandon ship. Only four men died during the engagement.
When Hitler heard about the sinking of the Karl August, he ordered that no more warships larger than destroyer be built. The Karl August had two sister ships – Prinz Johann Georg (80% completed) and Konig Charles (32% completed) – under construction. Hitler gave permission for the completion of the Johann Georg, but ordered the cancellation of the Konig Charles. This was the end of the German surface fleet. Orders had been given for the keel laying of the Frederick the Great, the first H Class battleship, those orders were quickly rescinded.
EXCERPTS FROM
WORLD WAR II
IN THE PACIFIC – BUILDUP
TO WAR[10]
DECISION FOR WAR
DECEMBER 2, 1940
By Dr. Christopher Hall
Bluegrass Books
The Emperor had called in Prime Minister Tojo and his cabinet to hear if everything was prepared. He had wanted to hear the final choices of the first targets to be hit. Among the targets would be the Panama Canal, Pearl Harbor, the American bases on Guam, Midway Island and Wake, the Philippines, Malaya, Burma, and the Dutch East Indies.
While the Allies had both White and Native troops, their equipment was old and obsolete, their air power was a joke (although the American B-17s were formidable, they were few in number.) The largest Allied warships were 3 battle cruisers (1 Dutch, 1 American & 1 Australian), plus smaller cruisers and destroyers, and they were not organized into an effective fleet. They had no aircraft carriers closer than Pearl Harbor (the sole Royal Navy carrier, HMS Furious, was being repaired in Freetown after a collision with an RN destroyer).
Both the Army and Navy commanders felt that the war would be over by May15 if the war started on January 1. However, Admiral Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief Combined Fleet, felt that if Japan did not force America to its knees by the end of 1941; eventually, Japan would have to make peace with the Americans. His radical views were ignored.
After more discussions, the date was set as January 1, 1941 for combat operations to begin.
EXCERPT FROM
AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN
THE MILITARY[11]
1900-2000
By Patricia Murray
Bloody Bucket Press, 2003
WORLD WAR II
By late 1940, African-Americans were becoming more accepted in the US military. The Army had divisions of African-American troops. Most of the officers however, were white. The US Army Air Force had begun accepting African American pilots; they would be formed in all black transport, light bomber and pursuit squadrons. They would not have command over white troops, although white troops of inferior rank were expected to treat said superior black officers with respect. The Navy was allowing African-Americans to join the engineering and gunnery departments. They were not allowing African-American pilots or line officers. The Marines were accepting African-American enlisted personnel, but again no officers. These Marines were kept in segregated units.
EXCERPTS FROM WORLD WAR II
IN THE PACIFIC – BUILDUP
TO WAR[12]
ON THE MOVE
By Dr. Christopher Hall
At dawn on December 9th, 1940 two Japanese freighters set out from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands bound for the Panama Canal. Operation Z was underway. Only 2 men on each freighter knew what the actual mission was. The ships were flying the flag of Nationalist China and officially they were bringing gold to pay for war supplies. As far as the ships’ crews knew, they were transporting Japanese Marines to attack the Panama Canal. In addition, there were 20 agents of the Japanese Secret Police on each ship to ensure that nothing would go wrong during the 3 week voyage to the Panama Canal.
Meanwhile in Japan, IJN warships were in the middle of extensive resupply efforts and crew rotations. The same was happening in army bases across the Japanese Empire. The Empire was preparing for war.
BEBC NEWS BROADCAST[13]
DECEMBER 7, 1940
Good Evening, this is London.
In aerial combat over Southern England, American and British pilots shot down 73 German fighters and bombers for the loss of only 10 Allied fighters.
Stockholm Radio is reporting on the death of the German Navy’s Commander-in-Chief Grand Admiral Conrad Albrecht in a plane crash several days ago. Admiral Albrecht had been appointed to replace the late Admiral Raeder who died last month from a heart attack. His new replacement is reported to be Grand Admiral Karl Donitz.
Meanwhile Japanese negotiators are working in Washington DC in an effort to smooth over relations between Japan and the United States.
Moscow Radio is reporting that Murmansk has fallen to loyalist Russian forces; however, Leningrad continues to hold out.
Radio Athens is reporting that the last Italian forces have been pushed back into Albania. Greek Army officials are reported to have begun preparations for invading Albania.
CLASSIFIED US NAVY
REPORT ON THE GERMAN
BATTLESHIP BADEN[14]
December 10, 1940
Since last report on this topic, the Baden has continued to surprise, harass and sink Allied shipping.
The Baden surprised and sank the South African Minesweeper M17 off Cape Town on August 30. She then proceeded to sink 8 merchant ships (28,200 tons) in the area before leaving to avoid the inevitable air attacks.
Three days later, she appeared off the port city of Toliara, Madagascar and bombarded the harbor for over an hour. When she left, 3 patrol boats and 6 merchant ships had been sunk, 4 more damaged and the harbor was in flames.
We know that she was in the Indian Ocean sinking another 24,550 tons on merchant shipping. Despite the best efforts of HMAS Leviathan, and the Royal Navy units based in Singapore, she slipped past Singapore and is now believed to be in Japan refueling and re-arming.
EXCERPT FROM
NEUTRAL NATIONS OF
THE SECOND WORLD WAR[15]
By Nicole Williams
JAGUAR PRESS
After the Baltic Republics and other former Soviet States gained their freedoms, the United Kingdom moved swiftly to recognize them and open diplomatic missions in their capitals. Because these nations were very friendly with Nazi Germany, these diplomats were on a tight leash. However, the military attaches and intelligence operatives were able to slip out and gather intelligence on German activities. By mid December, they had been able to report back to London of the buildup of German forces in these countries. By their best guesses, they were predicting a German invasion of Russia in the spring.
EBS NEWS SPECIAL REPORT[16]
DECEMBER 16, 1940
War has broken out in South America between Argentina and Brazil. Reports coming out of the US Embassy in Rio De Janerio state that Argentine battleships were bombarding the city. There have been scattered reports of Brazil’s battleships being sunk while steaming towards the capital. There has been no word from President Vargas since the attack has begun. The Brazilian radio stations have been broadcasting mobilization orders for the Brazilian Army.
When we have more information, we will broadcast it immediately.
EXCERPTS OF CLASSIFIED
MEMO TO PRESIDENT
ROOSEVELT FROM ADMIRAL LEAHY,
CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE PRESIDENT[17]
December 17, 1940
Mr. President, We can ship 1 Armored and 3 Infantry Divisions within the next week to Brazil. We can also deploy 4 Pursuit and 3 Light Bombardment Groups within the week as well. In talks with Admiral King, they can send a Carrier Task Force and the 3rd Marine Division.
Intelligence indicates that the Germans are actively assisting the Argentine government and they had U-boats ready to ambush both Brazilian battleships.
Argentine ground forces have not yet crossed the border, but it is only a matter of time before they do.
TOP SECRET RADIO
MESSAGE FROM
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
US ARMED FORCES FAR EAST TO
GENERAL GEORGE C. MARSHALL[18]
DECEMBER 21, 1940
General,
Over the last 2 weeks, Japanese over flights have increased by a factor of 50%. Japanese “fishing trawlers” have been caught near or just inside restricted areas. Under the current rules of engagement issued by the War Department, we are not allowed to fire only intercept and detain if possible. I am requesting permission to change those rules to fire upon non-American/Filipino forces invading restricted areas.
Respectfully,
Van Voorhis.
TOP SECRET RADIO MESSAGE
FROM GENERAL GEORGE C MARSHALL
TO GENERAL DANIEL VAN VOORHIS[19]
DECEMBER 22, 1940
General, by order of the President, you are not to attack or provoke the Japanese. We have no desire to be in a shooting war with them. You do have permission to defend the Philippines against all aggressors.
Merry Christmas
GCM
MEMO FROM
LIEUTENANT GENERAL THOMAS HOLCOMB TO
COMMANDER FLEET MARINE FORCE PACIFIC[20]
DECEMBER 23, 1940
You are hereby directed to transfer the following units. 1st Marine Defense Battalion (currently stationed at Pearl Harbor) to Guam; the 3rd Marine Defense Battalion (currently in San Diego) to Wake & Midway Islands; 4th Marine Defense Battalion (currently being transferred to your command) to Pearl Harbor with detachments to Palmyra and Johnston Islands. You will deploy these units on the first available transport.
You will notify this headquarters once these transfers are completed.
TRUE STORIES
OF THE RESISTANCE[21]
By Jamie Belinda Hunicutt
Province Books
1985
December 25th 1940. It may have been Christmas, but Westervoort resistance cell was hard at work. Earlier this morning, they had found out that a “special” German convoy was passing through the area, and Princess Marie Sophia was determined to take it out (after all, if this was a valuable commodity to the Germans, then their war effort would be hurt).
She did not realize that her secret was out. They had been passing along shot down Allied pilots and aircrew to other resistance groups in an effort to get them back to Allied territory. Among those officers debriefing the escapees, were several senior Dutch officers. They were able to piece together accurate descriptions of the Princess and realized that she had survived the invasion. They were still debating on whether or not to inform the Queen.
The convoy was scheduled to pass the town of Angeren which was where the ambush would take place. They planted explosives alongside the road, and when the convoy was passing, would detonate them, they would then go in and finish off the survivors and take what supplies they could.
They were all in place by 5pm (the convoy would pass through at 5:30) and were getting impatient, when at 5:27pm, the convoy rolled into sight. This was not what they were expecting – two staff cars being escorted by an armored car and a small truck. The armored car was in the lead, followed by the staff cars and the truck. The bomb was detonated just as the armored car was driving by; the car was flipped over and landed 10 feet away killing the crew. The front staff car was badly damaged and the occupants killed. Two captured German machine guns opened up on the truck while the rest of the resistance fighters opened up on the staff car. Princess Maria Sophia personally shot the elderly gentleman in the car, while the other 3 men in the car died under a hail of bullets. In a matter of a few minutes, the killing was over.
In all 18 German soldiers died, including Field Marshall Gerd von Rundstedt, Commander-in-Chief, West.
EXCEPRT FROM THE
POST WAR INTERROGATION
OF SS OBERESTSTANNFUHRER
HEINZ BARTH[22]
Interrogator: Let’s discuss the actions of your company on December 26, 1940 in the town of Angeren.
Barth: We had received orders from Himmler that the Hitler wanted reprisals for von Rundstedt’s death on Christmas Day. We were informed that the bandits were hiding in the town. They were to be arrested, tried and executed. We later found out that the terrorist group had already left the area.
Interrogator: So why didn’t you give chase?
Barth: Because we were ordered to make an example of the town. And that is what we did.
Interrogator: There were 2,000 people living in that town before your unit arrived. Three days later, there were 768 still living. Tell me about the Saint John the Baptist Church.
Barth: That was early on the 2nd day of the exercise. A large number of people had broken the curfew and had gone to the church. I decided to remove them. That they died while trying to escape doesn’t matter. The church was cleared.
Interrogator: You and your unit murdered over 300 people in that church, don’t you feel any remorse?
Barth: Remorse for doing my job? (Subject at this time began laughing).
Author’s note: Heinz Barth was found guilty on 500 counts of murder and executed in 1945.
EXCERPT FROM THE LAST STAND OF THE ALAMO:
THE SINKING OF THE USS ALAMAO
AT THE START OF WORLD WAR II[23]
By Commander William Hammond, USN
Longhorn Press, 2002
The light carrier USS Alamo had been dispatched from Pearl Harbor on a transport mission. She was carrying 46 P-40s; the convoy she was in was also bringing spare parts, ammunition and troop reinforcements. They were expected in Manila by January 2.
Early on the morning of the 28th, the convoy picked up an unwelcome guest. A Japanese patrol plane had been spotted shadowing them. Unfortunately (over the objections of the Alamo’s skipper and CAG), the Alamo was in no position to launch her own fighters. In order to make room for the P-40s, the Alamo’s fighters were partially disassembled down in the Hanger Deck. It would take several days to reassemble them.). While they were within B-17 range, they were not yet within range of Army fighters which was worrisome.
What they did not know was they were now a target of the bomber squadrons of the IJN’s Takao Kokuta. Nor did they know that their ship had only days to live.
EXCERPT FROM
AN OPERATIONAL HISTORY OF THE SOUTHERN
TASK FORCE IN THE SOUTH AMERICAN WAR[24]
By Richard Liddick
Paisley House 2002
Immediately after the assassination of President Vargas by German agents, advance elements of the Argentine Army crossed the Argentine/Brazilian border, their initial target was the port city of Porto Alegre.
Major General Omar Bradley was given command of the Southern Task Force (US IX Corps) which would be composed of the 3rd Marine, 33rd Infantry, 42nd Infantry, 49th Armored and 94th Infantry (CLD) Divisions. General Bradley would also command the Army Air Force units in the theatre.
The Navy’s Task Force 14 with the carriers Lexington and Saratoga sailed within hours of the President’s go ahead.
Navy planners estimated that within 2-3 weeks, the Army forces would be in Brazil fighting the Argentine invasion.
BEBC NEWS[25]
DECEMBER 31, 1940
Good evening this is London.
The Brazilian Government has confirmed that the town of Porto Alegre has fallen to advancing Argentine forces.
His Majesty King George VI and Prime Minister Churchill inspected American, Australian, Canadian and British troops today wishing them a Happy New Year and wishes for the war to end soon with an Allied victory.
In other news..
EXCERPTS FROM
WORLD WAR II
IN THE PACIFIC – BUILDUP
TO WAR[26]
OPENING SHOTS
By Dr. Christopher Hall
The Americans
The Japanese Government decided on a declaration of war thirty minutes prior to the opening shots being fired; mainly to placate Emperor Hirohito’s distaste for such a “less than honorable “act. Unfortunately for the Japanese, the car carrying the two Japanese negotiators, Ambassador Nomura and Special Representative Kurusu, was hit by a drunken truck driver. Ambassador Nomura was killed instantly and Kurusu was badly injured. The declaration of war was delivered three hours after the events at the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor.
Panama Canal (12:30pm local time, January 1, 1941)
The two ships of Operation Z had made it through the US Coast Guard inspection teams late on the afternoon of December 31, 1940. The ships were registered as Nationalist Chinese merchant ships bringing gold to the US to pay for war supplies. The teams had conducted thorough inspections. Each team had noted the three sealed compartments on each ship. After being told they were vaults full of gold and traveling under the auspices of the Chinese Government, wax seals over the hatches and welded shut, the team leaders reported back to their superior. The senior inspecting officer (a USCG captain) wanted to inspect those compartments, but after consulting with the senior State Department official assigned to the PCZ, allowed the ships to pass. The senior "Chinese" government officials on board each ship was informed that official protests would be made to the Chinese government.
By 12:30 pm, the "Chein Yang" (actually the Akebono Maru) was nearing the Pedro Miguel Locks while the "Shao Yang" (the Kasi Maru) had cleared the Miraflores Locks. The subsequent investigation made some of the following conclusions. The timers were set about 30 minutes beforehand. The body of the Akebono Maru's Captain was recovered. An autopsy indicated he had been bayoneted to death indicating he had not been cooperative. No one survived on either ship.
Both ships went up with 30 seconds of each other, destroying both sets of locks as well as the village of Pedro Miguel causing over 400 deaths and blocking the canal.
Meanwhile, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had begun a short time earlier.
Pearl Harbor - The fleet was in port on this Wednesday morning, recovering from the New Year’s Eve celebrations the night before. Of course the whole Pacific Fleet was not in port. A small task group consisting of the light carrier USS Alamo, light cruiser USS Flint, and 3 destroyers were escorting a Philippines bound convoy. The USS Ranger was being refitted in San Diego. Admiral Halsey had taken the carrier USS Essex, the battle cruiser USS Baja, the cruisers New Orleans, Portland, and San Diego plus seven destroyers on a delivery mission. They had transported Marine fighter squadrons to Wake and Midway Islands and were expected back at Pearl Harbor on the 2nd.
There were six battleships, eleven cruisers, eighteen destroyers, eight submarines, and 42 other ships in harbor at the time of the attack. In addition, there were approximately 400 aircraft – 160 of them fighters – stationed in Hawaii at the time of the attack.
The port was slowly waking up that morning after a long night of celebrating the New Year. Yes, the US was at war with Germany, but that was in the Atlantic and this was sleepy, quiet Pearl Harbor. Nothing ever happened here.
The Japanese had committed the six carriers of their First Air Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Nagumo. In addition, six mini-submarines were supposed to slip into the harbor and attack ships during the attack. In the original plans for the attack, it was proposed that the IJN land 3 IJA Infantry Divisions, this idea was quickly shot down.
Approximately 15 minutes before the first wave of attack planes crossed the coast, 2 army privates, hung over and very late for duty, turned on their SCR-270 radar and picked up the first wave of the attack. They tried telephoning the operations center, but the lone lieutenant on duty there had taken the phone off the hook and was sleeping.
At roughly the same time, a flight of P-40s on dawn maneuvers was taken by surprise by the first wave’s Zero fighters and all were quickly shot down. The first shots of the war had been fired. Minutes later, the destroyer USS Ward sank a Japanese mini-sub trying to get into the harbor. Still, no word had reached higher authorities; such officials could have brought the defenses to a higher state of alert.
At 7:50am, Commander Fuchida led his first wave planes against the airfields at Ford Island, Barber’s Point, Hickham and Wheeler Fields, plus of course the battleships moored at Battleship Row. Surprise was total and complete.
Admiral Husband Kimmel, Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet was just climbing aboard the USS Pennsylvania, the fleet’s flagship when the first torpedo bombers launched their torpedoes. He was the first high ranking official to order the fleet out to sea. He was killed minutes later when bombs destroyed the Flag Bridge and everyone inside.
Rushing to his flag bridge several minutes after the attack began, Rear Admiral Isaac Kidd on board the USS Nevada, radioed ashore ordering word of the attack to be sent worldwide. Admiral Kidd (later to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership during the attack) set about getting the Fleet to sea. As the Senior Officer Afloat, the task was his and his alone, especially after looking at the burning Pennsylvania and realizing that Kimmel probably went down with her.
During the first few minutes of the attack, a grand total of 17 P-40s and 5 Buffaloes managed to get into the air. All five Buffaloes were shot down within minutes of getting into the air. Of the 17 P-40s, six were shot down by the Japanese, four more by US AA fire. The remaining seven, some badly damaged, managed to shoot down 3 Zero fighters, 6 Kate torpedo bombers and 7 Val dive bombers. .
Unfortunately it was too little, too late. By the time the first wave had left, the Pennsylvania was burning from stem to stern and being abandoned; the California was settling on the bottom of Pearl Harbor; and the Oklahoma had capsized. The Maryland and Nevada were the only 2 undamaged battleships and they were in the process of raising enough steam to get out of the harbor.
The air fields were not in much better shape. Over half of the planes on the ground had been destroyed or damaged during the first wave’s attacks.
The second wave arrived at 8:30am and they concentrated their attacks on the Maryland, Nevada Wheeler and Barber Point air fields, Schofield Barracks and the dry docks. The Maryland, hit repeatedly, had to be beached to prevent her from blocking the harbor. The Nevada did break out to sea along with a few cruisers and destroyers. Wheeler Field was knocked out as an operational base with Barber Point and Schofield Barracks were both severely damaged.
The casualty figures were high on the American side; 3,018 military personnel were killed, 33 US civilians also died; 2,188 military personnel were wounded as were 77 civilians. The Navy lost 3 battleships, 2 cruisers and 3 destroyers. Dry-dock One had been badly damaged and would take some time to repair. Of the 400 aircraft on the island, 270 were damaged or destroyed. Japanese casualties were light – all 5 midget submarines were lost as well as 42 Japanese aircraft.
Word of the attack quickly spread around the US Military’s chain of command and bases around the Pacific. The single Marine Company on Midway Island was brought to full combat readiness. There were three squadrons of aircraft on the island at that moment – 1 Marine fighter squadron flying Wildcats, 1 Navy patrol squadron flying Catalinas and 1 transient Army Air Force B-17 squadron en route to the Philippines.
The Americans on Wake Island were feeling very lonely. Aside from the single Marine Fighter squadron flying Wildcats, there was a composite Marine company, 77 naval personnel and 334 civilian contractors.
The largest American garrison outside of Hawaii of course was in the Philippines. Upon receiving word of the attack, General Van Voorhis ordered his command to activate War Plan Orange-5. The Philippine Division would fall back onto Bataan and hold the peninsula until the Pacific Fleet arrived with reinforcements, while the majority of the Philippine Army would fall back on Batangas City, an important communications hub. There, the defenders would be a link between the Bataan defenders and the small American-Filipino force under the command of Brigadier General William F. Sharp on Mindanao. And of course, both the PAAC and US Army Air Force would defend the air over the Philippines and take the war to the Japanese. Man (in this case, the US Army) plans and God laughs.
Philippine President Quezon had serious problems with WPO-5; for starters, the plan gave much of his country over to the Japanese. He also felt that his army would be able to defeat the Japanese as they landed. He would turn out to be a thorn in the side of General Van Voorhis.
At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, the battle cruiser USS Puerto Rico was paying a courtesy call at the Royal Navy base at Singapore. Admiral Hart ordered the skipper to join forces with the RN Squadron based at Singapore – HMS Malaya; the light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMS Penelope; and four D class destroyers. The carrier HMS Furious, the heavy cruiser HMS York and 4 more D class destroyers were in Sydney Harbor waiting for a Singapore bound convoy to form up.
In Philippine waters were the heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City, the light cruiser USS Tallahassee, and six Clemson class destroyers – USS Branch, USS Long, USS Manson, USS Stewart, USS Tracy, USS Welborn C. Wood. There were also six submarines and eighteen PT boats, plus another dozen support ships.
The Philippine Navy consisted of the PNS Luzon, the ex-USS Dyer, a Wilkes class destroyer and six PT Boats.
THE BRITISH
British and British Empire forces were scattered around the Far East. The small Royal Indian Navy was concentrated in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal on convoy duty.
The Royal Navy’s Far East Squadron was scattered between Singapore and Australia. The British Malaysia garrison consisted of the British Indian Army’s III Corps and the British 10th Infantry Division, which had been partially stripped. Several of its battalions had been sent back to the UK and they had not been replaced. The Division was at 60% of its authorized strength. The RAF’s No.9 Group consisted of a mixture of old (Vildabeasts) and new (Hurricane) aircraft.
The Hong Kong garrison was hopelessly out numbered. The one fighter squadron and 1 Infantry brigade (1 British, 1 Royal Marine & 2 Canadian infantry battalions) were not expected to hold out for very long.
The Royal Australian Navy was primary concentrated in Australian waters; however the destroyer HMAS Voyager was in Singapore. The majority of the Australian Army was in Europe or North Africa. One Brigade Group was in the process of being transferred to Singapore.
The minuscule Royal New Zealand Squadron was in the process of escorting the 4th NZ Brigade Group to the United Kingdom. The New Zealand Army was still in the process of expanding. With the loss of the New Zealand Brigade in Paris, the New Zealanders were switching over from an all volunteer force to a conscripted force.
THE DUTCH
General Hein ter Poorten was the Commander-in-Chief of all Dutch Forces in the area. His ground forces included Royal Dutch East Indies Army comprising of the 1st Dutch Colonial Division, 8th Dutch Infantry Division, three additional colonial infantry regiments, and 2 artillery brigades composed of obsolete and worn out artillery pieces. His air force consisted of nearly 400 obsolete aircraft. The Dutch East Indies Navy was commanded by Admiral Conrad Helfrich with Vice Admiral Karl Doorman commanding the sea going forces which consisted of the battle cruiser HMNLS Amsterdam, two light cruisers (HMNLS De Ruyter & Java), six destroyers and 4 operational submarines.
[1] ANC Radio
[2][2] Library of Congress
[3] World War II in the Pacific, Hall, Dr. Christopher, Louisville Press, 1999
[4] BEBC News November 6, 1940
[5] ibid
[6][6] USAF archive
[7] Colonel Rufus S. Bratton archives
[8] They Didn’t Listen; Round House Books, 1966
[9] Royal Navy Submarines at War, Unger, Sir Jason Columbia Books, 2002
[10] World War Two in the Pacific- Buildup to War; Hall, Dr. Christopher, Bluegrass Books, 1988
[11] African Americans in the Military, Murray, Patricia; Bloody Bucket Press 2003
[12] Ibid
[13] BEBC News December 7, 1940
[14] US Navy archives
[15] Neutral Nations of the Second World War; Williams, Nicole; Jaguar Press 1976
[16] EBS News December 16, 1940
[17] FDR Memorial Library
[18] US Army archives
[19] Ibid
[20] USMC archives
[21] ibid
[22] UN War Crimes Tribunal archives
[23] The Last Stand of the Alamo; Hammond, William; Longhorn Press, 2002
[24] An Operation History of the Southern Task Force in the South American War; Liddick, Richard, Paisley House, 2002
[25] BEBC News, December 31, 1940
[26] Ibid