Page 175 - Dragon Flood

appearances: It was clear that the Japanese were preparing to invade Pearl Harbor and
that they were in possession of vital military information.”

This information was made available to the Roosevelt administration by Congressman
Dies personally. But this was the second time that Dies had appealed to Roosevelt about
Japan’s intention to attack Pearl Harbor: “Early in 1941 the Dies Committee came into
possession of a strategic map which gave clear proof of the intentions of the Japanese to
make an assault on Pearl Harbor. The strategic map was prepared by the Japanese
Imperial Military Intelligence Department.”

Dies telephoned Secretary of State Cordell Hull who talked to President Roosevelt.

Congressman Dies was told not to release the document to the public, and the Roosevelt
Administration did nothing.
[Source: The Unseen Hand, Ralph A. Epperson]

During this same period Roosevelt refused to have upgrades to Pearl Harbor’s radar
installations performed, which were being done at other installations. Roosevelt also had
Admiral Richardson replaced, for he was too outspoken about Pearl Harbor’s
vulnerabilities.

On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a “surprise attack.”

The American forces were not prepared for the attack...

As their air force attacked Pearl Harbor, [the Japanese] reported that the American
planes were having difficulty in getting off the ground.

This was because the American planes had been grouped in circles, with their propellers
all facing inward as the result of an order by President Roosevelt. It was reported that
Roosevelt had ordered the planes grouped in this fashion because he feared “acts of
sabotage” against the planes and he was acting to protect them.

Since airplanes do not have a “reverse gear” the grouping of the planes in this manner
made it extremely difficult for them to rapidly get out of the circle and into the air. One
critic of the circling of these airplanes, Harry Elmer Barnes, has written: “Bunching the
planes in a circle, wing to wing, would [make them] helpless in the event of a surprise
attack.”
[Source: Ibid]

2,341 servicemen were killed that day and 1,143 wounded. Additionally, 68 civilians were
killed. 18 ships, including 8 battleships, were sunk or heavily damaged. More than 200
Army Air Corps and Navy planes were destroyed. The following day Roosevelt addressed
Congress and asked for a declaration of war. The newspapers took up the cry and persuaded
the American citizens of the righteous indignation of their cause.