The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions About the Bush Administration and 9/11

The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions About the Bush Administration and 9/11
Average customer rating:

Bush Admin too inept to have pulled this off

Blew my mind - we are living a nightmare

Unbelievable !!

Questioning your government is patriotic

cashing in on 911

The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions About the Bush Administration and 9/11
David Ray Griffin
Manufacturer: Interlink
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1566565529

Book Description

Taking to heart the classic idea that those who benefit from a crime ought to be investigated, here the eminent theologian David Ray Griffin sifts through the evidence about the attacks of 9/11--stories from the mainstream press, reports from abroad, the work of other researchers, and the contradictory words of members of the Bush administration themselves--and finds that, taken together, they cast serious doubt on the official story of that tragic day. He begins with simple questions: Once radio contact was lost with the flights, why weren't jets immediately sent up ("scrambled") from the nearest military airport, something that according to the FAA's own manual is routine procedure? Why did the administration's story about scrambling jets change in the days following the attacks? The disturbing questions don't stop there: they emerge from every part of the story, from every angle, until it is impossible not to suspect the architects of the official story of enormous deception. A teacher of ethics and theology, Griffin writes with compelling logic, urging readers to draw their own conclusions from the evidence. The New Pearl Harbor is a stirring call for a thorough investigation into what happened on 9/11. It rings with the conviction that it is still possible to search for the truth in American political life.

Customer Reviews:

Bush Admin too inept to have pulled this off.......2007-08-29

Beyond referring to the easily readable Popular Mechanics article of about two years ago, which demonstrates just how the jet fuel could have brought the towers down so quickly, etc., beyond Griffin not being a structural engineer or any other kind of engineer, beyond his relying heavily on Thierry Meyssan's thoroughly debunked "The Big Lie," I can tell you the No. 1 reason not to believe the conspiracy theory that the U.S. government is in any way behind 9/11:

Look at four years of the Iraq War; look at the post-Katrina response. The George W. Bush White House is too inept to have pulled this off.

Unfortunately, neither empirical evidence nor logical reasoning have ever stood in the way of a good, er, bad, conspiracy theory.

Blew my mind - we are living a nightmare.......2007-08-17

How do I get my mind around the inevitable conclusion: that 9/11 was an inside job? All the rhetoric from Bush and Cheney about the evil-doers, the sub-humans who care nothing for human life and want to kill us: they are speaking of themselves. We have entered that phase of world history where global power is slowly, silently being seized by very evil men who stop at nothing to unfold their demonic visions. The people who died in the WTC and the Pentagon were murdered by their own govt.

A few facts from the book: The towers were full of asbestos and it was almost impossible to demolish them any other way. By pretending the collapse was caused by terrorism, citizens cannot sue Silverstein for lung damage. There seemed to be a lot of incentive on the part of the leaseholder, Silverstein, to bring them down.

There was an unprecedented fullpower shutdown the weekend prior to 9-11. All security cameras were turned off. This according to an IT guy for Fidelity named Forbes, Google him. He reported a lot of workmen with spools of wire cables that weekend, he was told that internet cables were being upgraded. Because he worked all weekend, he took Tuesday off and watched the towers collapse from home in NJ. He instantly thought it was related to the work down over the weekend.

Also, all bomb-sniffing dogs were removed from the premises 5 days prior to 9/11 -- that would be Friday. What would the dogs have sniffed if they had been there that weekend?

Read the book.

Unbelievable !!.......2007-07-16

It is astounding and almost unbelievable that the President of the United States would plan or approve such a calamitous event as the 9/11 attack. Yet, this is the conclusion to which we are led by David Griffin in his book, THE NEW PEARL HARBOR. It would have to be characterized as the most terrible immmorality; deception, lying, killing, all for ignoble motives. If this was a conspiracy perpetrated by our own government, as Griffin seems to think, it was gigantic in its scope, involving hundreds and perhaps even thousands of people. You would have to include not only the President and Vice President, but also the top echelon of the military, together with a number of their subordinates, airline executives and technicians, engineers and detonators, New York City officials such as the Mayor and the Police Commissioner, the FBI, the CIA, and the media. To expect that all of these people would remain quiet about what happened if they knew that it differed from the official account, is asking an awful lot. Surely there would be outrage, and at least a few brave souls would speak out. Even in the face of intimidation there would be some that would be defiant. This particular point is difficult for me to accept - that the conspiracy could be so well contained.

Nevertheless, though I have until now accepted the official explanation of those events on 9/11, I am now not so sure. Griffin raises a lot of questions, not just a few, about what happened, as contrasted with the reports that we all know about. He calls for a complete and unbiased investigation by someone whose integrity cannot be questioned, who is beholden to no party or view, and cannot be compromised. I am in complete agreement with that view.

If this is what our government has done to its own people, we are in the gravest peril. It is immoral and treasonous and is not a tactic or strategy we can accept. If the allegations in this book are true, we citizens have a duty to clean house and vote out every single incumbent from office and elect fresh new people, those without political pedigrees. Even for the presidency, we should elect some relatively unknown figure, rather than any politician who has been feeding us a line these past years.

Chapter 7 is entitled DID US OFFICIALS HAVE REASONS FOR ALLOWING 9/11 ?
The author says that 9/11 was the "official" excuse for invading Afghanistan, the beginning of the War on Terrorism. Griffin asserts that the real reason was to establish bases to guard a proposed oil and gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to the Indian Ocean, running through Afghanistan and Pakistan. He further asserts that the written records of some top government officials indicate strongly that we invaded Iraq to "guard" their oil reserves (for ourselves ?). It is likely the oil supply will remain important to us for the foreseeable future. Instead of looking to the mideast for this supply, why don't we begin to mine our own HUGE oil reserves in Utah and Colorado, said to be greater even than those in the Gulf region? It is much more difficult to get this oil, and the process is much more expensive, but it would be an alternative to dependence on foreign oil and we wouldn't have go to war. Scientists and geologists are working now to develop and improve this process. Whatever the cost, the government could and should fund it.

For me the jury is still out. It is unthinkable that our government could plan and instigate the 9/11 attack and do this dastardly deed to its own citizens. But more than enough questions have been raised by Griffin to demand a complete investigation. I'm willing to endure the unpleasantness if we get to the truth.

This is a must-read !

Questioning your government is patriotic.......2007-06-27

Every American should read this book -- questioning the actions of our government is the duty of every American.

cashing in on 911.......2007-06-08

This book's conspiracy theories are so bad, you have to think the author is simply cashing in on 911. dispicable. example- why were'nt jets scrambled to intercept the hijacked aircraft from a closer USAF base? answer: We did scramble from the nearest base that had fighters on alert. True, Mcguire AFB is closer, but only if you were we going to launch a tanker or cargo aircraft. Book is complete fiction.

Average customer rating:

Interesting story but not plausible for the knowledgable Pacific War reader
Interesting story despite weak characterization
Great read but not up to the Gettysburg series
Outstanding read!!! Hard to put down.
Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor: A Novel of December 8th
Newt Gingrich , and William R. Forstchen
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312363508
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Book Description

"A Thrilling Tale of the Attack That Marked America’s Darkest Day"

---W.E.B. Griffin

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech on December 8, 1941, lasted a mere six and half minutes. But his words and tone—in a monologue that would later be named the Infamy Speech—sent ripples into a nation and a world that continue even today. The historical implications that emerged from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor were unprecedented, launching America not only into the depths of a dangerous war, but forever altering the safety and comfort of everyday living. December 8th became a day of speaking out publicly and declaring war; of action, battle, plotting, and victories. This date’s significance is resonant and profound as an indelible moment in American history.

Fresh from their series on the American Civil War, bestselling authors Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen now launch a new epic adventure by applying their imaginations and knowledge to the “Date of Infamy”—the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Pearl Harbor covers the full spectrum of characters and events from that historic moment, from national leaders and admirals to the views of ordinary citizens caught in the chaos of war. From the chambers of the Emperor of Japan to the American White House, from the decks of aircraft carriers to the playing fields of the Japanese Naval Academy, this powerful story stretches from the nightmare slaughter of China in the 1930s to the lonely office of Commander James Watson, an American cryptographer, who suspects the impending catastrophic attack. It is a story of intrigue, double-dealing, the horrific brutality of war, and the desperate efforts of men of reason on both sides to prevent a titanic struggle that becomes inevitable.

Gingrich and Forstchen’s now critically acclaimed approach, which they term “active history,” examines how a change in but one decision might have profoundly altered American history. In Pearl Harbor, they pose the question of how the presence of but one more man within the Japanese attacking force could have transfigured the war. More than a retelling, the book also serves as a potent warning, valid still today as an example of what happens when communications and understanding breaks down, and a nation is ill-prepared for the onslaught that might ensue.

A compelling, meticulously researched saga, Pearl Harbor is also a novel of valor about those who took part in this cataclysmic moment in world history. It inaugurates a dramatic new Pacific War series that begins with the terrifying account of the day that started it all.

Praise for Pearl Harbor:

“A politician and a novelist, each an accomplished historian in his own right, are emerging as master authors of alternative history. In this ‘what if’ treatment of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen combine their talents to make the diplomacy as suspenseful as the combat, even for readers who know what happens next---or think they know. The authors’ mastery of both the broad sweep of events and the details of naval war and military technology give their counterfactual scenarios an unusual degree of plausibility, concluding with a version of the Japanese attack that guarantees a fictional Pacific war even more terrible than the one that began on December 7, 1941.”
-- Dennis Showalter, former president of the Society of Military Historians

“The book is not only a great read, it is a fascinating historical story that applies today in Iraq as it did in the Western Pacific in the late ’30s and ’40s.”
---Captain Alex Fraser (Ret.)

“Gingrich and Forstchen have done it again. Building on their successful collaboration on their Civil War trilogy that so skillfully combined real history with fiction, they have with Pearl Harbor happily inaugurated another new series. You will not want to put it down, but when you finish you will look, as I do, with great anticipation to the next book.”
---Chief of Police William J. Bratton, Los Angeles Police Department

"Masterful storytelling that not only captures the heroic highs and hellish lows of that horrific day which lives on in infamy---it resonates with today’s conflicts and challenges."
---William E. Butterworth IV, New York Times Best-selling Author of The Saboteurs

Customer Reviews:

Interesting story but not plausible for the knowledgable Pacific War reader.......2007-10-19

Newt and Bill have written another interesting alternative history book. However, the book is not completely plausible and the real studied historian of the Pacific War will struggle with many elements of this. First, let me provide the positives of this. The lead up to the war is very interesting based upon the experiences of three protaganists: one from the US, one from Britain and one from Japan. The one from Japan is Lt. Commander Fuchida who led the attack at Pearl Harbor. The others experience the Nanking massacres (Britain), the US Panay attack (US) and, of course Pearl Harbor (US) and Singapore (Britain) which is just starting as the book ends. This makes the book very personal and provides an interesting historical perspective based upon the views of these individuals that is very believable. Another area of interest is the focus on the reasons why the war started: (1) the cut off of oil, and more than that (2) Japan's desire to have a British type empire in the Far East (after all the British did it, why can't we?) Where the book doesn't get believable is in the premise that leads to an alternative to Pearl Harbor, that is, Yamamoto is leading the attack instead of Nagumo. I can't see that being approved by the leaders of Japan and the Emperor given what was happening at that time (let's get this clear - the moves to the south were more important to the Japanese than the attack at Pearl Harbor was because the primary reason that they started the war was that they needed the oil.) Why put their primary naval leader in this risky venture? (Let's make this clear - naval air attacks at this time were a very uncertain exercise at best prior to this, and the intelligence was not perfect - the Americans could have known what was going on and had their carriers and battleships waiting for them, etc.) So, as a knowledgable reader of the Pacific War, I find myself in a doubting mode. What is even more doubtful is the third attack and the book ends with Yamamoto commiting to sinking the US Carriers! And, I bet I can guess the ending of all this (probably in the sequel) - there will be a Midway type battle in December, 1941! That will be very unbelievable because neither side was experienced enough to make this happen. So, all in all, I don't think that I recommend this book for the experienced Pacific War reader, but at least the beginning is interesting.

Interesting story despite weak characterization.......2007-10-16

In any story about the Pearl Harbor attack, the attack itself is going to be one of the central "characters," and the narrative of the attack is almost inevitably going to be the most dramatic part of the plot. That's just as well in this case, as I found "Pearl Harbor" by Gingrich and Forstchen to be an interesting and mildly thought-provoking novel despite being weighed down by characters to whom the reader develops (or at least this reader developed) very little personal or emotional connection.

This is an "alternative history" novel of sorts, but not the kind that assumes time travel or poses "counterfactuals" like Wendell Willkie winning the election in 1940. In fact, the point at which fiction diverges from fact in "Pearl Harbor" is so subtle that readers unfamiliar with the Pearl Harbor attack run the risk, I imagine, of never noticing where the intersection happened. The road the authors have taken, though, is a plausible one, and the consequences of that difference flow logically. It's this element I'm looking forward to seeing explored further in later books in the promised series.

What was far less satisfying, however, was the authors' character development and, frankly, their writing. For one thing, this could have used at least one more pass by a good editor to catch spelling errors ("chocks" versus "chokes;" "terra incognito"), anachronisms (would Winston Churchill really have described someone as "outside the loop" [p. 270]?), and repeated descriptions, phrases, or actions -- if I had a drink every time Fuchida "slapped his pilot on the shoulder," I'd be drunk as a senator by the time the bombs started falling.

The fictional characters here are, as I said, not particularly engaging. I realized a good part of the way through the book that I wasn't really interested in them as such, but only as pegs on which to hang the story. One I came to think of as "Captain Cecil Backstory," useful mainly for long discussions with Winston Churchill during which the authors could explain Japanese culture and politics. Real-life characters like Churchill and FDR struck me as very imprecise portraits. (I've read a lot by and about Churchill, and I know Gingrich has as well. I was surprised, therefore, by how non-Churchillian the "Churchill" in this book sounded.) The one person in the book I did find interesting, and about whom I'm looking forward to reading more in later books, was Mitsuo Fuchida, the commander of the Japanese air strikes.

Because I'm a student of the Pearl Harbor attack and have read a fair amount about it, both fiction and nonfiction, I approached this book with a certain eagerness. I'm really sorry the characterization left so much to be desired, but the plausible and interesting premise may be enough to justify it and make me want to pick up later titles.

Great read but not up to the Gettysburg series.......2007-10-16

I enjoyed this book, although I have to admit that I was disappointed because I was expecting it to be up to the Gettysburg series. It developed slowly, but once you reached the halfway point in the book it was tough to put down. You do not have to like Newt to like this book. These two guys help you easily visualize what is happening as you read.

Outstanding read!!! Hard to put down........2007-10-11

I cannot wait for the next book!!! Newt did a fantastic job intermingling fact with slight fiction that keeps the reader locked in. Cannot wait to see what comes next.

Pearl Harbor.......2007-09-28

This is an entertaining book, one that should be a "must read." I think It's primary direction is the seemingly total immersion of the pre-war Japanese life of their "warriors." It can certainly bring us forward to today's extremist "warriors" of the mid-East. Scary thoughts!

Average customer rating:

A Definite Realistic Read
Japan vs. U.S.A.
under the blood - red sun
Under the blood red sun
An amazing book!

Under the Blood-Red Sun
Graham Salisbury
Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553494872
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Book Description

Tomi was born in Hawaii. His grandfather and parents were born in Japan, and came to America to escape poverty.

World War II seems far away from Tomi and his friends, who are too busy playing ball on their eighth-grade team, the Rats.

But then Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese, and the United States declares war on Japan. Japanese men are rounded up, and Tomi’s father and grandfather are arrested. It’s a terrifying time to be Japanese in America. But one thing doesn’t change: the loyalty of Tomi’s buddies, the Rats.

Customer Reviews:

A Definite Realistic Read.......2007-02-13

A good book that I recently read is Under the Blood Red Sun. It is a realistic historical fiction book by Graham Salisbury. It takes place on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, before, during, and after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

The story is told from the point-of-view of Tomikazu (Tomi), an innocent Japanese-American boy living near Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack. Then Pearl Harbor is bombed. Tomi must deal with racism, bullies, and cruelty.

Tomikazu is a friendly eighth-grade boy who likes to play baseball, and has consequently formed his own team, The Rats. He is loyal to his friends and will even face the crazy school bully, Keet Wilson, for them.

Billy and The rats are Tomi's best friends, being eighth grade and avid fans of baseball like he is. Billy is the friend that Tomi hangs out with the most. He is The Rat's star pitcher and is kind of shy.

From the very beginning, even before Pearl Harbor was bombed, Keet Wilson, the local bully, is a problem. He is a spoiled brat who can take down even Billy's older brother, Jake. His extremely strict father is Tomi's family's landlord, so they cannot do anything to harm him. However, after the bombing, Keet takes being mean to a whole new level. Keet reports Tomi's father and grandfather to the police, falsely accusing them of being Japanese agents. He also tells the police anything Tomi's family does, exaggerating it so it sounds like they are Japanese supporters. He kills Tomi's father's prize racing pigeons, saying that they are messenger pigeons. He also breaks Tomi's family's clothesline and spoils their water supply.

The book starts out several days before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It encompasses some of The Rat's baseball games, and their friendship with another team. Then Pearl Harbor is bombed. Tomi's peaceful life erupts into chaos. Everyone is suspicious of all the Japanese, and there are several lynch mobs. His father is shot in the leg by an American aircraft and taken away when coming back from a harmless fishing trip. Many Japanese are being taken the mainland internment camps, which are places that the U.S. government built so Japanese-Americans would not spy. But what will happen to Tomi's family as the only peaceful world they had ever known is crumbling around them?

The largest theme in the book is teamwork. Tomikazu's baseball team sticks together through Pearl Harbor, other baseball games, and bullies. It is a theme that makes you think teams can pull through anything, which they usually can. Another theme is racism. Tomi struggles through the racism directed at Japanese-Americans by white Americans who feared that they were spies following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

I would recommend this book to anyone ages 11-14. It is a very good book, and deservedly won the prestigious Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. It is very accurate for that timeframe, and it teaches in an entertaining way. It accurately describes the fear and racism following Pearl Harbor and gives glimpses of life in the internment camps. This book is suited for anyone who wants a realistic historical fiction or a tale with courage and bravery. The author writes this book seriously, staying on topic with very few humorous jokes, although it gives me an almost perfect mindset of where it takes place. It describes almost everything, from the dew on the leaves to the dust on the baseball diamond.

Japan vs. U.S.A........2006-11-16

BOOM!! KABOOM!! KABOOSH!!!!! Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Soon the U.S. Army declared war on Japan. This is when the action started. Tomi and his family are Japanese. During this time, Japanese people had to be careful because suddenly the U.S. Army stated arresting Japanese men. Suddenly, Tomi received a letter that said that while he was at work, his dad got arrested. A few days later, a couple of soldiers come to his house and arrested his grandpa. That left Tomi, by himself, the man of the house. Tomi now needs to take care of his little sister, Kimi, who is really scared of the bombs, and his mother who works with Keet's mom. Tomi needs to protect them and needs to be careful of Keet because if Keet sees something about Japan, he is going to tell his father. If his father finds out, Tomi and his family can lose their house. In this book, Under the Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury, you will learn about this Japanese kid who takes care of his family during World War II.
Tomi is the main character. His life changes a lot when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. He needs to face a lot of difficulties because he is Japanese. In that time people hated Japanese people because they thought all of them were part of the bombing. So they started to say, "Go back to Japan and never come back." Billy, Rico, and Moses are Tomi's best friends. They all help Tomi with some of his difficulties with other people who hate Japanese. In the book, they have a close friendship and call themselves "The Rats." Keet use to be Tomi's best friend, but when the war started between U.S.A and Japan, they weren't friends anymore. Keet's father was trying to get rid of all the Japanese in his town. So Keet spies on Tomi's family. Tomi needs to be careful because if Keet sees something of his heritage, he will tell his father and Tomi's family will get kicked out of the town they live in.
I recommend this book for people who like baseball, wars, and stories about friendship. When I first started reading this book, I liked it. It started with some action and some dialogue. For example, Tomi and Billy were playing baseball. When they got back to Tomi's house, Tomi's grandfather had the Japanese flag and showed it to the whole world. This ended with an argument and they were all chasing each other.
Before I started reading it, I thought this book was going to be boring, but then the action made me read this book completely! If you read this book, you will love it! This book made it feel as if I was part of this book. For example, all the action got me really excited and then I was so curios about was going to happen next that I couldn't stop reading. This book was exciting because the action comes right after another. You will love this book because it is filled with action. The action of this book felt like if it was real life. If you read this book, you will love it as much as I loved it.
From this book I learned that the U.S. involvement in World War II was started by the Japanese because they attacked Pearl Harbor and the U.S. started to arrest Japanese people. Also during that time the U.S. people started to hate Japanese people because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
So if you enjoy reading books about war and baseball, I suggest you read Under the Blood Red Sun.

under the blood - red sun.......2006-10-24

the blood red sun was an ok book. it was not the best.but there was a said part when sosera died in the store.my favorite part was when they were at the baseball game.

Under the blood red sun.......2006-10-24

I read Under the Blood Red Sun and i didn't really think it was very interesting. This was about a Japenese family that is having some trouble with descimanation. It's all going on around Pearl Harbor. But i didn't think it was exciting it kind of dragged on about the same thing. And really boring. But thats just my opinon.

An amazing book!.......2006-08-22

This is probably one of the best historical fiction books I've ever read. If you hate reading books about WWII, try reading this book and you'll soon start to like it. Under the Blood Red Sun has a wonderful plot, and it has great characters with strong personalities. I'm Japanese myself, and I really wanted to learn about Japanese history. This was the perfect book for me! I can't wait to read Eyes of the Emperor.

Average customer rating:

Thorough
Slightly outdated ,requires revision
Time marches on ...
An Excellent Historian
For the SERIOUS student of history

At Dawn We Slept
Gordon W. Prange
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Miracle at Midway
Day Of Deceit: The Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor: The Verdict of History
December 7, 1941: The Day the Japanese Attacked Pearl Harbor
Day of Infamy, 60th Anniversary: The Classic Account of the Bombing of Pearl Harbor

ASIN: 0140157344

Book Description

At 7:53 a.m., December 7, 1941, America's national consciousness and confidence were rocked as the first wave of Japanese warplanes took aim at the U.S. Naval fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor. As intense and absorbing as a suspense novel, At Dawn We Slept is the unparalleled and exhaustive account of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. It is widely regarded as the definitive assessment of the events surrounding one of the most daring and brilliant naval operations of all time. Through extensive research and interviews with American and Japanese leaders, Gordon W. Prange has written a remarkable historical account of the assault that-sixty years later-America cannot forget.

Customer Reviews:

Thorough.......2007-02-01

The best book, hands down, for information on Pearl Harbor. It will take a long time to read, but is very interesting. Miracle at Midway by the same author is just as good. Excellent pictures and hundreds of references quoted, along with personal interviews. I've seen no other book is as thorough in its approach to the subject.

Slightly outdated ,requires revision.......2006-09-13

Gordon W. Prange studied Pearl Harbor raid ,events surrounding it, for 32 yrs.The outcome is this tome.

Author is vehemently critical on Adm Husban E. Kimmel (c-in-c Pacific Fleet) and Gen Walter C. Short( commander US Land Forces
,Hawaii). Both,according to him ,lacked qualities to command forces. They failed to show imagination,foresight at a time when things were becoming explosive in the Pacific.

This is untrue.Evidence shows upon the receipt of war warning message of Nov27,1941,Adm Kimmel mounted long range reconnaissance missions north of Hawaii to detect the presence of hostile ships within the strike radius of Pearl Harbor.Unfortunately Pacific Command never had sufficent planes at its disposal to maintain an all out vigil.This never would have happened if Washington officials not denuded Pacific fleet of its strength to fight an undeclared war against German U boats in the Atlantic. As a result critical gaps in the aircover remained which Japanese exploited.

Now we know two weeks prior to attack based on intelligence furnished Cdr Joseph J. Rochefort of Hypo(combat intelligence centre of US Navy located in Pearl Harbor naval yard)Kimmel instituted a search for Japanese carrier force operating north of Hawaii.He vectored the Pacific Fleet to an area from where Japanese planned to launch their surprise assault. But his efforts were frustrated. Once White House came to know about Kimmel's manoeuvre he was told to withdraw.This was in line with official order of turning north Pacific into a 'vacant sea'.Strangely this reversal of direction has been ignored by every Pearl Harbor enquiry held from 1941-46.Regretably,neither Kimmel nor his family could recall this sortie and its unfortunate reversal.Yet it provides exculpatory evidence because after the war Kimmel was accused of not conducting precisely this type of search.

Author says Japan's expansionist designs on east Asia made Pacific war inevitable.But it should be admitted ,as latest reaearch shows , regardless of Tokyo's ambitions US hatched a plan to push that nation on the road to war.As war raged in Europe and Africa ,threatning to engulf the world,a memorandum started circulating in the corridors of power in Washington.Written by Arthur H. McCollum (dated Oct7,1940 later called 8-ction memo)head of the Far Eastern Branch of ONI,it advocated a series of measures aimed at engineering a situation wherby Japan is force to attack American ground,naval,air,forces in Hawaaii as well as British and Dutch colonial outposts in the Pacific.With FDR's connivance the plan was put into effect.

Of particular importance to the defence of Hawaii were the crucial bomb plot messages . Its timely dispatch to Short,Kimmel would have stopped the Japanese attack on its tracks.Army radio intercept station MS 5 at Fort Shafter in Oaahu was regularly intercepting messages sent to Tokyo by Japanese spy ring which contained information on the where abouts of Pacific Fleet.Information sent on lowgrade ciphers was broken read by senior officers of US Army ,Naval intelligence.This clearly pointed to a Japanese intent to attack Pearl Harbor. Instead of promptly alerting the C in C PAC Washington officials sat on it.

It is military topbrass esconced in Washington who were unfit to exercise command.Are these men so obtuse,doltish that they failed to perceive the significance of these intercepts?Such an incredulous attitude stands to reason only if they had a hidden agenda.Unfortunately,author does not hold them fully accountable for Pearl Harbor defeat. We find this disturbing pattern emerging regarding other significant Japanese intercepts.Tokyo"s reply to American ultimatum of Nov 26,1941 which came in 14 parts
,decision to present Washington an ultimatum at 1pm EST all of which portended war.

I feel Prange's book , loaded with interesting facts and information, requires revision.History of Pearl harbor raid requires fresh interpretation ;facts which have emerged based on latest research have made this indispensible.Because if we are to believe authors like Stinnet,Toland Washington officials knew the attack was coming and they were awake.

More than 60 years have passed .Pearl Harbor raid and events surrouding it have continued to intrigue and fascinate me.I read Prange's book because I wanted to get different perspective on the subject.

Time marches on ..........2006-05-24

This text should be highly valued in providing a first glance or survey of Pearl Harbor, but given the passage of time since its publication, it is now very dated.

With the release of newer materials, it should no longer be considered "definitive" or even "authoritative." It is also widely known to have several flaws (e.g., lacks the Brigg's interview) and factual errors (e.g., how are blinker lamps and signal flags "heard" in tactical radio circuits).

An Excellent Historian.......2006-02-15

I see that some reviewers were critical of "At Dawn We Slept." It should be noted that, while Dr. Prange did do the research, the book itself was put together after his death by two individuals who had previously been his graduate students. Having known Dr. Prange, I'm certain that had he survived to complete his work, the final product would have been much more satisfactory.

For the SERIOUS student of history.......2005-12-08

This book gives new meaning to the term "exhaustive!" Tons of information concerning the events leading up to, during, and following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Mr. Prange details the hatching of the plot, who and when the idea was first exchanged and how it came to be put in motion. He lays out the bombing itself and the investigations that followed. It's especially insightful into the thoughts and actions of those in leadership positions, both Japanese and American, although considerably weak on the perspective of the regular people involved. One can only imagine the time and effort and PASSION the author put into researching and compiling this mountain of information.

In all honesty, this is probably a 5 star book, but it was WAY more than I was looking for, and it just wasn't very "readable." I felt bogged down in information that was largely peripheral to my interest in the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I found myself at first skimming over chapters detailing the Japanese plotting and American suspicions, and eventually skipping entire chapters looking for the account of what happened that morning of December 7th, 1941. Once I found that section it was interesting (although a bit dry) and certainly reflected the chaos that must have been felt by those experiencing it first-hand. I guess what I was hoping to read was not only a comprehensive description of the events but also richly highlighted with the personal experiences of those who were there and in the middle of it, particularly the regular people whose stories aren't necessarily found in official transcripts from the government investigations.

Day of Deceit: The Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor

Average customer rating:

Nonsense
What is the truth?
9/11--The New Pearl Harbor
Disturbing
A Review of Someof the Reviews.

Day of Deceit: The Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor
Robert Stinnett
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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At Dawn We Slept
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ASIN: 0684853396

Amazon.com

It was not long after the first Japanese bombs fell on the American naval ships at Pearl Harbor that conspiracy theories began to circulate, charging that Franklin Roosevelt and his chief military advisors knew of the impending attack well in advance. Robert Stinnett, who served in the U.S. Navy with distinction during World War II, examines recently declassified American documents and concludes that, far more than merely knowing of the Japanese plan to bomb Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt deliberately steered Japan into war with America.

Stinnett's argument draws on both circumstantial evidence--the fact, for example, that in September 1940 Roosevelt signed into law a measure providing for a two-ocean navy that would number 100 aircraft carriers--and, more importantly, on American governmental documents that offer apparently incontrovertible proof that Roosevelt knowingly sacrificed American lives in order to enter the war on the side of England. Although obviously troubled by his discovery of a systematic plan of deception on the part of the American government, Stinnett does not take deep issue with its outcome. Roosevelt, he writes, faced powerful opposition from isolationist forces, and, against them, the Pearl Harbor attack was "something that had to be endured in order to stop a greater evil--the Nazi invaders in Europe who had begun the Holocaust and were poised to invade England." Sure to excite discussion, Stinnett's book offers what may be the final word on the terrible matter of Pearl Harbor. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

Pearl Harbor was not an accident, a mere failure of American intelligence, or a brilliant Japanese military coup. It was the result of a carefully orchestrated design, initiated at the highest levels of our government. According to a key memorandum eight steps were taken to make sure we would enter the war by this means. Pearl Harbor was the only way, leading officials felt, to galvanize the reluctant American public into action.

This great question of Pearl Harbor--what did we know and when did we know it?--has been argued for years. At first, a panel created by FDR concluded that we had no advance warning and should blame only the local commanders for lack of preparedness. More recently, historians such as John Toland and Edward Beach have concluded that some intelligence was intercepted. Finally, just months ago, the Senate voted to exonerate Hawaii commanders Admiral Kimmel and Lieutenant General Short, after the Pentagon officially declared that blame should be "broadly shared." But no investigator has ever been able to prove that fore-knowledge of the attack existed at the highest levels.

Until now. After decades of Freedom of Information Act requests, Robert B. Stinnett has gathered the long-hidden evidence that shatters every shibboleth of Pearl Harbor. It shows that not only was the attack expected, it was deliberately provoked through an eight-step program devised by the Navy. Whereas previous investigators have claimed that our government did not crack Japan's military codes before December 7, 1941, Stinnett offers cable after cable of decryptions. He proves that a Japanese spy on the island transmitted information--including a map of bombing targets--beginning on August 21, and that government intelligence knew all about it. He reveals that Admiral Kimmel was prevented from conducting a routine training exercise at the eleventh hour that would have uncovered the location of the oncoming Japanese fleet. And contrary to previous claims, he shows that the Japanese fleet did not maintain radio silence as it approached Hawaii. Its many coded cables were intercepted and decoded by American cryptographers in Stations on Hawaii and in Seattle.

The evidence is overwhelming. At the highest levels--on FDR's desk--America had ample warning of the pending attack. At those same levels, it was understood that the isolationist American public would not support a declaration of war unless we were attacked first. The result was a plan to anger Japan, to keep the loyal officers responsible for Pearl Harbor in the dark, and thus to drag America into the greatest war of her existence.

Yet even having found what he calls the "terrible truth," Stinnett is still inclined to forgive. "I sympathize with the agonizing dilemma faced by President Roosevelt," he writes. "He was forced to find circuitous means to persuade an isolationist America to join in a fight for freedom....It is easier to take a critical view of this policy a half century removed than to understand fully what went on in Roosevelt's mind in the year prior to Pearl Harbor."

Day of Deceit is the definitive final chapter on America's greatest secret and our worst military disaster.

Download Description

Twenty years ago Robert Stinnett set out to answer the question that the Congressional investigations of 1945 and 1995 could not: Did President Roosevelt know that the attack on Pearl Harbor was coming? Using evidence that has never been released before now, Stinnett describes Japanese activities documented by the American government that prove that FDR knew in advance about the attack, and deliberately did nothing to stop it. For decades it has been believed that the Japanese fleet maintained strict radio silence as it approached Hawaii. But Stinnett reveals that it did not -- in fact, no coordinated fleet could have done so -- and more explosively, he proves that allied listening stations intercepted and decoded dozens of the fleet's military messages, as they had been doing long before December 1941. Stinnett produces several devastating cables, tracing their path from the cryptographers who deciphered them directly to the White House. Here at last is the archival evidence that has been denied for half a century.

Customer Reviews:

Nonsense.......2007-06-27

Does anyone use plain ole common sense anymore? Are we really to believe that the president of the United States would deliberately let thousands of Americans be killed, let half of our Pacific Fleet be crippled, and leave the west coast of America open to attack, all for the sake of winning support for a war that we would eventually be dragged into anyway? And this from a president that loved the Navy? What a bunch of hogwash. There is no doubt many things things about Pearl Harbor have been left out of history, but c'mon folks, use your brains..

What is the truth?.......2007-05-21

This is a well documented history of events leading up to Pearl Harbor which gives a lot of credibility to FDR manipulating events to pull the US into WWII. I will try to find out how Mr. Stinnett is viewed by other noted WWII historians. This book presents a different light on FDR than I have heard before and I wonder if this view and Mr. Stinnett are credible rather than having an agenda to prove. It is well written and an easy read for the most part. It certainly caught my attention as it should anyone that has an interest in FDR's legacy and how his administration operated prior to WWII.

9/11--The New Pearl Harbor.......2007-02-17

See on Google Video--LOOSE CHANGE

This video does for 9-11 what this book does for Pearl Harbor.

Disturbing.......2006-09-16

Gives overwhelming proof that FDR provoked the Japanese attack primarily through denying access to natural resources in Indonesia via the Dutch government in exile, and also by giving support to Chinese resistance fighters. The motive behind the provocation was to ensure that the American people would support a war against Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan that they did not wish to be involved in prior to December 7, 1941. Instead of trying to convince the American people that war would be inevitable against Fascism; condescendingly assured of their stupidity, FDR sacrificed 2500 sailors in order to mobilize the nation for war.

The intelligence services were aware of false Japanese diplomats mapping out Pearl Harbor in preparation for the bombing. They were being monitored but allowed to operate. The secret Japanese communications codes were also cracked early on, so that military and government intelligence were aware of Japanese preparations. The `purple' diplomatic code was also cracked, so that Washington was deciphering communications between Berlin and Tokyo.

Once a military attack became inevitable, Washington hid the fact from military commanders in the Pacific to ensure the attack would be more devastating, and Pearl's base commander would take the blame for being unprepared. I find it truly troubling that only warships that were outdated were left at anchor in Pearl that morning on December 7. The Navy knew that the modern aircraft carriers would be extremely useful during modern naval war, so the USS Enterprise and USS Lexington were out to sea on maneuvers and safe from the bombing. Only ships 27 years old, relics from World War I, were left at anchor and vulnerable.

A Review of Someof the Reviews........2006-08-09

There is a strong political bit to the negative reviews. It reminds me a little of creationists reviewing an evolutionary biology work.

Historians use the concept of convergence when evaluating the truth/falsity of claims. For example, we know the holocaust happened and that the nazis ordered the killing of jews because there is an overwhelming amount of evidence. There is disagreement about certain aspects, some bits have been proved wrong (eg. the soap made out of people), but we can be as close to certain that it happened as is possible. But that hasn't stopped smart people from trying to proved it didn't. You can do some research on how their thinking is flawed in debunking books.

Another enlightening topic is how biblical literalists have attempted to create 'creation science'. Smart people actually believe things that aren't true, and there are very human reasons for it. It's quite enlightening looking at people who are 100% certain about things they cant possibly be sure about.

So who are you to believe? Believe no one. If you are interested in the topic, read the book. It is immaculately footnoted, primary source riddled, and intellectually rigorous (i.e. honest, not hard to read), although its hardly a page turner.

So why do people who cannot possibly know with 100% certainity, with no education in historiographical evaluation, with only a superficial grasp of the subject (ret navy code crackers included), etc state with absolute conviction the author is a liar, idiot, etc and that there is no way the prez knew about this? It's almost like the author is insulting their mothers. Afterall, the author spent years going over primary sources and has never been shown to be untrustworthy. Can any of these naysayers say the same? No, they just like to be prejuidiced and judgemental and pretend they know everything. People like that bug me...rant over.

So be like me, read the book, look at the arguements and evidence, and make up your own mind. And no I am not 100% sure the prez knew. But pretty sure. Afterall, buddy used a nuke when he didn't have to...

Ps, if you want some more fun looking at prejuidiced reviews, check out anything written about hillary clinton. Man that woman sends some people in to rage-goofy-land. Oh and al gore, and noam chomsky's good too (not as funny though).

pps you people who use your real names have more guts then i do!

Average customer rating:

Interesting
A Boy at War
A Review of A Boy at War by Steven
a boy at war
This book was horrible

A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor
Harry Mazer
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689841604

Book Description

December 7, 1941:

A morning like any other, but the events of this day would leave no one untouched.

For Adam, living near Honolulu, this Sunday morning is one he has been looking forward to -- fishing with friends, away from the ever-watchful eyes of his father, a navy lieutenant. Then, right before his eyes, Adam watches Japanese planes fly overhead and attack the U.S. Navy. All he can think is that it's just like in the movies. But as he sees his father's ship, the Arizona, sink beneath the water, he realizes this isn't make-believe. It's real.

Over the next few days, Adam searches for answers -- about his friends, the war, and especially, his father. But Adam soon learns sometimes there are no answers.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting.......2007-08-06

The book was pretty good as I recall (it was a while back when I read the book). If I remember right, the book seemed liked it ended TOO abruptly (Mazer left 'ya hanging). But after searching on Amazon I see why: There's a Sequel. It was A good book overall.

P.s. If I recall corectly, There was some mild profanity in it.

A Boy at War.......2007-05-15

A Boy at War was an awesome book because it was full of suspense. The book is about a boy named Adam who moves a lot and is new to Pearl Harbor. One day he goes fishing with his friends and Japanese planes start to bomb Pearl Harbor. As he is running away he sees his father's ship, The Arizona, sink into the water. I think Harry Mazer is a great author and this was a fantastic book. I would recommend this book to all readers from 10-12 who like war stories.

A Review of A Boy at War by Steven.......2007-04-27

This is a great and stunning book! It is about a high school age boy named Adam. Adam's dad is in the Navy in Hawaii. In the beginning of the book Adam doesn't have any friends because his family has to move a lot. Then he becomes friends with two boys, Davi and Martin.

One day when Adam is fishing with Davi and Martin the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor and bomb American battleships. After that the Americans think of the Japanese as their enemy. Adam helps the wounded soldiers. He searchs for his father, a lieutenant in the Navy, because he saw the Arizona, his father's battleship, explode.

In this book Adam has to grow up very quickly. During this one horrible day he has to do a lot of adult things including driving a jeep to help find his father. Does Adam's dad survive? Is Adam going to be okay after being injured? Will Adam and his sister Bea ever see their dad again?

a boy at war.......2007-01-31

If you like historical fiction you will like this book. It's about a boy that goes to live to Hawaii in about the 1900s. His name is Adam. In school he finds two friends. Later in the book his friends take him on a fishing trip to Pearl Harbor. Then the Japanese made a surprise attack on the navel base of Pearl Harbor. Then they tried to get to a hospital because a guy hit one of Adam's friend in the face with a gun and he started bleeding a lot. But they crashed. Something happened to Adam's dad during the attack. Read and see what happens next.
There are many good characters in this book. First there is Adam. He is smart and overprotected. Davi is another character. He is also smart but not that caring. Harry Mazer described the characters he used a lot of details. I could really visualize what they were like. I felt so amazed and exited when I read this book. I would recommend this book to readers who like a lot of action.

This book was horrible.......2006-11-02

I thought that this book was a waste of money and trees, because Mazer has no creativeness to him. He was trying too hard to make it like a movie, but the real newsflash is that it was just plain bad.

Descent into Darkness: Pearl Harbor, 1941: A Navy Diver's Memoir

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Excellent snapshot of Diving History
descent into darkness
DESCENT INTO DARKNESS
History written by a eyewitness
A Great Preservation of History

Descent into Darkness: Pearl Harbor, 1941: A Navy Diver's Memoir
Edward Raymer
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0891415890
Release Date: 1996-06-01

Book Description

A tribute to the audacious Navy divers who performed the almost super-human deeds that served to shorten the war.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent snapshot of Diving History.......2007-04-14

Commander Raymer did a fantastic job setting the mood of this story in the first chapter as he described his first dive into the sunken Arizona (it was the first ever dive on the ship), months after it had sunk. His descriptions are so vivid, I often pictured (what he experienced) as if I were there.

Other reviewers mention Raymer's escapades into early WWII Honolulu and his encounters with the the locals, but this story really focuses on what the divers did, hazards they overcame, and innovations they devised as they fought to return the heavily damaged warships back to the fleet.

descent into darkness.......2006-10-20

what a great book! i couldn't put it down. commander raymer and the men working with him were brave heroes.this book gives a glimpse of life in hawaii in the early forties as well as the navy's diving program in its infancy.not to mention the unique problems of salvaging the ships that were damaged in the pearl harbor attack.i highly recommend this book.

DESCENT INTO DARKNESS.......2005-08-29

Most books on WWII center around specific battles. However, Commander Raymer gives the reader a somewhat different perspective of WWII. Although, Raymer discribes several important engagements and the sinking of his own ship by Imperial Japanese naval forces, he also concentrates on the overwhelming and depressing daily tasks of the Navy salvage diver stationed at Pearl harbor shortly after the infamous attack. His objectives; recover bodies, raise or salvage the flagship U.S.S. Arizona, and other capital ships such as the U.S.S. California, U.S.S. West Virginia, and others.

His writing style is simple, and straight to the point. His ongoing descriptions of the scenes he saw and experienced in Hawaii and through the divers helmet port are well worth the read!

If, you liked the movie; "Men of Honor" then I guarentee you will like "DESCENT INTO DARKNESS!"

History written by a eyewitness.......2004-05-31

This really is a first-rate account of a process that has largely been ignored by writers and historians. I think it's a "given" that diving around sunken, fully armed and fueled battleships would be dangerous, but until I read this book I didn't realize just how MANY different hazards there were. For example, who would have known that it's dangerous to enter a previously-sealed but empty compartment that contains rust? (the formation of iron oxide [rust] depletes oxygen in the space)

The reader gets a firsthand account of the daily lives of salvage divers, and how frequently solutions to problems were devised on the spot. Rather unexpectedly, readers also get a firsthand description of what life was like "on the ground" during the Guadalcanal campaign.

Anyone wanting to know more about the Pearl Harbor attack really should read this book. Many people tend to think of the battle as being over when the last Japanese plane returned to its carrier; in truth, the battle had just BEGUN.

A Great Preservation of History.......2002-11-19

I recieved Descent In to Darkness as a Christmas pressent from my sister. I could not stop reading the book. I have always been a huge history buff as well as a great interest in diving . Febuary of this year (2002) I went to Maui to visit my cousin. While in Maui I got my scuba certification. My last day we flew over to Pearl Harbor to see the USS Arizona. It was very moving because I had more of a conection to the Arizona due to Raymer's detailed report on Pearl Harbor and the Arizona in the salvage eforts to raise our Pacific Fleet.

Average customer rating:

Did you catch that ... so much for Truth, Justice, and the American Way!
Major Primary Source
Pearl Harbor - Final Judgement
Sheds New Light on Who Was Responsible for Pearl Harbor
Clausen sheds light on flaws in intelligence system

Pearl Harbor - Final Judgement
Bruce Lee
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Day Of Deceit: The Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor
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ASIN: 0517586444
Release Date: 1992-09-01

Book Description

In 1944, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, knowing that high-ranking members of the military had falsely testified before the various bodies investigating the attack on Pearl Harbor, selected a then-unknown major by the name of Henry C. Clausen to undertake a new investigation. From November 1944 to September 1945, Clausen traveled more than 55,000 miles and interviewed over a hundred U.S. and British Army, Navy, and civilian personnel. He was given the authority to go anywhere and question anyone under oath, from enlisted personnel right up to George C. Marshall, the chief of staff. He ultimately presented an 800 page report to Stimson-a report that revealed a massive operational failure by the United States to use the priceless intelligence signals that it had obtained months before Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is the "final judgement"-the story behind Clausen's investigation and a blistering account of his conclusions.

Customer Reviews:

Did you catch that ... so much for Truth, Justice, and the American Way!.......2006-06-03

While it has a notable title, and with its co-author being Bruce Lee (he being the editor of another Pearl Harbor work), the text is simply a re-hash of prior materials.

But, having set that as a datum, there are several items which might be of profit for some who are less inquisitive. These items include, for example:

A. Pages 136-136 - Message No. 519 as triggered by the "Winds Execute" receipt, the destruction by burning of enormous numbers of message traffic, and the Japanese attack on the A-3 scrambler telephone.

B. Pages 191-193 - Massive perjury, including that old chestnut of Marshall's whereabouts on the night of December 6, 1941.

C. Page 270 - The "higher oath" that led to conflicted testimony before various investigations, the whole truth and nothing but the truth - but not quite. Imagine US military personnel lying and admitting it to Clasen.

D. Pages 353 and 373 - Note that Japanese Naval Codes are in Singapore and Bangkok.

E. Page 367 - Ribbentrop's (from November 28, 1941) comment that Germany will go to war if Japan goes to war with America, and not seek a separate piece with England. So, FDR knew that Germany would declare war. [And so did Churchill, who upon seeing this PURPLE message, noted that comment in red ink.]

F. Page 410 - The note pointing to the numbers of messages that had to be gotten from British copies of traffic - so complete was the purposeful housecleaning done on the US archives. [This should be a flag to some: The "Winds Execute" will not be found in a US file, but rather in that of the Allies.]

Overall, a text to be aware of - warts and all.

Major Primary Source.......2005-08-03

This book is a major contribution to the understanding of who was really responsible for Pearl Harbor. Although Clausen's report (and his subsequent testimony) are part of the record of the Congressional investigation, his description of how he actually pursued his inquiry helps to fit each witness's affidavit into context. Clausen's colorful (and sometimes humorous) narrative of the course of his investigation makes this book highly readable, and his insightful and lawyerly evaluation of his witnesses and their testimony is a great aid to those who truly seek answers about why America was surprised at Pearl Harbor.

The book is not without its flaws, however. Clausen was conducting an Army investigation; thus the majority of his witnesses are from the Army, and when he did interview Navy personnel, his lines of inquiry were limited to obtaining information that was relevent to mistakes that might have been made by the Army. Thus, his point of view is necessarily limited. In his list of the 14 people most responsible for Pearl Harbor, he has Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner in a tie for fourth-place on the list, but Clausen never even interviewed the Admiral--this great level of culpability is not satisfactorily explained in either the text or the list. Clausen does refer to the subsequent Congressional investigation's having answered that question, however, and reading the Congressional report does explain it. Also, amazingly, Clausen fails to assign any significant blame to Admiral Claude Bloch, who was commandant of the 14th Naval District (Hawaii) and Base Defense Officer for Pearl Harbor. Clausen also gets a few minor facts wrong that make it clear he's not a professional historian--for example, the Army did not have any P-39s at Pearl Harbor, and General Short did not attend West Point.

In answer to some of the criticisms raised by other reviewers: Clausen does have some biases, but he's very open about them. He explains, in his Congressional testimony, why he couldn't investigate Stimson--Congress directed Stimson to conduct the investigation. As for protecting Marshall, Clausen quotes Stimson's endorsement to the Army Board report--Marshall was not responsible for the day-to-day management of the War Plans Division(it is worth noting, however, that Marshall still accepted the blame for not noticing that Short had not gone to the proper state of alert, even though he couldn't recall having seen Short's reply, and General Gerow had previously admitted to making the error). Clausen's story should also put to rest, once and for all, the revisionist canard that Stimson sent him around the world to browbeat witnesses into reversing their testimony in order to protect the Chief of Staff. I would also point out that one of the other reviewers seems to have confused the terms "anecdote" and "sworn statement."

Finally, on the subject of Clausen's giving the "government version," is it unreasonable to expect one of the chief government investigators to give that version? The whole statement is loaded, and has clear revisionist implications. Kimmel and Short were not "scapegoats"; as Prang states, this word implies that they were blameless. They were clearly not, and Clausen proves it with sworn testimony. The evidence against Short is frankly damning, though I'm sure some revisionists will attempt to explain it away. Short failed to read the extensive briefing materials that his predecessor, General Herron, had carefully prepared for him to study during his 5-day voyage to Hawaii in February 1941. Furthermore, he chose an officer with no intelligence experience or training to be his intelligence chief, rather than the officer with intelligence training and experience (who was recommended by Herron), simply because Short didn't want an unwashed reservist as part of his inner circle. Had Short bothered to study the material (or simply asked around) he would have discovered that alerts did not alarm the civilian population, and that Herron considered the risk of sabotage to be minimal. Kimmel failed to share crucial intelligence with Short (as he'd been directed). Finally, the two commanders had been ordered to confer and cooperate, but Short simply assumed that the Navy knew where the Japanese carriers were, and was conducting reconnaisance patrols; Kimmel assumed that Short was alert against air attack, and using his radar.

This book should be on the shelf of everyone who's interested in Pearl Harbor--right next to At Dawn We Slept.

Pearl Harbor - Final Judgement.......2005-07-08

Pearl Harbor - Final Judgement is a behind the scenes view of the War Department's efforts to address deficiencies in the separate Army and Navy commissions that studied the failures prior and on December 7, 1941.

The Author, Henry Clausen was appointed by the Secretary of War to address deficiencies noted in the earlier investigations. Assisting Clausen was Bruce Lee who assisted Admiral Layton in writing "At Dawn We Slept" and other historical examinations of the Pearl Harbor disaster.

"Final Judgement" is about Clausen's efforts to find out what was our intelligence posture and what did we do with what was available. Clausen's investigation and the journey to find the truth is fascinating. Many significant findings in this book has never been addressed before.

I read the book as a retired Army officer familiar with inter-service rivalries. Clausen's "civilian" perspective assisted him greatly. If Clausen had viewed the events as a career military person, I doubt he would have taken the chances he did. I can only imagine the consternation his investigation certainly caused because he could not be touched.

Final Judgement rings of truth finally brought to light. One suspects a "911" report will come out 50 years later and reveal what our contemporaries did not want us to know. This is what Final Judgement is all about. Great read with real insights.

Sheds New Light on Who Was Responsible for Pearl Harbor.......2004-11-30

I originally read this book about eight years ago, but I recently finished reading it for the second time, and I got much more out of it than the first time through. Henry C. Clausen, a San Francisco lawyer with his own practice, was appointed by Secretary of War Henry Stimson to conduct a thorough investigation of the Pearl Harbor disaster after it was discovered that there may have been some tainted testimony with the recently completed Army Pearl Harbor Board investigation. Armed with "Magic" decrypts in a "bomb pouch" which Clausen was to detonate if captured, he set off to take affidavits from the key personnel involved in the Pearl Harbor disaster.

According to the book, from November, 1944 to September, 1945, Clausen traveled more than 55,000 miles and interviewed over one hundred U.S. and British Army, Navy, and civilian personnel. Clausen had the authority from Stimson to go anywhere and interview anyone under oath from enlisted personnel up to General George C. Marshall. After completing his investigation, Clausen presented an 800 page report which revealed a massive failure by the United States to use the intelligence obtained months before the Pearl Harbor attack.

The crux of Clausen's investigation centered on the failure of the Army and Navy to share intelligence. It was the Navy's responsibility to share their intelligence with the Army, but, according to Clausen's investigation, this did not happen. Clausen also faulted Admiral Kimmel and General Short for failing to correctly interpret Washington's war warning message dated November 27, 1941. Among the other charges leveled by Clausen against Kimmel and Short were Kimmel's failure to share intelligence with the Army and his own staff, while Short was charged with failing to defend the fleet, failing to adequately prepare to assume command in Hawaii, failing to alert his forces of the probability of a surprise attack, failing to conduct reconnaissance, and failing to communicate effectively with Kimmel.

Clausen names others who were responsible in his investigation, from Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner's attempt to take over Naval intelligence and assuming that Pearl Harbor had a "Purple" machine, to Fleet Intelligence Officer Edwin Layton, who failed to keep the Army abreast of intelligence developments by not following Kimmel's directive to deliver intelligence to the Army in person. Others are listed as well, but these four men, especially Kimmel and Short, bear much of the responsibility for Pearl Harbor, according to Clausen.

Clausen was called as a witness before the Congressional hearings to testify about his findings. He did a masterful job of handling the committee's questions, and managed to sway the thinking of several of the committee members.

I highly recommend this fine book. Written in the first person by Clausen himself, he takes the reader on an incredible journey that uncovered many falsehoods and half-truths while, in my opinion, accurately identifying the persons directly responsible for the disaster at Pearl Harbor. The only part of the book where I felt Clausen spent too much time on was the "Winds" message. He admitted himself that he devoted perhaps too much time to this one issue, but this is a minor point which does not take anything away from the book. Colonel Clausen did his country a remarkable service by completing such a fine investigation. His methods were precise and produced the desired results. I believe that Clausen's report accurately identifed who was to blame for the attack. There is an excellent appendix section in the book which contains many of the "Magic" intercepts which Clausen used in his investigation. Read this excellent work of history and find out who was responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Clausen sheds light on flaws in intelligence system.......2004-03-25

First of all, it should be stated what this book isn't: it isn't a detailed account of the attack or an introduction to the subject matter of the Pearl Harbor. It does not touch upon the Japanese planning, strategic thinking, or preparations. Nor is it a comprehensive account of all the errors which contributed to the disaster. For this reason, it would not be a good choice for a first read on the subject of Pearl Harbor. It requires some background, and familiarity with the events and characters involved.

For those who have read several books on the subject, it is an invaluable source for information regarding the attack, and an intelligent and honest assessment of blame for US unpreparedness to meet the challenge. This book sheds light on, and reveals facts and circumstances previously unpublished. Clausen was in a unique position in history, appointed by Secretary of War Stimson to investigate the causes of the defeat, and make recommendations to prevent its repetition. Empowered with broad orders commanding all officers to fully cooperate with his investigation, Clausen was able to conduct interviews and take affadavits of any commander he chose. Many of his witnesses testified before no other investigation. He also had access to documents, orders and correspondence which other histories do not mention.

For example, in assessing Gen. Short's performance, he includes excerpts of correspondence in early 1941 from Marshall specifically touching upon the danger of a Japanese air or submarine strike against Oahu, reminding Short that his primary task was to defend against these dangers. If the assessments contained in the Martin-Bellinger report were not enough to wake Short up, surely letters from the Chief of Staff should have been. Clausen also details the blunt assessment of Gen. Herron, Short's predecessor, as to Short's disinterest, lack of preparedness and poor performance in the job.

Clausen's assessments are frank and sometimes brutal. Contrary to suggestions that this book has an apologist bent toward the Army, Clausen spreads blame towards Marshall, Gerow, and the rest of the top brass, particularly within the intelligence apparatus. He similarly faults the Navy, for mishandling or in some cases hoarding intelligence. He casts a pox on both houses in Oahu, for failing to meaningfully liason and discuss the implications of the rapidly deteriorating US-Japanese relations, and the import of the warnings and information those commands had at their disposal.

Book Description

When the Empire of Japan launched a surprise attack on American bases in Hawaii, the people of the United States knew instantly that the nation was at war. So devastating was the news to a country still largely in the throes of a depression that survivors can still recall some six decades later where they were, who gave them the news, the clothes they were wearing, and the confusion and eventual hardships that such a development brought. This collection of memories, told in participants' own words, gathers accounts from both military and civilians, children and adults, people of many ethnic backgrounds, from all over of the United States. Together, these ordinary Americans paint a portrait of a nation stunned, but determined to rise again. While few if any were left unmoved by the prospect of war, some grief was immediate: "The hangar was bombed causing it to collapse, killing my brother." For others, it raised deep questions about a once secure sense of identity: "I did wonder why we (Japanese Americans) were singled out. What about the German Americans?" With each passing year, more members of this generation pass from our midst, taking a piece of history with them. Determined to preserve these accounts, Richardson includes 160 personal narratives that describe a day in the life of America; that day was December 7, 1941.

The Pearl Harbor Papers: Inside the Japanese Plans

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Pearl Harbor Papers
An Invaluable Academic Research Resource
Excellent appendix to At Dawn We Slept
Essential primary sources
insight into Japanese plans

The Pearl Harbor Papers: Inside the Japanese Plans

Manufacturer: Potomac Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Strategy | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

The Pacific War Papers: Japanese Documents of World War II
At Dawn We Slept
Pearl Harbor: The Verdict of History
December 7, 1941: The Day the Japanese Attacked Pearl Harbor
God's Samurai: Lead Pilot at Pearl Harbor (The Warriors)

ASIN: 1574882228

Book Description

The only book on Pearl Harbor to take the reader inside teh Japanese perspective, revealing the original Japanese documents on "Operation Hawaii."

Features a full reproduction of one of the most important documents of the war--the top-secret map drawn in great detail by Japanese commander Mitsuo Fuchida for his post-battle briefing of Emperor Hirohito.

Customer Reviews:

Pearl Harbor Papers.......2007-09-30

This is a great resource for creating a Battle Analysis (the reason that I purchased it). Parts of this book would be a hard read (some of it isn't written like a novel). Great resource but not a book to read on the plane.

An Invaluable Academic Research Resource .......2006-09-06

Goldstein and Dillon have done all the legwork one needs to conduct research into the Japanese experience and perspective on the Pearl Harbor operation. While much of the content is repetitive, the subtle varieties of individual experiences and opinions of the Japanese command are truly insightful. To read this book is to understand, as best as one can, the thought processes of the Imperial Japanese Navy that lead to the greatest confilct of the modern age. If you find the attack on Pearl Harbor to be a fascinating subject, this book will reveal an entirely different perspective with first-hand accounts and immediate post war criticisms that are exclusively Japanese.
Review every book you read- authors deserve your input and consideration.

Excellent appendix to At Dawn We Slept.......2004-03-18

This book can be considered an appendix to Gordon W. Prange's "At Dawn We Slept, the untold story of Pearl Harbor." As an appendix, it is not a story but a collection of whatever significant material was found in the Prange archives related to the Pearl Harbor attack. As a result, it contains maps, diaries, comments, naval statistics, and so on, which are very helpful for the military specialist. Goldstein and Dillon, the co-editors, include a number of diaries, ship logs, or journals of commanders of the Japanese fleet covering the period from their departure from Hitokappu Bay to arrival day at Pearl Harbor, and these are in some cases very routine but do allow for a look at how the Japanese fleet dealt in a day-to-day way with the long and dangerous North Pacific trip and how they handled obstacles, such as refueling, morale and heavy seas.
However, the MOST IMPORTANT and significant part of this book, in my opinion, is at the very end of the book, and consists of an in-depth analysis of the Japanese military -- their planning, their methods, their ideas, their traditional beliefs -- by Masataka Chihaya. This critical analysis -- which should be read by all students of military history -- alone is well worth the price of the book for the student of the military and military tactics. But for the reader looking for battles, maneuvers, and other such action this book would be a disappointment. I give it 5 stars for the military student, 3 stars for others...

Essential primary sources.......2002-11-30

Gordon Prange, the dean of Pearl Harbor researchers, and his assistants Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon, produced the essential trilogy on the before-during-and-after of the attack, "At Dawn We Slept" (1981), "December 7, 1941" (1988), and "Pearl Harbor: The Verdict of History" (1986). In this book, Dillon and Goldstein produce some of their essential primary sources, key Japanese documents about the planning, execution, and aftermath of the attack.

One of the key distinctives of Prange's research and writing was that, unlike so many other writers about the attack, he never forgot the Japanese half of the equation. In fact, the Pearl Harbor attack was a massive tactical undertaking, and the Japanese carried it off brilliantly. Focusing entirely on, for example, how much FDR knew and when, means ignoring the magnitude of the Japanese accomplishment.

Prange never made this mistake. And it's his research and interviews in Japan that produced this important work, assembled and published by his two assistants. While "The Pearl Harbor Papers" may be too esoteric for casual students of the Day of Infamy, people with a more serious interest in the attack, or the Pacific War generally, will find much here to keep themselves occupied.

Of particular interest are several papers and affidavits by Minoru Genda, the key planner of the attack. Also very interesting is "An Intimate Look at the Japanese Navy," by Masataka Chihaya, a former officer of the Imperial Japanese Navy, who shortly after the end of the war cataloged his services' successes and failures. It's a very clear-eyed document, and deserves a close reading.

On the whole, this is a very good book to add to your shelf of Pearl Harbor books (and anyone who has such a shelf unquestionably needs this).

insight into Japanese plans.......2001-05-03

The Pearl Harbor Papers is a great body of insight into the planning of the Dec 7, 1941 attack. Although some of the charts breaking down the unit compositions are redundant (due to the same information in several different accounts), a look into the mind of Minoru Genda, the brilliant planner of the strike, is invaluable. Another interesting account is the battle diary of the destroyer Akigumo, which offers a unique view from that of a screening vessel. A real good supplement to the three volumes authored by Gordon Prange about the "Day of Infamy".

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