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will somebody explain why nothing was done to prevent this atack when us knew japanese secret codes and was able to listen their radio trafic since december 1939? there were no carriers in harbor during the atack, and they were the most valuable weapon in pacific war. we all know that ww2 did realy good for us economy, it was exactly what us needed. I do not like big conspiracy theories, but there are few facts that make me wonder. I know what most of you guys are going to think after you read this post, but can somebody answer some of this questions. |
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As far as carriers go you have to understand that in 1941 the Aircraft Carrier was not the center piece of the Fleet it is today. The Navy was still pretty firmly in the grip of the Battle Wagon Admirals. Carriers and Submarines were both thought of as support ships. Battleships and Heavy Cruisers were considered the mainstay of Naval Surface warfare all other vessels were meant to be their screening vessels. Much as Cruisers, Destroyers and Frigates are for Carriers today.
The Carrier had not really proven it's worth yet. And only came into it's own during WWII. That is to say that the Carriers and their Admirals proved their value in places like Coral Sea and Midway that changed the face of naval surface action in the Pacific. So in the minds of the Navy Brass like Admiral King CNO, and Admiral Kimmel CINCPAC, the loss and crippling of the battleships was considered a grievace loss. They were prepared for a surface gun action type war. As far as code breaking goes yes the code that was used by the IJN could be read, but not in real time. It had to be decrypted and translated it was not a five minute type of process. Especially given the amount of message traffic intercepted and the personnel available that had the ability to decrypt and analyze. This was also a speciality that was in it's infancy in 1941. It is a fact that we were translating a good amount of traffic. Even the Japanese Mission in Washington DC didn't decrypt their own messages fast enough to learn of the attack. Before their meeting with Sec of State Hull on the day of the attack. |
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As for the bit about Carriers. Nobody knew how effective carriers were at that time, so the submarines and carriers being away from port doesn't support any theory. Most "right-thinking" naval commanders knew for a "fact" that only Battleships, Cruisers and Destroyers could win a naval war. Pearl Harbor was very effective at shattering that myth. The economic boon of war was not yet clearly established in the view of Americans either. The claim that the USA knew absolutely everything far in advance and that there was a secret conspiracy ... well I have heard many sensationalist ideas, but based on that idea, every German U-boat should have easily been sunk within a week of the breaking of the Enigma Code. |
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[quote="Strongbow"]
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I have been able to find out he was from Chattanooga and is buried at the National Cemetery there, and was able to confirm he received the Navy Cross at Gavutu, but have not been able to get a copy of the actual citation. This site has a good history of the paramarines with some excellent photographs. They copied the Nazi paratroopers on the initial exit from the plane: http://www.nps.gov/wapa/indepth/extC...47-00/sec4.htm |
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Excellent points, guys. |
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The economic boon of war was not yet clearly established in the view of Americans either.
I would not agree with that. in american economical theory before ww2 there was no doubts. second wold war had simular efect as "big deal". maybe in the eyes of ordinary american, and I supose in the mind of most politician, view of economic boom was not established, but economic experts were aware of this fact for sure, and these are people that create long and mid term plans for every country. |
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