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Pearl Harbor – Travel Essay Oahu, Hawaii, USA The attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese aircraft occurred on December 7th, 1941. I imagine that just about every adult knows the story. The movie Tora Tora Tora gives a reasonable account. The Japanese also had brought a very large fleet to support the Aircraft Carriers. In the fleet were Destroyers, Cruisers, Battleships, Submarines and other supporting vessels. When we amateur military historians end up in the same room, the conspiracy stories start to fly. The prime conspiracy is that Franklin Roosevelt intentionally conspired to weaken the attitude of ships and Aircraft in all areas of the Pacific Ocean and especially the ships and Aircraft in the immediate area of Pearl Harbor. The conspiracy is that Franklin Roosevelt wanted to have a disaster to our ships so that the American public would be very angry and want to enter into WWII. Here are some of the things people were saying shortly before the attack. The radar station was turned off just before the Japanese Aircraft arrived. Ham radio operators from Hawaii and the US west coast were tracking the progress of the Japanese fleet coming eastward. That since the US code breakers had decoded Japan’s code in time for the Midway Battle that the US may have already broken Japan’s earlier code. That the Aircraft Carriers were sent east to save the Carriers but to sacrifice the Battleships. There were stories in the newspapers that the Japanese would attack on December 7th. If President Roosevelt, could have prevented the attack on Pearl Harbor, would he have done it? If President Roosevelt knew of a small version of the Pearl Harbor attack, would he have made important changes to Pearl Harbor’s asset disposition? The Battle of Taranto November 12, 1940 night attack. Most Americans know nothing about the battle of Taranto. I believe that President Franklin Roosevelt suppressed the knowledge gained in the battle. The Royal Navy attacked Italian Battleships moored in a shallow protected harbor. The location was at the southern end of the Italian boot. The Aircraft Carrier Illustrious carried 21 Swordfish armed with bombs, flares or torpedoes. Other units in the task force were 2 Heavy Cruisers, 2 Light Cruisers and 5 Destroyers. 1 Italian Battleship was permanently disabled and 2 Battleships were damaged. After the battle, Japanese and Italian analysts carefully studied the battle. The Japanese especially, learned and copied the tactics that would be used in the attack on Pearl Harbor thirteen months later. What is your conclusion? Sources: Wikipedia, Funk & Wagnalls, 1000 Places To See Before You Die Roger Lacroix, Contact:
Roger@Stationhill.com
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