|
Post by jodak on Apr 20, 2016 6:11:35 GMT -6
April 20, 1941
From official notes of the German naval war staff: Naval Supreme Commander with Fuehrer.
Navy Supreme Commander asks about result of Matsuoka's visit and evaluation of Japanese-Russian pact....Fuehrer has informed Matsuoka that Russia will not be touched if she behaves in a friendly manner according to the treaty. Otherwise, he reserves action for himself. Japan-Russia pact has been concluded in agreement with Germany and is to prevent Japan from advancing against Vladivostok and to cause her to attack Singapore.
Note that this is about the third or fourth thing that we have seen where the Germans were encouraging the Japanese to take action against Singapore, indicating their belief that it was key to the overall British war effort.
As a bit of trivia, today is also Hitler's birthday.
|
|
|
Post by jodak on Apr 22, 2016 13:53:04 GMT -6
If I can back up a year from our timeline of those events leading up to Pearl Harbor in 1941, on this date (April 22) in 1940 Admiral Joseph Taussig testified before US Senate Naval Affairs Committee that, in his belief, war with Japan was inevitable and the navy was not doing enough to prepare for it. This triggered a firestorm in the press and infuriated FDR, who wanted to remove Taussig from his position as commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard and the Fifth Naval District but was talked out of it by Chief of Naval Operations Stark. Roosevelt's anger was likely exacerbated by the fact that he had had a similar run in with Taussig way back in 1919, when Roosevelt was Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Taussig, at the time a captain, was head of the Division of Enlisted Personnel. At that time Taussig had been called to testify before the same senate committee about the shortage of naval personnel during WW1 and claimed that navy leadership had failed to take the necessary steps to rectify the problem.
Taussig was an important pre-war commander that had a long and distinguished career, beginning with the Spanish-American War. He was the middle link of three generations of important naval commanders, with his father also having been an admiral and his son a captain. His father was the naval officer that had laid claim to both Wake and Guam for the U.S. at the culmination of the Spanish-American war, and his son, at the time an ensign, was severely wounded, ultimately loosing a leg, and awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on the U.S.S. Nevada during the Pearl Harbor attack.
|
|
|
Post by jodak on Apr 25, 2016 9:15:48 GMT -6
March 31, 1941
In one of the most important actions during 1941, the Hawaiian air defense commanders, General Martin and Admiral Bellinger, release their joint report detailing the overall situation, threats, and countermeasures. It includes -
I. Summary of the Situation. (a) Relations between the United States and Orange are strained, uncertain and varying. (b) In the past Orange has never preceded hostile actions by a declaration of war. (c) A successful, sudden raid, against our ships and Naval installations on Oahu might prevent effective offensive action by our forces in the Western Pacific for a long period. (d) A strong part of our fleet is now constantly at sea in the operating areas organized to take prompt offensive action against any surface or submarine force which initiates hostile action. (e) It appears possible that Orange submarines and/or an Orange fast raiding force might arrive in Hawaiian waters with no prior warning from our intelligence service.
and
III. Possible enemy action.
A declaration of war might be preceded by 1. A surprise submarine attack on ships the operating area. 2. A surprise attack on Oahu including ships and installations in Pearl Harbor. 3. A combination of these two. (b) It appears that the most likely and dangerous form of attack on Oahu would be an air attack. It is believed that at present such an attack would most likely be launched from one or more carriers which would probably approach inside of three hundred miles. (c) A single attack might or might not indicate the presence of more submarines or more planes awaiting to attack after defending aircraft have been drawn away by the original thrust. (d) Any single submarine attack might indicate the presence of a considerable undiscovered surface force probably composed of fast ships accompanied by a carrier. (e) In a dawn air attack there is a high probability that it could be delivered as a complete surprise...
Full text: www.ibiblio.org/pha/timeline/410331apw2.html
As interesting background information, on this date (April 25) in 1914, aviation pioneer (Naval Aviator #4) Lt. Patrick Bellinger flies the first U.S. air combat mission and comes under ground fire at Vera Cruz, Mexico. He is recommended for the Medal of Honor but does not receive it, which is surprising considering the large number that the navy awarded at Vera Cruz - many for far less.
|
|
|
Post by jodak on Apr 26, 2016 7:45:06 GMT -6
April 26, 1941
From General Grunert (MacArthur's predecessor as commander of the Philippine Department) to War Department -
LW
April 26th, 1941.
104 WTJ
7:11 AM
From: Manila.
To: The Adjutant General.
Manila No. 881. April 26th. Reliably informed German Ambassador to Japan has requested that Japanese shipping lines facilitate the evacuation of German Nationals from Philippines. For G-2. And that Kokusai Kisen Kaisha office in Manila has been so advised. Signed O'Rear. GRUNERT
The question was, or should have been, why did Germany want its nationals evacuated from the Philippines?
|
|
|
Post by jodak on Apr 27, 2016 6:22:44 GMT -6
April 27, 1941
American/Dutch/British discussions in Singapore result in initial plans for joint cooperation, known as the A.D.B. plan. With the subsequent addition of Australia and further refinement, this becomes the A.D.B.A. plan that governs operations at the beginning of the war. [Note: The forces/command themselves were know by the slightly different acronym of ABDA].
www.ibiblio.org/pha/timeline/410427aadb.html
|
|
|
Post by jodak on Apr 27, 2016 9:10:03 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by jodak on May 9, 2016 8:14:59 GMT -6
Catching up after vacation -
May 1, 1941 Japanese magazine article entitled "Japanese policy for East Asia" - www.ibiblio.org/pha/timeline/410501amie.html Naval Intelligence summary of combat strength of the world's navies - www.ibiblio.org/pha/timeline/410501aoni.html
May 3,1941 [Radiogram]
(JTP)
152WTJ
MAY 3 1941.
9:22 AM
From: Tokyo.
To: Assistant Chief of Staff G-2.
Tokyo No. 467, May 2, 1941. Under the provisions of Article 20 Tripartite pact military missions known to have left Japan for Germany and Italy though no first hand information this office relative arrival Japan similar missions from those countries. At present no move discernible which might be considered preparatory to military action as provided by Article three although frequent rumors refer Japanese strength Formosa Hainan Indo-China greater than normal under China war conditions and held in readiness move against Dutch East Indies Singapore. Increase of Japanese Naval and Air force Saigon likewise rumored. This office not in position to confirm or refute such reports. No unusual mission movements observed Japan distinguishable from normal movements connected operations China although such moves would be carefully hidden and difficult to follow after leaving Japan. Attention is invited to recent State Department dispatch concerning transit of German aircraft, artillery and other military supplies via Trans-Siberian railway to Japan.
Instead of daily report required by your No. 505 suggest immediate report any information obtained since without change present international political and military situation many such reports will be negative.
CRESWELL
|
|
|
Post by jodak on May 12, 2016 6:45:11 GMT -6
May 11, 1941 Memorandum by Secretary of State Hull detailing a meeting with the Japanese Ambassador - www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/WorldWar2/hull24.htm
May 12, 1941 Japanese proposed working agreement between Japan and the U.S. - www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/WorldWar2/draft.htm
May 12, 1941 Report of ships in harbor from Honolulu consulate to Tokyo (Magic intercept). There have been several of these so far but I have not posted them, thinking they provided little insight into Japanese intentions and that U.S. intelligence personnel would have interpreted them as only a desire to keep track of where U.S. ships were located in general and not as an indication of a specific interest in Pearl Harbor. www.ibiblio.org/pha/timeline/410512ax2.html
|
|
|
Post by dave on May 12, 2016 8:31:50 GMT -6
jodak I was surprised the USS Maryland was not in Pearl with the other old Battleships that were attacked on December 7. Was she in dry dock for repairs or do we not know? Regards Dave
|
|
|
Post by jodak on May 12, 2016 9:57:24 GMT -6
Hi Dave,
If you are asking why the Maryland was not in Pearl on May 12, I'm afraid that I cannot answer that. She could have been at sea, but it seems unlikely that she would have been the only BB at sea while the others were in Port, although not impossible. My guess would be that she was probably on the west coast for one reason or another. This was during the period of time when various ships were being updated with radar installations, improved anti-aircraft suites, etc., so it is possible that she was at Puget Sound or Mare Island having something done along those lines.
|
|
|
Post by dave on May 12, 2016 10:14:42 GMT -6
I had sorta thought the same thing. I discovered a document, link listed below, that presents the Battle Force, Pacific Fleet from October 1, 1941. The Maryland, Colorado and West Virginia belonged to Battleship Division Four. The Colorado was sent to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on June 25, 1941 and where she was at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. Regards Dave www.fleetorganization.com/1941pacificfleet.html
|
|
|
Post by dave on May 12, 2016 11:23:14 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by jodak on May 16, 2016 6:35:28 GMT -6
May 16, 1941
From: Tokyo (Matsuoka) To: Singapore May 16, 1941 PA-K2 #120 (Strictly Secret)
According to a telegram from our consul in Colombo, a New York Reuters dispatch states that it is reported that the United States has already stationed a fleet in the Indian Ocean. Please pay great attention to the movements of American warships. ARMY 19894 Trans. 7/23/41
Note that although this message was transmitted by the Japanese and intercepted by the Americans on May 16, it was not transcribed (I.e., decrypted and translated) by the Americans until July 23rd, over two months later. Those types of delays were common and due to shortages of resources. Efforts were made to prioritize intercepted messages for action based upon various indicators, and this message would appear to be of no great importance, which might partially account for the delay. However, many messages of significant importance were delayed in processing as well, and that should be remembered when considering the value of the information derived from U.S. code breaking intelligence.
|
|
|
Post by jodak on May 24, 2016 6:43:21 GMT -6
May 24,1941 As part of the ramping up for anticipated war, congress authorizes the construction of 550,000 tons of "auxiliary" shipping. This was mainly the logistical support type shipping that would be necessary for projecting U.S. force overseas and that at the time was severely lacking.
|
|
|
Post by dave on May 24, 2016 14:38:23 GMT -6
Henry Kaiser entered from stage left shortly after the war began. He was a genius at building ships and manufacturing. He was the creator of the famous "Liberty Ships" and built one in 4 1/2 days! Regards Dave
|
|