by Jeff Shaara
Hull’s hands were still shaking, and he closed his eyes, then said to Ballantine, “Did you get it?”
“Every word, sir. Why didn’t you tell them that you knew about their attack?”
Hull looked at him. “Because they don’t know about their attack. It does no good to accuse someone of something they don’t know they have done.”
“But if it’s true, if the president gets confirmation, do you think they knew? Did they come in here pretending all was well, and that this was merely some diplomatic conflict?”
Hull leaned back in his chair and turned to look out the window, a dismal gray sky, the leafless trees. “Nomura doesn’t know, even now. I’m certain of it. He is too inept as a diplomat to hold a secret like this inside. Kurusu? We may never know the answer to that. And it really doesn’t matter.”
* * *
—
Later that day, the Japanese foreign ministry delivered an official message to the American embassy in Tokyo. It was delivered by a low-level staffer, and so, according to protocol, Ambassador Grew instructed his own staffer to receive the message.
“Excellency, I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that there has arisen a state of war between Your Excellency’s country and Japan, beginning today.”
THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, D.C.—SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1941, 3:00 P.M.
Roosevelt had summoned him immediately after the Japanese officials left. Hull was not surprised that Roosevelt would meet with him alone, in the Oval Office. It was as though the president needed time alone with a friend.
“What did you think of those two birds? What was their purpose? Did they think we were so stupid that we wouldn’t know what their country was doing to us?”
Hull could see Roosevelt’s fury, knew he was there to help defuse that. “No, I truly believe they did not know. It’s entirely possible they don’t know even now.”
“Perhaps we should tell them.”
“Not necessary, Mr. President. In a few hours, the entire world will know.”
Roosevelt slid a piece of paper from the desk beside him. “I never heard a word from the emperor. Grew did his job, right?”
“Absolutely. Your letter was delivered, with assurances from their foreign ministry that the emperor would receive it. No mention was made if he would respond.”
“Was mention made by those deceitful bastards that their emperor would sit quietly by while his damned navy destroyed our fleet?” Roosevelt motioned with both hands. “I’m sorry, but am I supposed to be calm about all of this? This nation has been brutally assaulted. We don’t have numbers yet—they’re barely picking up the pieces out there. But the casualty count could be higher than any nightmare. And we will have to explain that to the American people.”
Hull wasn’t sure there was anything he could say. After a moment, Roosevelt seemed to calm himself, said, “I had hoped that communicating directly to the emperor would bridge the gap between us, that it might be the best chance we had to stop all those threats from their generals and politicians, that I could appeal to a man who is supposed to be peace-loving. Isn’t that what we’ve always heard about him? Hirohito? I was wrong yet again.”
Hull said, “I agreed with you. I thought the letter might work, for all the same reasons.”
“Well, it didn’t. Tonight, I’m calling in all the military chiefs, the cabinet, leaders of Congress. In the meantime, I want you and your people to get the word out to every embassy across the globe, to make sure every one of our people in every country in the world knows what has happened.”
“I’m already working on that. As well, we will notify every merchant ship under our flag that they could become a target for any of the Axis powers. I will also ensure that the Japanese embassy here will be given protection. I don’t believe those people are completely innocent, but we are not barbarians. It’s important that we do not commit any acts of retribution against Japanese civilians or officials. I have already sent a cable to Ambassador Grew, urging him to protect himself and his staff as much as possible, and for him to communicate to the Japanese foreign ministry our sincere hope they will safeguard our embassy as we will theirs.”
Roosevelt looked at him with utter sadness. “I wanted you here before the circus begins.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Tonight, all those generals and admirals and congressmen will start dancing around this office, preening for me, preening for reporters. There will be so much damn noise; the finger-pointing and excuses will flow across this place like maple syrup. This is not the time for that kind of foolishness, but there will be plenty of it. Everyone has to leave here tonight understanding that this is so much more serious than getting quoted in the newspaper. The world just changed, and everything we thought we knew has been jerked out from under us.”
“I think your mood will set the tone. I can’t see any of the people you’ve mentioned going off like a rocket, not in here. This is a catastrophe for the military, but it’s a tragedy for a great many American people. Lives have been lost, and families have been affected. Everyone must know that. And if they overlook the magnitude of that, you must remind them.”
Roosevelt shook his head. “That’s one more reason why you would have been so very good at this job. You are a voice of reason, and right now, reason has been stamped beneath the feet of dangerous people, murderers, and today, they have become our enemies, in the most graphic sense of the word. It is our duty to fight back, it is our duty to do to them what they would continue to do to us.”
Hull had debated saying anything, but he was spurred on by Roosevelt’s words. “Mr. President, how were we taken so by surprise? Everything we have gone through at the State Department, for most of the past year, has pointed unmistakably to Japanese aggression, to their deceitfulness, duplicity, and backdoor actions. We knew exactly what they were doing in Southeast Asia, in the Netherlands East Indies, in China. We had access to their diplomatic communications, we have outstanding people in our intelligence offices, both army and navy. How could this have happened?”
Roosevelt stared ahead, past him, drummed his fingers on the desk. “We believed we knew everything they were thinking. Those Magic intercepts made us feel invulnerable. No, a better word is ‘cocky.’ Arrogant. Their diplomats are chatting back and forth with Tokyo about the weather, or the color of their new Cadillacs, while their military put a plan together to kick us in the teeth. We thought we knew everything. We didn’t.”
“You’re right, of course. I assumed that knowing what the foreign ministry was saying would give us all their secrets. Yes, it was cocky. We were aware that they were burning documents in every embassy around the Pacific, and they had done the same thing here. We knew that Nomura had been ordered to destroy or otherwise eliminate one of his two decoding machines. We knew that the Japanese government had ordered their merchant fleet to withdraw from foreign ports and return to Japan. We knew that Nomura was ordered to deliver to us a message that we had already read, a final rejection of our proposals, that he was to deliver that message exactly at one o’clock. I’m familiar with the time zone in Hawaii. It’s five and a half hours behind us. One o’clock was seven-thirty Hawaiian time. When did the attack begin? Do we know?”
“Close to eight.”
“So, Nomura was told to deliver that fourteen-point message to me a half hour before they attacked us. He failed to do that, because he had only one decoding machine. And, apparently, he can’t type.”
Roosevelt seemed to slump in his chair. “Does it matter? Cordell, you’re talking about a diplomatic nicety, a violation of protocol. It doesn’t make much difference what they meant to tell us, or when. Events have pushed all that away.”
Hull looked down, his hands clasped together, his typical position. “You’re right, of course. But it’s what I do. Protocol is part of my job. I just…I would have tho
ught the military, particularly in Hawaii, would be paying attention to details, just like we were. Reconnaissance, radar, all that business.”
“We will have those answers in time. I’m hoping that by tonight, we will find out what went wrong and how we were so deaf and blind. But I know damn well that all those generals and admirals will be pointing their fingers at each other and everyone else on the planet. The questions are easy to ask. How could the Japanese bring aircraft carriers close enough to launch planes? How could those planes fly right into Pearl Harbor without being noticed before they got there?
“And the most terrifying question of all, the one we will have to explain to the American people: How many of our boys died? How many ships were sunk? And what the hell happens now? All we have is questions. Why were we so blind? The only answer I have applies to me as much as it applies to every military and intelligence man, here and in Hawaii. It’s less about what we knew than about what we assumed. We thought we knew the Japanese, we thought we knew what they could do, not what they would do.”
He reached into a drawer beside him, said, “Here it is. A perfect example of who we are and what we thought of the Japanese. It’s a letter I received, maybe two weeks ago. I get a lot of mail, but this one bothered me. I hung on to it. He’s some fellow in Ohio. Says he voted for me, that I owed him to listen to him.”
He unfolded the paper and read.
“Why are we so concerned about the bug-eyed Japs? They can’t see, they aren’t bright, their airplanes are not anything like ours, they’re too scared to be in submarines, and their ships might as well be made of paper. A single one of our B-17s, one battleship, or even one tank could do to those funny little fellows what it could have done to Lee’s army at Gettysburg.”
He put the letter in the drawer. “I heard this sort of ignorance from some of my generals, and I tried to put a stop to it. I failed.”
“We’ve all failed, sir. I should have been able to read through all that verbiage they fed me. My God, we’re at war.”
“And I need you to help me say that to the American people.”
Hull folded his hands between his knees. “Yes, sir. We’ll work on a draft this afternoon. Do we declare war on Germany and Italy as well?”
Roosevelt shook his head. “No. I’ve given that some thought. It’s inevitable they’ll go along with their Japanese friends and declare war on us. Let’s keep the focus on just what has happened, and what we’re facing. Sure as hell, that’s enough for the American people right now.”
“And then what happens?”
Roosevelt sat back, and Hull saw a look of solemn agony.
“And then, my friend, we will send a great many young men across the ocean, and they won’t really understand what we’re asking them to do. And they won’t know the price they’ll pay. But we will.”
* * *
—
By nightfall, word began to come into Washington from other American outposts, most notably the Philippines, Guam, and Wake Island. Reports came as well from the British, that the Japanese had also launched major offensives against Hong Kong and Malaya.
Even with all the attention that had been paid to the likelihood of a strike against the Philippines, American aircraft there, including a fleet of B-17 bombers, were caught by surprise. As had happened at the bases around Pearl Harbor, they were destroyed on the ground.
THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL, WASHINGTON, D.C.—MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1941
Roosevelt’s speech began at 12:30 P.M., addressing both houses of Congress, and was broadcast via radio to the American people.
Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.
Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to the secretary of state a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
This morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As commander in chief of the army and navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces—with the unbounding determination of our people—we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.
THIRTY-EIGHT
Genda
AIRCRAFT CARRIER AKAGI, NORTH OF OAHU, HAWAII—SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1941
The earliest radio signal they had received came just before eight A.M. It was Fuchida’s first signal to his pilots, To To To. The order to begin the attack had jolted Genda, and had elated everyone else gathered within Admiral Nagumo’s radio room. For a brief moment, there had been noisy celebration, but Genda had silenced that with a sharp wave of his hand and the hard and dangerous stare they had all seen before. There had been a far more important concern for Genda, the one variable he had been obsessing over. He still didn’t know if the Americans knew they were coming. If they had prepared to confront the assault, this entire operation could be a disaster.
As he stood alongside Admiral Nagumo and his staff, there was silence, all of them nervously eyeing the radioman and his receiver. Genda knew they were watching him, wondering, if the news from Fuchida was bad, just how Genda would react, if the lunatic would explode in some bizarre way. He ignored all of that, cared not at all for what his reputation might be.
The radio room was small, and Genda stood silently with clenched fists, staring at the radio receivers, as if willing them to speak, aching for Fuchida to broadcast the next signal. He ran the possibilities through his mind, the usual disease of detail
he could not avoid. If Fuchida remained silent, it could mean that he was in a fight for his life, along with the planes in his command. Genda had fought with himself if he should even remain by the radios, or go topside to the flight deck, to see for himself if Fuchida had returned prematurely. The thought had rolled through his mind in a sickening wave that he was such a fool to believe this operation could succeed as he had planned. Lines on a blackboard and scribbles on a map meant nothing at all until you faced the enemy.
But finally, the radio had crackled, Genda jumping a step closer to it, leaning low beside the receiver, the operator frantically adjusting the volume. The words had come, simple and magnificent, the signal that the attack had moved toward the targets without resistance, without interference. The signal had been chosen for its meaning, the great symbol of strength, the tiger, the words now spoken by Fuchida. It was the message Genda needed to hear, that Fuchida’s planes had arrived over Pearl Harbor without any response from the Americans, that the attack was a complete surprise. Genda could hear the enthusiastic joy in Fuchida’s voice, the same joy communicated to his pilots, to the admiral, to every crew on every one of the carriers and the ships that supported them.
Tora! Tora! Tora!
AIRCRAFT CARRIER AKAGI, NORTH OF OAHU, HAWAII—SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1941, 10:10 A.M.
Genda shivered against the harsh wetness of the sea spray, the wind blowing so much harder than earlier that morning. The ship rocked violently, and he steadied himself on a low railing, saw the aircrews keeping close to their shelters. He knew that on the bridge, the helmsman would be straining to hold the bow of the carrier directly into the wind, but the rising seas would add one more challenge to any pilot bringing his plane down on the decks of the carriers. Genda looked toward the bow of the flattop, dropping hard into a massive spray from another great wave, then rising up again, skyward.
