December 1941

by Craig Shirley

  Other scientists were also pondering the practical application of science to killing the enemy. Naturally, they met in Cleveland.45 “Astronomy is turning practical for wartime to increase the range and accuracy of guns and to advance aerial photography, the American Astronomical Society heard tonight. Scores of astronomers now are applying their knowledge of mathematics and telescopes to ballistics . . . The problem of an astronomical body moving peacefully through the ether is much the same mathematically as that involving a bullet moving through the air.”46

  Yet another obscure scientist said the theory of the expanding universe was all wet. After six years of staring each night through the largest telescope in the world at Mt. Wilson in California, Dr. Edwin P. Hubble, stated his belief that the universe was static, not dynamic, filled with approximately one hundred million Milky Way galaxies.47

  And in a startling announcement, scientists said that there was absolutely no doubt about it, water existed on Mars! They weren’t sure though if oxygen existed on the “Red Planet.”48

  The territorial civilian governor of Hawaii, Joseph Poindexter, had already announced the mandatory finger-printing of all island residents but other new strictures were announced in the Honolulu Advertiser and other papers. Long forms were printed in the broadsheets for everybody to fill out including the number of radios owned, and questions about their make, were they long wave, short wave, did the individual have either a receiver or transmitter? Number of beds in place of residences, and were the beds doubles, singles or three quarter? The government also wanted to know the number of bathrooms in one’s domicile. Would the renter or owner be willing to take in evacuees? With all the questions about fingerprints, nationality, “Racial Extraction,” etc., the curiosity of the government seemed limitless.49

  Poindexter was also granted executive authority over all bakery goods under the “M-Day Act.” It said, “Bakery products may be offered for sale as long as they are fit for human consumption. . . .”50 Something no doubt rarely considered before his administration.

  The paper also had a long list of civilian residents of Hawaii whom friends and loved ones on the “mainland” had not been able to get a hold of since December 7. Worried individuals had been contacting the Red Cross asking for their assistance and got the cooperation of the newspaper to do so. “It will be appreciated if anyone whose name appears below will call the local American Red Cross office . . . and notify their present status, in order that a reply might be cabled to the National Headquarters in Washington as soon as possible.”51

  Residents of the islands, who had served in the military of any other country other than the United States, had to turn themselves in to the local police station immediately. Regulations were also issued for fishing boats including all boats had to be painted white, fish only in designated areas and in designated hours and only American citizens were allowed to own fishing licenses.52

  An elaborate air-raid system was being constructed on the various islands of Oahau, Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii so hopefully all the residents could know at the same time if another attack was forthcoming. “The new system will be ready for operation in the very near future and installation is now contingent only upon the arrival of equipment.”53

  Fantastic stories of the overt operations of “Fifth Columnists” operating in Hawaii were emerging including a United Press story, published in the New York Times in which the navy secretary said huge arrows were cut in the “sugar fields pointing to hangars, munitions” and that some Japanese routinely strolled around the Schofield barracks. He detailed the “general espionage and sabotage network,” including shopkeepers, a “host of spies, chiefly proprietors of small stores, restaurants, cafes . . . Japanese naval intelligence, which ran a much more extensive organization . . . its agents included fishermen and seamen.” After saying such, came the clarification that this was not “an indictment of all Japanese in Honolulu. On the whole, they were industrious, dependable and well behaved. But enough of them were fifth columnists to make the attack successful.”54

  The order by the attorney general to “enemy aliens” to turn over camera equipment and radio broadcasting equipment was, by all accounts, enthusiastically obeyed. Francis Biddle’s directive was originally aimed at seven states in the West but then was extended to the rest of the country. In the Los Angeles area alone, some four thousand now-contraband items had been surrendered to the local police, including “several hundred [firearms], mostly rifles and shotguns. . . .” The Los Angeles Board of Equalization also revoked the liquor licenses of all German, Italian, and Japanese aliens, affecting several hundred businesses.55

  Roosevelt’s secret operative, John Franklin Carter, got the go-ahead to start hiring civilian operatives in the New York area who were not part of civil service. Per FDR’s directive, Carter had taken the matter up with others and they advised him under “Executive Order No. 8564” that the Office of Naval Intelligence and Army Intelligence could recruit their own civilian operatives. Euphemistically, Carter made reference to the “pooling of certain Intelligence functions in the New York Area.” He also indicated that some of the more stuffy individuals in government intelligence including Bill Donovan (the head of the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA) thought his idea was nuts. “I am doubtful that any of the services will be co-operative,” he said.56 And again, while Carter never put it in writing, it seemed clear his intention was to recruit underworld figures to help the U.S. government defeat a bigger set of criminals.

  Gloria Vanderbilt was back in the news. In Beverly Hills, she and her sister were held up and had $4,000 worth of jewelry stolen by a gunman “at their palatial Beverly Hills home.”57 She also received an “extra” allowance from her estate now that she was married. The robber—who had posed as a chauffeur—had second thoughts as one of the pins he’d stolen was a diamond encrusted “V” for victory brooch, valued at $1,000. The robber returned to the scene of the crime and, knocking on the door, pushed a package into the hands of a maid. Inside was the “V” pin along with a note from the Captivating Crook. “Mon Dieu et mon droit”—“My God and My Right.”58 Hollywood often had some of the most charming crooks in America.

  Americans along the West Coast had been skittish for days now, after so many submarine attacks, and at Ft. MacArthur, servicemen thought they spotted more. “The guns were trained on the two shadowy objects in the water but before the command to fire was given, another observer flashed the signal: “Whales.”59

  The war in the Pacific had gone badly for America and it was getting worse. Between December 23 and 27, the Japanese had sunk at least sixteen American submarines and damaged an indeterminate number of others, or so Domei claimed.60 The War Department did not dispute the braggadocio of Tokyo. Again, MacArthur was forced to withdraw his lines of defense as more Japanese troops came ashore. “In the last few days the enemy has been heavily reinforced by several infantry divisions, tank regiments and horse cavalry. Japanese units are composed of veteran soldiers with modern equipment.”61 He also had to concern himself with up to four thousand American civilians scattered throughout the Philippines.

  On the Malaya Peninsula in both the east and the west, Japanese troops had broken through the defensive lines and were marching along some excellent roads, right into the city of Singapore. Despite the fact that the Dutch seemed the only Allied nation who knew how to fight the Japanese, even their own East Indies were threatened. Again, proximity and easier supply lines were contributing to their problems. If the Japanese gained this strategically important stretch of islands, they could launch strikes all over the areas including at Singapore and Australia. “The Japanese now threaten the Netherlands Indies from bases in North Borneo, from Mindanao in the Philippines and from Penang, which is only 200 miles across the Strait of Malacca from the well-developed and wealthy region of Northeast Sumatra.”62

  The Atlantic was no better. Not only was the U.S. Navy not scoring there, a German submarine sunk the freighter
Sagadahoc as she steamed for South Africa.63 Nor was the Russian Front looking good; Germans were effectively attacking the Russian counter-attacks. But the Axis had troubles of its own: Hitler had asked Benito Mussolini “for ten more Italian divisions for Russia, but Il Duce refused on the grounds that Italian soldiers were not inured to the Russian climate.”64

  Charles Lindbergh was trying to re-enlist in the Army Air Corps, but was getting the run around from a government that mostly despised him. At his press conference, FDR was asked about the application of the “Lone Eagle” to be reinstated in the Air Corps Reserves so he could go on active duty but he brushed aside the question, saying he had “no information” on the matter.65 General “Hap” Arnold, chief of the Air Corps, was anxious to have Lindbergh rejoin. “Lindbergh’s act indicates a definite change from his former isolationist stand.”66 Others around the White House were less enthused about the reinstatement of their old antagonist.67

  American morale could reach no lower than when it was learned that the Statue of Liberty, in following police blackout orders, would not be brilliantly illuminated. “Instead of being a blaze of glory, the Statue of Liberty will throw just enough light to indicate her presence in the bay.” Before the beginning of the war, plans had been made to “install three new 3,000-watt-mercury-vapor lamps, to replace the thirteen 1,000-watt incandescent bulbs” but now that had been junked. The lamp beside the Golden Door was darkened.68

  The entire Statue of Liberty—great symbol of American Exceptionalism—all 151 feet, one inch of her, and in the middle of New York Harbor—was to be lighted with just two measly 100 watt bulbs.69

  Nonetheless, Lady Liberty’s gaze remained steady, in confident anticipation of brighter days ahead.

  CHAPTER 31

  THE THIRTY-FIRST OF DECEMBER

  Manila Radio Falls Silent as Japan Attackers Near

  Honolulu Advertiser

  50 Billion a Year is Set by President as Our War Outlay

  New York Times

  Churchill Thinks Japs Are In For Surprises Before War Ends

  Birmingham News

  As the year ends, the Grand Alliance looming upon the horizon is perhaps the most astonishing in history.”1 So wrote the great Anne O’Hare McCormick, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for the New York Times. Indeed, recent events had been astonishing. The world had changed radically—it was aflame with war, but prayers for peace were prevalent too. The United States had also changed greatly and was aflame with a unity never seen before. A “National Will” was afoot in the land.

  Even in England, on New Year’s Day, there was a “religious festival at Albert Hall [for] the national day of prayer. The Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinal Arthur Hinsley will give short addresses.”2 If the Church of England and the Church of Rome could get along in their own Grand Alliance, then anything was possible.

  They knew however, what it was they were fighting for. “The object of the meeting is to emphasize the fact to those here and elsewhere that the Allies are fighting for the restoration and preservation of Christendom.”3 Nearly the entire British government, clergy, and royal family were on hand, save Winston Churchill.

  On the desks of many professionals in 1941 was a calendar, one page for each day of the year, usually placed in a cheap plastic holder with two rings in which to insert the pages. When all three hundred and sixty-five pages had been turned, a new year was placed in the desk calendar and the process began once again. This last day of 1941 was turned on desks across the country and with it a page of history.

  It was New Year’s Eve in America and Benny Goodman was entertaining in the Terrace Room of the Hotel New Yorker. The hotel hit handsomely dressed patrons with a $10 cover charge to listen to the “King of Swing” and his magical clarinet. Yet as McCormick noted, “We are at the end of our careless, easy years. . . .”4

  Six thousand miles away, another man who often wore a formal white jacket, Admiral Chester Nimitz, was due to assume command of the crippled Pacific fleet the next day, January 1. The decision by President Roosevelt to replace Admiral Husband Kimmel with Nimitz would prove to be monumental but this ceremony, in white day uniforms would be a formality, with Kimmel actually replacing Vice-Admiral William Pye who had temporarily replaced Kimmel.

  Also scheduled in New York for the big night was Broadway star Kitty Carlisle singing with Dick Gasparre and his orchestra, in the Persian Room at The Plaza which had a $15 cover charge. Meanwhile, at Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe in the Hotel Paramount, the minimum was only a dollar. Around the world, from Los Angeles to New York to Sydney, New Year’s Eve celebrants were warned about excessive rejoicing. “Don’t congregate. Keep moving outside. Celebrate—mildly, please—indoors.”5 Fiorello La Guardia asked New Yorkers not to blow horns. The Little Flower was still under severe disapproval. “I have suffered too much during the last six months absorbing the criticism, the abuse, the smears and jeers of people including some of the press, who wouldn’t cooperate when we were seeking to train people for just this emergency,” he whimpered.6 The barrel-chested, staccato-speaking Italian was a character right out of the newspaper movie, His Girl Friday.

  The city of Boston imposed a midnight tariff on food, and the Globe noted that “despite taxes and the Axis, capacity crowds will welcome the New Year here.”7 CBS, NBC, and Mutual radio planned to broadcast an evening of big band and orchestra music. They would intersperse local “pickups” around the country with radio men interviewing citizens on the street, asking them about New Year’s, their resolutions, and how they were enjoying the evening.

  In London, because of heavy Christmas consumption, it was unknown if there would be enough wine and whiskey for the New Year’s festivities.8 Of course, liquor had already been banned in Hawaii and the police were cracking down heavily on bootleggers. The big radio station, KGMB was due to end its broadcasting day at 10:30 p.m. after the news and fifteen minutes of popular swing music. Because of the island-wide curfew, there would be no nightclubbing around Honolulu or any other part of the territory on December 31. Fireworks were of course banned in Oahu. The provost judge, Lt. Colonel Neal D. Franklin, had already handed out fines for blackout violations.9

  Hawaiians could take comfort though, knowing that they had an over-supply of bananas which they could consume “for health and as a means of saving money.”10 The next day, the Daughters of Hawaii planned on placing leis and flowers on the graves of the men killed on December 7.11 “At noon, there will be a Hawaiian chant, and a group of Hawaiians will sing ‘Aloha On.’”12

  Besides the Hotel New Yorker, in Baltimore, the Caribbean Tea Room, Twenty-One, Nates & Leons, and Marty’s all planned bashes for New Year’s.13 Tommy Dorsey and his trombone were set to ring in the New Year at the Palladium in Los Angeles with special guests Frank Sinatra and the drummer Buddy Rich. Sinatra and Rich, two of the most talented (and headstrong) men in the jazz world, despised each other. Dorsey’s band only had room for one breakout star, and they each vied for that honor. The personal enmity between Sinatra and Rich would one day erupt into fisticuffs. In the meantime, for the New Year’s soiree they headlined, a $5.00 cover charge got the patron a private table, dinner, and party favors.14 Still, “The World War which engulfed the United States in 1941 cast a dark shadow over . . . efforts to celebrate the arrival of the New Year with a rollicking fling.”15

  One hundred and ninety-nine years had passed since George Frederick Handel’s “Messiah” had first been heard in Dublin and now, many churches throughout the West were planning on bringing in the New Year with a choral rendition of the oratorio. Many Americans had opted this night to celebrate the ringing in of the New Year on their knees, but sober.

  Factories were working at full steam, 24/7, including New Year’s Eve, while government doctors were spewing forth about American diets and American marriages. For Rosie the Riveter and her husband Walt the Welder, a diet that included the daily consumption of “eggs, leafy vegetables, fresh fruit, milk, cheese, meat and
bread” was recommended as the way to go.16 Bananas were not specifically mentioned. The American marriage was thought, because of the war, to be in better health than at anytime recently.

  But the workers at the Ford Motor Company, where employees worked ten hour shifts to make machines for the Willow Run airplane factory, had a problem. First, the men wanted some time off during those ten hours to “rest and wash up.”17 To make matters worse, management opposed the men smoking cigarettes, pipes, and cigars while they operated heavy equipment. The paternalistic Henry Ford, known for his abstemious nature, expected the same of his workers. Fighter planes and bombers were already “rolling off the production lines of U.S. manufacturers at the rate of 2,000 a month.” Tanks were being built at the rate of almost 3,000 per month.18

  The reality of war was all around. It was announced Mt. Palomar, the site of the famed giant telescope in San Diego, was closed for the duration of the war.19 On campuses, opinion was divided over whether sports programs should be cut back or participation made mandatory, as means of preparing the young men for combat. Government officials estimated there was a ready supply of some 25 million American males qualified for combat duty.

  Thursday the First was officially a holiday but many of the 200,000 federal workers had been “asked” by the various agencies to “contribute their holiday in the interests of an ‘all out’—war effort and work New Year’s Day.”20

  A new campaign by the government, “Salvage for Victory!” also reminded Americans that even on this night the war was never very far from their doorstep. “Save waste paper, rags, old skates, bicycle tires, rubber boots, children’s toys . . .”21 One government official puffed out his chest and proclaimed, “in a shooting war our planes, tanks, ships and guns have enormous appetites for metal. Mr. and Mrs. America have already made sacrifices. They must be prepared to make still more sacrifices.”22 The Office of Production Management came up with another slogan, “Get in the Scrap!” extolling Americans to save and salvage, as a way to join the war effort.23