Pearl Harbor revisited
ONE damn mention of the Pearl Harbor on TAH, nothing on national media. ONE. Think I would be fired if I used the kind of language this really should really entail, and I can’t afford the pay or prestige cut.
Didn’t want to publish this on December 7th for reasons which will become apparent.
The time-honored tale is that the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was inspired by the British attack on Taranto, Italy on the Italian fleet. One carrier, 21 planes, and the Brits sunk or damaged three battleships.
“Several days after the Taranto raid, almost unnoticed in the confusion and destruction, a slight figure in an unfamiliar uniform studied Taranto harbor intently, inquiring about depths and distances, making careful notes,” according to the book The Attack on Taranto: Blueprint for Pearl Harbor.
“This was Lt. Takeshi Naito, assistant air attache at the Japanese embassy in Berlin. The implications of those sunken battleships were not lost to him.” National Interest
Actually, seems there were earlier and more impressive demos of what an air attack could do. Worse – they were by the US Navy. At Pearl Harbor. Years earlier.
In February 1932, the debate over the future of air power in modern combat was still in full swing. Rear Adm. Harry Yarnell was a believer in the power of the airplane, and he set out to prove its value to the Navy.
The Navy had three aircraft carriers at the time, but deemed them to have little strategic value. The battleship was still the primary figure for naval war planning, as naval warfare was considered to be a slugfest at sea, while naval aviation was given more of a patrol and reconnaissance mission.
Yarnell devised a plan that would show what aircraft could do to any naval installation anywhere. When Pearl Harbor began its yearly defense exercise, it was Yarnell and his planes who were the aggressors. He chose a Sunday morning in February to launch his surprise and hit the naval base early in the morning to catch its defenders unprepared.
Sailing with just two carriers and a handful of destroyer escorts, Yarnell’s task force approached Oahu in thick fog and in the dead of night. His 152 aircraft launched just before dawn in the morning twilight. Military Times
Had the flares and flour sack bombs been real, Pearl would have been decimated. But the Navy said Yarnell’s fleet would have been hit before they could attack – and nullified the exercise results.
So it went until 1938, when the annual exercise was held again that year. This time, Adm. Ernest King was in command of the opposing forces. Yarnell was watching King’s movements closely this second time around.
King took one aircraft carrier and its escort destroyers on a similar route and time. Just like the first exercise, the attacking aircraft came from the Koolau Range and completely decimated the fleet at Pearl Harbor. And just like the first attack, the Navy claimed the tactic was unfair and vetoed the results. Nothing changed.
Unlike the U.S. Navy, the Imperial Japanese Navy took notice of the first exercise. It watched the1932 attack and studied it closely. Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto was also a believer in naval air power and structured the Japanese Navy to focus on aircraft carriers.
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, using much the same plans Yarnell used just nine years prior, only he used six aircraft carriers and 353 aircraft, many of which hit the harbor from the Koolau Range. It came as Japan launched simultaneous attacks on the Philippines, Guam, Wake Island, Malaya, Singapore and Hong Kong. Military Times
Interesting read. Best to read the original articles – see if you can avoid thinking of Walt Kelly’s most famous “Pogo” quote: “We have met the enemy, and he is us”.
Testing our defenses and ignoring the results, while future enemies take notes is a time-honored tradition. Sure, it compromises security and may cost lives, but the “Six P” concept–Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance–must yield to senior leaders’ pride and desire to be seen as the smartest and most capable in the room. Even if a lesson is learned, the ire of generals and admirals can be felt…see Red Cell and Richard Marcinko.
As the Greatest Generation moves along, people forget. We already see that with September 11th. Early on, there were hours-long remembrance specials, ceremonies and memorial services, and so on. Maybe I’m just detached more nowadays, but I don’t recall seeing much over the past few years. Everything has gotten political and social change is the talking point.
The Attack on Pearl Harbor should be enshrined in our history and never forgotten for multiple reasons. It showed how vulnerable we are; how national policy, out-of-touch leaders, and failure to be either proactive or reactive can result in thousands of casualties. As a glimmer of hope, though, the aftermath of Pearl Harbor showed what America is capable of when brought together, and that once-bitter enemies can become great allies and partners. America would not be what it is today without Japan, for two primary reasons: Pearl Harbor and WWII molded us into the world’s first and foremost superpower, while post-war Japanese trade and product design (especially in the worlds of electronics and automobiles) brought us solidly into the late 20th Century before further evolving into today’s consumer products. Most Japanese automakers now operate plants in the US (How US-made Japanese autos became an American success story | CNN Business), while for better or worse, most modern electronics come from China.
“Testing our defenses and ignoring the results,….”
What’s that saying, the military is “always prepping and fighting the last war”?
“…the “Six P” concept–Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance…”
I was taught “The Seven Ps”, “PRIOR Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance”.
My Jr. High and High School always did a DEC 7 commemorative presentation in the 70’s. Many of our teachers and parents were WW2 vets, and we were expected to learn and remember.
Thank God we could never be surprised attack again. Not with blood and guts Biden at the switch. If Cornpop couldn’t get the drop on him there is no way China can.
🤣🤣🤣Ably aided by his trusty sidekick Cackles….
“the Navy claimed the tactic was unfair”.
“If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.”
Quote attributed to John Steinbeck, David Hackworth, and Jeff Cooper. Probably many more. Doesn’t change the fact that there is no “fair” or “unfair” in warfare. There is only victory or defeat.
“Victory” was redefined during Vietnam to essentially mean; “convincing the enemy that it would be better if they would stop fighting, and let us go home.”
“Peace with Honor”.
We have the weapons to ensure survival of America but no
longer have “leaders” with the sack to use them.
Their sacks are as empty as their heads.
And when Mitchell proved the Battleship was little more than a big expensive target for planes, they court martialed him.
The big ships can be useful, provided the enemy can’t effectively shoot at them. Carriers face similar issues now. If someone can chuck enough guided warheads at them they might not survive. Until that battle occurs, officially it isn’t resolved. The Battleship Admirals crucified the folks who were right. And then were in turn humiliated. Got a bunch of folks killed trying to turn back the clock.
On the plus side, a Iowa class battleship carried as much firepower as the entire WWII Pacific Fleet and could rain down serious hell on coastal areas more cost-effectively than any other ship ever built.
Every war begins that way.
ADM James O. Richardson as boss of the Pacific Fleet vehemently disagreed w/ Pres Roosevelt’s order to relocate the Pacific Fleet from San Diego to Hawaii. ADM Richardson was a leading authority on Japan’s military capabilities, and believed Pearl Harbor was ill equipped to defend itself from air attack – it was a sitting duck. ADM Richardson was fired by Pres Roosevelt in early 1941 after his criticism of the Pearl Harbor move became more strident. He was replaced by ADM Husband Kimmell.
James O. Richardson – Wikipedia
No need to hold back, David…you’re among friends here. The pay cut? (up beat music) “…Nothing from nothing makes nothing…” Prestige cut? You should know by now that we would elevate your prestige, give a standing round of applause, and a shouted AMEN! May even rattle the cup a little bit for…reasons.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…’specially when it works out better than your wildest dreams. Only mistake the Japanese made was not sending in the follow on attacks that were to target the fuel depots, dry docks and other facilities.
Those amongst us that have made a study of history do believe that the grubermint deliberately allowed the PH Attack to come, knowing that it would “Awaken The Sleeping Giant” and justify throwing Americans into the World War. A linky below brings out some historical facts that were very seldom taught, or even known, until recently.
I was disgusted also about the lack of Lame Stream Media coverage yesterday. And as you know, I spend a good part of each day poring over news feeds. Some of the other blogs had some good stuff, but crickets every where else.
I mentioned of watching old film on Story TV. What we did before, during, and after. We built how many carriers a year from ’41 -’45? And USS Doris Miller is gonna take 12 years or more to complete? Be too little, too late.
https://www.american-remnant.com/some-truth-about-dec-7/
Those Fleet Exercises exposed how vulnerable a moored fleet was to a surprise air strike.
The Gun Club’s cudgel to beat back the damning evidence was the shallow depth of Pearl Harbor, that torpedoes would just lodge in the mud.
Taranto was shallow and the British had no problems in putting holes in Italian battleships. And the Japanese figured out a way to do it also. And the rest is history.
“must yield to senior leaders’ pride and desire to be seen as the smartest and most capable in the room. ”
HA! Except during times of dire need, our military senior leadership are nothing more than politicians, who’s highest priorities are justifying their own existence, protecting their rice bowls and positioning themselves for lucrative positions with the government or military contractors after they retire.
Nothing yields to their “pride and desire to be seen as the smartest and most capable in the room.” Those are vital ingredients to successful politicians.
Pearl Harbor is a half-generation away from being forgotten history. My kids barely even learned about it in school. The schools weren’t quite yet the festering cesspits of anti-American propaganda they’ve become, but kids today don’t learn about history unless it has something to do with how racist and homophobic and genocidal America is.
Being attacked induces visions of the US as a victim rather than the aggressor, therefore it’s not taught. WWII just “happened” and we are the bad guys because we dropped nukes on those innocent Japanese civilians.
Honestly, I’m surprised there was one mention of it in the MSM. Us being attacked doesn’t fit the narrative.