That is a great pic. Actually haven’t seen this one before. USS Arizona top, left side of island, inboard of the Vestal. Second nest left of splash. SM2c Eston Arledge, Vinton, LA.
Maybe I am jumping out of subject cause its a memorial picture, date and occasion.
But there are two stories of the event.
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US govt new in advance and on time about the attack, and they let it happen because they needed a reason to enter the war while the general public was still reluctant to engage in war effort.
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The navy, and Uncle Sam were completely anaware of jap intentions and caught by surprise.
Which one is the true?
#1 is just a conspiracy theory. US merchant ships and sailors were already being sunk/killed in the Atlantic. Navy destroyers were already attacking German U-boats. Japanese intentions were to attack the Philippines and other Pacific islands/nations where we already had a significant presence, both civilian and military. Only a matter of time before we were involved, and probably sooner than later. The sole intention was to destroy the navy’s battleships & carriers, so they could consolidate their expansion before we could respond. It was only several days later that the Prince of Wales and Repulse were sunk, leaving no capital ships remaining in the entire Pacific region, except our 3 carriers which were not in port Pearl harbor Dec 7.
My understanding of the conspiracy theorists logic, stems from the lack of presence of the carriers in pearl …It was as, we would take the hit, but not at the sacrifice to one of the carriers…Just enough to piss the country off and get behind the war…
Maybe it is history repeating it’s self…I’ld like to think not…but remember the Reischstag fire, that kinda started the whole thing …And that was an inside job too…
[quote=Shellback;22370]My understanding of the conspiracy theorists logic, stems from the lack of presence of the carriers in pearl …It was as, we would take the hit, but not at the sacrifice to one of the carriers…Just enough to piss the country off and get behind the war…
Maybe it is history repeating it’s self…I’ld like to think not…but remember the Reischstag fire, that kinda started the whole thing …And that was an inside job too…[/quote]
Reischstag fire is very nice example.
In addition to absence of carriers in the port:
Japs had intentions to declare a war just minutes before the attack. FDR refused to see the Jap ambassador on scheduled time, and let him sit in front the office, for a time being.
He received him after the attack took place, and received too late the declaration of war.
Why he did not receive the jap on scheduled time its still not clear. (?!)
Anyway, in this diplomatic game, it turns out to be that the japs started undeclared and unfair war against US.
Such games are not unheard off.
Another example is German atack on Soviet union. By the latest research in now open archives in Moscow - it appears that Stalin was informed from several credible sources about exact time of attack, by germans.
He just let it happen, apparently unprepared, and by this action brought the world on his side as the Germany was shown as agressor.
Funny, even he had later UK an US as allies.
As a consequence of such smart policy: get attacked, have a reason to wage the war against the atacker, and win - both countries (SSSR and US), enourmusly spread their influnece in post war period basicly splitting the World in two.
FInally, it was never a question which side will win:
American industry virtualy untouched by axis war machine - set in full production mode.
Soviet Industry - transfered out of range of Luftwafe.
German, and later Jap industry under constant air bombardment. Jap had additional problems with row materials and fuel. Hitler relied on artificial fuels, much less on natural oil wells.
It was just putting two and two together, and making your cause look right, by letting the bad guys hit first.
The problem at the start was bringing supplies fro US by convoys to UK and USSR - the Nazy Subs menace - problem solved by 43.
The rest is history.
Thats how I see it today.