Thread: Has the real story of Pearl Harbor & our initial defeats in Pacific War, been tol

The research and I have done, has revealed a different story, to what I was taught in school &
what I have seen in documentaries.

Prior to Admiral Kimmel, the US Navy Pacific Fleet, was commanded by Admiral James
Richardson. This was when the fleet was first deployed to Pearl Harbor, from the fleet's
Traditional base of San Diego. Richardson protested this move, for many different reasons.

One of Richardson's reasons was vulnerability to aircraft attack, which could come from any direction. Another was the narrow channel to the harbor, that could be pluged, if a ship sunk in the channel. This situation would trap all ships in the harbor and prevent the use of the naval base, to resupply and repair USN ships in the Pacific. Without our main Pacific base and possibly many ships trapped or sunk in Pearl Harbor, it would be very difficult to defend and supply our other Pacific bases, like Guam, Wake Island and our Asiatic Fleet.

Richardson went twice to Washington, to discuss this with the Navy brass and President Roosevelt. After the 2nd meeting, Richardson was essentially fired, for complaining about
problems with the fleet being at Pearl Harbor.

Next the Pacific fleet command, was offered to Adm Nimitz, who turned it down. Nimitz's son, Chester Nimitz jr (a WW2 sub captain & later also an admiral), said during a 1996 History Channel interview, that his father foresaw a possible attack, by the Japanese and didn't want to
be in command when it happened.

It just sounds to me like, many people were able to see the vulnerability of Pearl Harbor fleet base and tried to warn FDR about it. However, FDR was busy getting reelected and other
political matters. In 1940 FDR would tell audiences, he would only go to war if the US was attacked. Moving the fleet to a safer place might make FDR & the US, look weak or scared and
hurt his reelection chances. So, political concerns took precedence over our defensive
strategy and sound military judgement.

In a biography about Adm James Richardson (by Skipper Steely), Pearl Harbor Countdown. Richardson wrote down his judgement about the Japanese & the mistakes made by FDR
and his civilian staff (pg 363):

1. The President & the Secetary of State viewed the Japanese through
rose-colored glasses, when they did not actully misread their intentions.

2. The President consistently overestimated his ability to contol the actions
of other nations whose interests oppesed our own.

3. The President's responsibilty for our initial defeats in the Pacific was
direct, real and personal.

Adm Richardson was forced to retire in 1942, right in the middle of a world war. I don't think he has gotten the credit he deserves, for trying to protect the Pacific fleet and the men under his command.

Not the only one to notice, Rich, but my reaction is to roll my eyes.