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Part 4: “I Shall Die Only for the Emperor, I Shall Never Look Back”
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PartIV 255 p a r t i v “I Shall Die Only for the Emperor, I Shall Never Look Back” Washington,PearlHarbor,Tokyo,Manila,Iba, andClarkField:December7–8,1941 partIV 4/2/03,1:05PM 255 PartIV 256 partIV 4/2/03,1:05PM 256 [3.239.214.173] Project MUSE (2024-03-19 13:59 GMT) PartIV 257 IN WASHINGTON ON THE MORNINGofSunday,December7, 1941,NavyandWarDepartmentofficerswerefrettingaboutaJapanese messagethathadjustbeenintercepted.TheForeignMinistrywasinstructing AmbassadorNomuratosubmittoSecretaryofStateHullthefourteen -partmessagereceivedearlier“at1:00p.m.onthe7thyourtime.” The officers feared that a Japanese attack was imminent and wanted tosendawarningimmediatelytoallfieldcommandersinthePacific. WhenChiefofStaffMarshallfinallyarrivedathisofficeatabout11:25, hereadthestrangemessageandconcurredwithhisanxiousstaffthatit mustmeantheJapanesewouldbestrikingAmericanbasessomewhere inthePacificonorjustafter1p.m.Washingtontime.Butwhere?Some thoughtitwouldbeinthePhilippines,othersfeltitmightbePearlHarbor .Itwasdecidedtosendawarningmessagetothearmycommanders ofallfourmajorPacificinstallations:thePhilippines,Hawaii,theCanal Zone,andSanFrancisco.1 At12:05thefirstofthetop-prioritysecretmessageswentoutofthe War Department Message Center Code Room to the USAFFE commander inthePhilippines.2 Radiogram733informedMacArthurthat japanesearepresentingatonep.m.easternstandardtime todaywhatamountstoanultimatumalsotheyareunder orderstodestroytheircodemachineimmediatelystop justwhatsignificancethehoursetmayhavewedonot knowbutbeonalertaccordinglystopinformnaval authoritiesofthiscommunication marshall partIV 4/2/03,1:05PM 257 PartIV 258 OnehourandeighteenminutesafterthewarningmessageleftWashington forMacArthur,183ImperialJapaneseNavytorpedobombers,divebombers ,andcarrierfighterswereflyinglowoverdifferentcoastalentry pointsontheislandofOahuintheHawaiianIslands.Elatedthatthey hadachievedcompletesurprise,Comdr.MitsuoFuchida—theleaderof thestrikegroup—toldhisradiomanat7:53a.m.localtimetotapoutthe signal:“Tora,Tora,Tora.”ThosecodewordsinformedViceAdm.Chuichi Nagumo,commanderofthePearlHarborStrikingForceaboardhisflagship Akagi,thatFuchida’sfirstwavehadcaughttheU.S.PacificFleetat PearlHarborunawares. Minuteslater,thechiefcodeofficeraboardtheCombinedFleetflagship ,anchoredoffHashirajimainJapan’sInlandSea,excitedlyshoutedover thevoicetube,“Wehavesucceededinsurpriseattack!”Thankstoa“skip” causedbyatmosphericconditions,hehadpickedupFuchida’ssignal,too. TheCombinedFleetstaffofficersallshookhands,“burstingwithelation andreliefaftertheirprolongedanxiety.”ToanemotionalYamamoto,his insistenceontheneedforthesurpriseattackhadbeenvindicated.Sake anddriedsquidwerebroughtouttocelebrate,followedbytheexchange ofnumeroustoasts.3 InTokyo,arelayofFuchida’s“Tora,Tora,Tora”messagewaspickedupby thecodeofficerinthemessageroomatImperialGHQ/Navyjustafter Fuchidasentitat3:23a.m.December8Tokyotime.Aselsewhere,itoccasioned wildjubilationamongthestaffofficers.Thenewswasparticularly welcometothechiefofthePlanningSection,Capt.SadatoshiTomioka. Hewouldnotneedtherevolverinhisdeskdrawerafterall. ButwhatabouttheMalayalandings?Theirtimingwastobesynchronized withthatofthePearlHarborattack,originallysetfor5:45a.m. Hawaiitimebutpushedbacktwohoursatthelastminutebecausemany ofNagumo’spilotswereworriedaboutthehazardsposedbyapitch-dark takeoff.Unfortunately,theMalayaforcecommanderwasnotinformedof thetimetablechangefortheHawaiioperationandthuscontinuedtoplan hislandingsfor1:15a.m.localtime. ItwasearlydawnwhenImperialGHQ/Armyreceivedaprioritytelegram fromthecommanderoftheMalayforce’s2dLandingGroupthat providedtheanxiouslyawaitedinformation.Itinformedthearmystaff officersthatthespearheadgroupofthe...