For Keith Willshaw...

(Denyav) wrote in message ...
The words of a man that failed in his duty and would not admit it.

Why, when Adm Halsey sailed earlier that week and informed Adm Kimmel that
he intended to shoot down or sink any Japanese ships or aircraft he might
encounter on his way to and from Wake Is.
Did Adm Halsey have intel that his boss did not posses ?
No, Adm Halsey could see the signs, that Adm Kimmel refused to see them and
to head those warnings he recieved only reinforce the Navies decision to
fire


Actually Kimmel saw things long before Halsey and sticked to proven
naval tradition of keeping ships at the sea when international
relations are critical and ordered 46 ships to the safety of open sea
without notifying Washington.
He even ordered the fleet to carry out a mock air raid on Pearl
Harbor.
White House did not like Kimmels actions, countermanded his orders and
ordered fleet to return to Pearl Harbor.
So when the "Grand exercise" cancelled Halseys 25-ship plan
appeared.This smaller scale plan too might have deterred Japanase if
it could be carried out.
So why even Halseys plan too did not go anywhere?
Because Washington ordered Halsey on Nov,26 to use his carriers to
transport aircraft to Midway and Wake Island!.

With this move Washington achieved two objectives,
1)Only force that could possibly detect and deter Japanase was no
longer there
2)Most precious assets of the Navy that were needed in the war with
Japan,the carriers, were in safety.



Battleships which were already obsolete in naval warfare were the
baits for the Iapanese and excellent PSYOP opportunity for FDR.

This order came from Stark but prepared by McCollum ,the architect
FDRs Japan plan.