It has long been discussed as to what happened in the few days before the Japanese Imperial Army Air Force and the Navy Air Armada, struck all across the Pacific beginning on December 7th, 1941, on Oahu, Pearl Harbor, and destroyed much of the American Pacific Fleet.

What is really intriguing is, there were several warnings the Japanese were about to strike somewhere in the Pacific, from both the Navy Chief of Naval Operations (who were reading some of the Japanese secret radio messages) and the War Department Chief of Staff (who were also reading some of the Japanese secret codes). As it turned out, the Navy spooks were also reading the Japanese Diplomatic code and learned the Japanese were about to strike---somewhere.

CNO and Army Chief of Staff had send three war warnings to all commands in the Pacific. At Cavity Naval Base, Com16 Naval District became preparing for war. Admiral Thomas Hart issued orders to his fleet of bedraggled WW-1 ships, to move away. He also issued orders to his submarine fleet to be prepared to attack all enemy shipping. He declared an emergency and placed his command on a war footing. He advised MacArthur's headquarters of his actions. MacArthur called him a sniveling coward afraid to face the enemy. Hart ignored him and proceeded with his plan.

MacArthur's plan was to proceed as though nothing would happen. All staff operations will continue peacetime processes. No special round the clock observations were necessary or tolerated. Standard communications shut down at 1700 hours daily, except fully closed on Sunday, would continue as Standard Operating Procedure.

President Queson who was paying MacArthur to build his Armed Forces, was alarmed the Japanese would destroy his country. In close consultation in November '41, President Queson impressed upon his military advisor he did not want to anger the Japanese War Lords. “Take no offensive or defensive action until the first bomb strikes Philippine soil!”

On December 3rd, President Roosevelt issued an execution order: “Phase 1.” As seen, Admiral Hart had already begun preparing for war.

When Phase 1 was issued by the President, General MacArthur, recently recalled to active duty as a Lt. Gen., was ordered to send at least one B-17 Flying Fortress on a Photo-Recon mission over the Japanese air and sea bases on Formosa. He declined to follow his orders. He ordered all his B-17's stationed at Clark Air Base, be lined up, wing to wing next to the runway.

On December 7th, 0755 hours (0235 hours in Manila), when Pearl Harbor was struck, President Roosevelt quickly ordered Phase 2: that is, send 18 B-17's with full bomb loads to take out the Japanese air drones and sea ports. MacArthur refused to do that. At 0430 hours Manila time, he ordered his Air Commander to stand down. He was to take no action until the first bomb strikes Philippine soil!

The Japanese Air Fleets began arriving over the Philippine island of Luzon about 1100 hours on December 8, Manila time.

By LtGen MacArthur's deliberate inaction, thousands of people on both sides were killed.

Mark Douglas

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