Intelligence
Pearl Harbor: Final Judgement
Pearl Harbor: Final Judgement by Henry C. Clausen and Bruce Lee is the true story of a detailed investigation into the Pearl Harbor bombing on Dec. 7, 1941. Henry C. Clausen was the young lawyer chosen to investigate the attack and the intelligence leading up to it. This book is his conclusion, 50 years later, to the Top Secret report he compiled. The report was never made public.
Clausen debunks the many conspiracy theories that still abound concerning Pearl Harbor by recounting his own experience investigating the roots of the surprise attack and why American intelligence did not pick it up. Instead, Clausen depicts a convoluted and often inefficient military system that did not work with other agencies well, was unorganized and often lacksidaisical about intelligence and management, and was often more concerned with personal rather than military matters. For example, the general in charge of the Hawaiian Department, General Short, placed an inexperienced man in the G-2 (Intelligence) position in his command, because the man was a good dancer, and when General Short was busy, the man's duties included squiring Mrs. Short to military dances. The book is riddled with anecdotes such as these that indicate the military was ill prepared for a surprise attack, and in fact were arrogant in their ignorance.
In fact, Clausen's investigation showed the American military knew Japanese codes but ignored them in seeking intelligence; the agencies were unprepared for war or a surprise attack. As the author notes, "Although vested with high commands and responsibilities, they were surprised by the attack. They were unprepared for war. Thus, they were really guilty of criminal neglect of duty" (Clausen & Lee, 1992, p. 228). There was little joint action between the services during and after the attack, and that had a midnight message been decoded, it might have prevented the attack. In short, Pearl Harbor was a series of bungles that resulted in the most horrific naval losses the U.S. has ever endured.
References
Clausen, H.C. And Lee, B. (1992). Pearl Harbor: Final Judgement. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc.
