HMAS Sydney
7 November 1941 – the dress rehearsal of Operation Z is staged by 350 aircraft from 6 carriers of Japan’s Strike Force and 8 December is set as Y Day (7 Dec. US time)
10 November – Ambassador Nomura arrived at the White House with a proposal. Cordell Hull stalled him since FDR refused to answer.
14 November – Secretary of State rejected the proposal.
15 November – Bishop Walsh’s efforts to mediate was rejected by the US State Dept. Washington’s “Magic” intelligence sees the report of a message to Consul Kita, in Honolulu, to report twice weekly on “ships in harbor<” and decodes the message, but does not pass it on the Pearl Harbor.
16 November – Japanese carriers moved out from the Kuril Islands. Washington sees the intercept from Tokyo to Nomura, “Fate of the Empire hangs by a sheer thread…please fight harder!”
Cordell Hull
19 November – the German cruiser, the “Korman,” met the HMAS “Sydney”, under Captain Joseph Burnett, off Dirk Hartog Island (Western Australia). After an hour and a half battle, both ships were destroyed. Searches for the missing did not begin until 24 November; 399 “Korman” survivors were located, but none from the “Sydney.
20 November – Nomura presented a new proposal that Hull regarded as an ultimatum and FDR said to give it “sympathetic study.”
21 November – the British Joint Intelligence Committee told its Far Eastern Command that Japan, in the event of all-out war, will only invade Thailand.
Ambassador Nomura
22 November – Magic intercepted Tokyo’s message to Nomura that the deadline for negotiations had been extended 4 days to 29 Nov., “After that, things are automatically going to happen.”
23 November – Secretary Hull presented Nomura with the Hull Note. On the 26th, Japan viewed it as an ultimatum.
24 November – Magic intercepted Tokyo’s message to Nomura that the US must agree to cease aid to Chiang Kai-shek and lift the oil embargo. FDR informed his Cabinet: “We are likely to be attacked Monday (8 Dec.), for the Japs are notorious for attacking without warning”
25 November – the President’s War Council approved the “modus vivendi” despite Roosevelt’s concern about “how to maneuver Japan into firing the first shot.”
Japanese Carriers of the Pearl Harbor Force
26 November – at dawn, the Japanese Pearl Harbor Strike Force set sail. Adm. Nagumo’s final instructions from Yamamoto were: “In case negotiations with the US reach a successful conclusion, the task force will immediately put about and return to the homeland.” In Washington D.C., intel reported Japanese convoys were headed for Indochina. FDR took this as “evidence of bad faith on the part of the Japanese.” Hull rejected the new proposal from Nomura. Tokyo received the strong rejection and viewed the US demands as “No glimmer of hope.”
To be continued…..
Click on images to enlarge.
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A cartoon from the times….
Courtesy of Chris @ Muscleheaded
This and so many others can be found at by visiting Chris, RIGHT HERE!
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A joke that was played on the Nazis – comes to light______
Hessy Taft at 6 mos and 80.
Please click on to read…..
Geobbels w/ his troops
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Farewell Salutes –
Thomas Armstrong – Brazil, IN; US Army, WWII & Korea, Comapany A/187th RCT
Ivan (Hutch) Billcliff – Whangaparaoa, NZ; RNZ Air Force # 457333, Squadron Leader, Airforce Cross
Morris (Gene) Field – Rancho Mirage, CA; US Army Air Corps, Sgt., WWII, top turret gunner
Merton Green Sr. – Eastford, CT; US navy, WWII, SeaBees, PTO
David Haughee – Bossier City, LA; US Air Force, Korea & Vietnam
Lauren (Bud) Lampert – Springfield, VA; US Army, WWII, Silver Star
Bertha Richards – Montreal, Can & W.Palm Bch, FL; Canadian Navy, WREN, WWII
Arthur Waite – Newark, DE; US Air Force, Korea
Douglas Wilburn – Roscoe, IL; US Army, Vietnam
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Reblogged this on Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News.
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Thank you, Ned.
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Interesting piece of history, something doesnt seem right to me in one respect.
Cordell Hull appears to have been a bit of an impediment in the whole scenario.
Maybe just my interpretation of the sequence of events.
Cheers
Ian aka Emu
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And then you have the definite “Hawk”, Stimson – war was surely inevitable!
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A delicious irony now, a horror back then. The world is a funny place.
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With what I saw on the AOL page when I turned the computer on this morning, the world doesn’t know that anything is funny. I appreciate the comments of my loyal readers to help hold me together. I see your site is still at its excellence and going strong.
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The world can be dark and scary, I know well. But it can also be joyful and beautiful, full of ordinary people who shine in their best moments.
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If those people didn’t exist – neither would you and I. We do have a bright side and I depend on friends like you to remind me once in a while. Thanks.
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Take care of yourself, my friend. Hugs, Brenda
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Have to laugh at that Taft story, no wonder they lost the war…lol
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OH, that’s cute, Kevin! A good one! 😆
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All interesting. Very taken with the Taft story.
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The Taft story was so ironic, I had to include it. But – 75 years is a long time to wait for a laugh – don’t you think!? Thanks for stopping in, Hillary.
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…and I loved the Punkins cartoon. I had forgotten about them until you posted it!
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So had I, Muscleheaded reminded me and is allowing me to steal a bunch of his humor. Hence the link to Chris’ blog below the cartoon.
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Indeed, FDR and therefore the US was following the McCollum memo to a “t”. Japan was being maneuvered for the first shot. And as you allude, FDR’s “delay” tactics with the Japanese diplomats were choreographed. FDR knew exactly what the Japanese were planning through the MAGIC deciphers you reported on. (Ironically, the “first shot” was taken by the USS Ward just outside of Pearl early on December 7 as you well know.)
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I am a very lucky person to have such a friend as yourself, Koji. I am determined to keep my opinions in the comments and leave the facts to land where they may in the posts. (Frankly I enjoy hearing everyone’s take on them), but it sure makes for a lot of editing – I constantly have to re-read to see if my own feelings are creeping into the article. Thanks for stopping in to visit!!
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The story about the Nazis poster child is amazing.
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It was not right to put the baby in jeopardy then, but now I think it’s a hoot!!
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Great post, GP. Interesting info on how things progressed. Love the story of the Aryan baby photo contest. Perfect irony!
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I always enjoy your feedback, Linda!
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Hey GP, I saw this at the very beginning of your post,
“10 November – Ambassador Nomura arrived at the White House with a proposal. Cordell Hull stalled him since FDR refused to answer.
14 November – Secretary of State rejected the proposal.”
Do you have any idea what was in the “Proposal?” I know at the time they wanted the Philippines from the U.S. but were they bold enough to just ask for it?
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I don’t recall the Philippines ever being asked for out-right (Although every one in the gov’t. knew that those islands were a major priority for the Japanese). Each proposal would be pretty much like the others with just small tweaks, Prince Konoye could have made the drastic changes and concessions in the proposals, but FDR wouldn’t see him.
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Great post– and I’m thrilled to see you used Punkins !!!
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Thought I’d surprise you. You’ll see your name and link here quite often.
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Thank you — I think those cartoons will add something special ! 🙂
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I think they help to remind people that all the statistics written in the posts do actually have human beings involved.
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Yes, I think you are right ! 🙂
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The build-up is frightening. Love the British Joint Intelligence Committee conclusion. Yeah, right.
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Looking back, we can see the steps; like stepping stones across a calm brook – when you get have-way across, they start to get smaller and the brook turns into a raging river, until….
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And Wikipedia seems to bring us up to date—
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Sydney_(D48)#Final_battle_and_loss
—well worth a visit. With the best will in the world the only excuse I can give for that Ozz skipper was hubris and criminal stupidity. (But hey, we all have done it, right?)
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Excellent link to finish up the story. I have the best readers and friends in the world here to help complete this. Thank you, Argus.
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This seems to be a starting point re—Sydney and Kormoran:
http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/fact-sheets/fs111.aspx
—and I loooove that cartoon~! The tale of the showpiece Aryan baby rings my bell too, love it!
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I have some revision to do myself. I read that Sydney’s captain allowed himself to be completely suckered in by an armed merchantman and came in ridiculously close … and got savaged in an ambush.
Off back to the books … I also remember reading somewhere that Sydney’s hulk was recently possibly located?
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Indeed it was.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Sydney_%28D48%29#Search_and_rediscovery
This is in or close to the area where a much larger search has been taking place for MH370.
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Quite a coincidence – isn’t it! Thanks for the link, Greg!
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Fascinating story about the Aryan baby! As usual, a great post!
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Thank you very much, John!!
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Thank you, John. I guess they never even suspected anyone would dare send in a Jewish baby’s photo, eh?
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Mindblowing!
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It truly is, isn’t it!
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Great post; I love the baby contest story! What a great example of irony. I’m going to use this news article in my Holocaust Studies class when I return to school next week. 🙂
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Glad I could be of some help, Cindy – relaying info found is part of my mission here. [You have to admit – it is kind of funny?]
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Yes! Dark humour is always funny to me 🙂
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I feel the tension brewing. It’s history, at least I thought it was history. So much information that I had never heard before. The striking thing today though is “The NAZI’s poster child” – It is so hard to imagine a child being in mortal danger just from the circumstances of her birth. Unfortunately, as a world, we haven’t made much progress on this issue.
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All very true, Dan. First – the tension, I felt that as I put all the data in order and kept wanting to say – Stop, can’t you see what you’re doing? And second – the photographer should have known that the baby would be in danger, it’s a funny joke now, but then? And no, we still haven’t learned.
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Waiting for your next post to see more about who knew what and when.
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And it’s coming too!
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If you have a moment, come on over to my latest post. There’s a surprise for you. 🙂
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You have no idea how much I appreciate that post and Mrs P’s comment about it too! Thank you very much.
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🙂
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I learn something new…
19 November – the German cruiser, the “Korman,” met the HMAS “Sydney”, under Captain Joseph Burnett, off Dirk Hartog Island (Western Australia). After an hour and a half battle, both ships were destroyed. Searches for the missing did not begin until 24 November; 399 “Korman” survivors were located, but none from the “Sydney.
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Is this the ship?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran
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Correct – added data for the post – Thanks, Pierre!!
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Fascinating story I will investigate.
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WHOA? I located data you never heard about? Now, I know you’re joking, Pierre. Then again, it did happen on the Pacific side….
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I never joke about the war…
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By that time my Dad was already a POW in the 9-th Fort concentration camp, Kaunas, Lithuania. I am grateful that I can learn so much from your blog.
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Yes, as far as the US public knew at that time, what your father was in was ‘the war in Europe.’ The world was much larger back in 1941 – mail took forever, no internet or reliable TV coverage, etc. To most – Lithuania might as well have been on Mars.
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The 9th Fort was a German concentration camp. I don’t know where my Dad was captured, probably not too far away if they brought him there. The world was watching Hitler attacking Stalin, and sure no one really cared. Who would root for Stalin anyway?
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You have a serious point there.
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I think there was a hope that Hitler would march through Russia and disappear in Siberia; both aggressors would exhaust themselves and then the allies would divide the world for their like:) Have a great week, I look forward for more blogs!
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Hopefully – if that scenario had ever happened – the world would have been left to return to new and improved governments.
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