Evening star., 1945-11-17
Jops Planned DecisiveSeo Battle
If Pearl Horbor Attack F Foi|ed;
Decided on WARM January, 1941
Material Obtoined
From Tokyo Sources
Revealed at Hearing
BY ]. A. O'LEARY and
CARTER BROOKE JONES.

AAAS ooooSh oit col I1dl UOl
was conceived and proposed" by
the late Admiral Yamamoto,
commander in chief of the Japa-
nese fleet, early in January, 1941,
nearly year before it was made,
the Pearl Harbor Investigating
Committee learned today from
Japanese sources.
Had the raid on Pearl Harbor
failed, japanese naval leaders
planned to seek an immediate, de-
cisive sea battle with the American
Fleet, the investigators were told.
Thus the United States Pacific Fleet,
described in previous testimony as
numerically inferior to the japanese
in December, 1941, might have faced
defeat had the japanese brought it
to battle.
In the latter part of August, 1941,
Admiral Yamamoto brought fleet
commanders and key staff officers
to Tokyo for war games preliminary
to final plans for Pacific campaign
which included the surprise air as
sault on Hawaii, it was disclosed.
11-Day Conference Held.
After continuous war plans con-
ference at the War Naval College in
Tokyo from September to 13, the
commander issued an outline con-
tanning essential points of an opera
tion order later known as Combined
Fleet Top Secret Operation Order
No. l." detailed plans for the Pearl
Harbor attack, the committee was
told.
The Japanese said they made the
attack with 361 planes, operating in
three waves. The exact number
had been subject of American
speculation, with the Army and
Navy reporting independently that
each estimated los enemy planes
had attacked their respective in
stallations and ships.
The committee received the first
detailed reports of the attack from
japanese sources made public It
was read into the record by Rear
Admiral T. B. Inglis, chief of naval
intelligence. The information was
cleaned from translation of cap
tured documents, questioning of
prisoners and questionnaires filled
out by former members of the Japa-
nese naval high command since VI
day.
Hull Vindicated, Byrnes Says.
The only portion of Admiral In
glis' summary previously made pub
lie was recent reference by Secre-
tary Byrnes to TOP Secret Opera
tion Order No. l." the formal order
for the attack, issued November 7,
1941. Mr.. Byrnes said this vindi-
Gated former Secretary Hull of the
charge that he had any share of
responsibility for provoking" an at
tack, because it was issued several
weeks before his so-called ultima
tum to japanese ENJOYS in Wash
ington.
Admiral Inglis said 1t was report
ed by the Japanese that the surprise
attack was proposed by Admiral
Yamamoto nearly year previously
when he ordered Rear Admiral Ia
kijiro Onishi, the chief of staff of
the 11th Air Fleet, to study the op-
Grafton.
On December 1, 1s41, Admiral In
glis told the committee, "the Cabi-
net Council approved the COM
mencement of hostilities against the
United States" On the same day
an imperial naval order issued on
instruction of imperial general head
quarters stated that Japan under
the necessity of her self -preserva-
ton and self-defense, has reached
a position to declare war on the
United States"
An imperial naval order issued
December said the hostile actions
against the United States shall be
commenced on December 8 (Tokyo
time, which was December Z, Ha-
waiian time), although the date
had been decided on at imperial
headquarters prior to November II
Northern Route Chosen.
The Japanese striking force, as
sembled in Hitokappu Bay, was in
structed to take the northern route
to Hawaii because this way it was
least likely to be detected by the
American Fleet or by commercial
vessels.
although 1t may be assumed,
said the summary. that the central
and southern routes would be pre-
,(See PEARL HARROR.. Page A-3 l1