Evening star., 1945-08-29
Army Board Charges Marshall
Didn't Keep Deputies Informed

.DIdn [ Keep DeI
The portion OF tert OF the
Army Pearl Harbor report re-
lating to criticism OF Gen. George
c. Marshall, chief OF stat, tol-
loWS
The responsibility for the condi.
tions in the military component ol
the War Department as depicted ir
this chapter mo. S. titled "Respon-
sioilities in Washington rests with
the Chief of Staff.
At about this time, November 25-
December 7, 194l, there seemed &c
have been in the War Department a
Arm conviction that war was immi-
nent, but also there seems to have
been the conviction that it would
start in the Southwest Pacific and
evidently nobody had any belief that
Hawaii was Immediately in danger
There was the belief both in Hawaii
and in Washington that war was on
our doorstep, but not on Hawaii S
doorstep.
This resulted in the main con-
sideration being given to Gen. Mac
Arthur and the Philippine Islands
and the resulting second considera-
ton during this critical time to
Hawaii. The unfortunate thing was
that the japanese crossed us up
with daring surprise attack. When
tho fap,p,,e Noyorol,ar O7 ,,oaecono
was being prepared, consideration
first was given TO send it only to
Macarthur and then it was decided
to include Panama. Hawaii and the
Western Defense Command. This
shows the trend.
Only Sabotage Alert Ordered.
AS a result of the message of No.
vember 27 Gen. Short ordered only
sabotage alert and so reported to
the War Department as of the same
day. The import of Gen. Short S
reply was little noticed in the War
Department by either Gen. Marshall
or Gen. Gerow.
Gen. Leonard Gerow. then head
OF the War Plans Division, Just as
Gen. Short failed to interpret the
full seriousness of the November q
message, likewise the Chief of Staff
and the Chief of the War Plans Di-
vision failed to interpret the hm-
tied defense that Gen. Shorts re-
ply indicated in the face of known
impending war.
There was failure of understand
ing at both ends of the line. The
Washington officials had full knowl-
edge of impending events. which
full knowledge was not available tc
Short.
A cardinal principle in good man.
agement is the necessity to follow
up" on directions. The War De-
partment had nine days in which
to check up on the state of defense
in Hawaii. which it did not do.
Repeatedly, since Gen. Short took
command in Hawaii in February
l94l, Gen. Marshall during this
peacetime had written to him at
length. advising him on details of
operation and here, late in Novem-
Der, with war expected almost daily
he communicated none of those per-
sonal messages containing needed
inside information.
Deputies Not Informed.
The evidence indicates that the
manner in which authority to act
was delegated or not delegated had
its influence on this situation. The
Chief of Staff had three deputies,
Gems. William Dryden, H. H. Arnold
and Richard C. Moore. None of
these three was given the secret in
formation concerning the known Jap
intentions.
When Gen. Marshall went away
On November 27 he had, prior to de-
parture, prepared a first draft of
the November 27 message. 1t was
the Secretary of War who initially
followed through on it on November
q. Then it was given to Gen. Gerow
to complete. Complete authority to
act in Gen. Marshalls absence does
not seem to have been given to any
oAAS obbOA I1du Deen
an officer either with authority or
with courage to act on the informa-
lion that was in the War Depart
ment on the evening of December 6.
and had he sent a message to Gen.
Short, Hawaii should have been fully
alerte0.
Failure 4 Both Ends,
AS has been repeated so many
times. there was positive evidence
in the War Department that it was
only matter of days before war
would ensue and the War Depart
ment had notice that Hawaii was
on only sabotage alert, inadequate
for full warfare. Had a full war
message, unadulterated, been dis
patched or had direct orders for a
full, all-out alert been sent, Hawaii
could have been ready to have met
the attack with what it had. What
resulted was failure at both ends
of the line. Responsibility laid both
in Washington and in Hawaii