The New York Times Book of World War II, 1939-1945

by The New York Times

  “The world is confronted with unprecedented disturbances. In Greater East Asia, however, close relations of Japan, Manchukuo and China must be further cemented. Japan, Manchukuo and China must go forward toward the construction of a new order in East Asia on the basis of their coexistence and coprosperity.

  “In our negotiations with the United States we have consistently upheld this principle. However, the United States does not understand the real situation in East Asia. It is trying forcibly to apply to East Asiatic countries fantastic principles and rules not adapted to the actual situation in the world and thereby tending to obstruct the construction of the New Order. This is extremely regrettable.”

  Opposing the slogan of “Asia for the Asiatics under Japan’s leadership” to the American principle of the Open Door, Japan, Manchukuo and the Nanking puppet regime yesterday celebrated the first anniversary of their joint declaration of cooperation with mass meetings in their principal cities organized by their governments. Semi-official organs reiterated the firm determination of the three countries to “liberate” the one thousand million people of East Asia from the “exploitation” of Europe and America by the construction of the “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere,” as a guiding torch for mankind and to crush all outside powers’ obstruction of this “holy and historic mission.”

  The press echoes sentiments expressed at the meetings. Yomiuri declared that there was special meaning in the fact that this anniversary came in the midst of tension in Japanese-American negotiations, “for the complete independence of East Asia must be strengthened and western imperialism must be wiped from this part of the globe.”

  DECEMBER 4, 1941

  SINGAPORE DOUBTS JAPANESE THREATS

  Arrival of the British Fleet Is Expected To Cause Tokyo To Order General Retreat

  By F. TILLMAN DURDIN

  Wireless to The New York Times.

  SINGAPORE, Dec. 3—Authorities here agree that the arrival of powerful British naval units, headed by the new battleship, Prince of Wales, yesterday raises the odds against Japan more than ever before.

  It is pointed out that an advance against British or Netherland territories in Southeast Asia, which a year ago might have been easy for the Japanese, now would be a desperate effort with remote chances of success.

  The capital ships and auxiliaries that make up Britain’s new Far Eastern fleet constitute a formidable force, especially when considered in conjunction with Netherland naval power in the East. The Netherland Navy of cruisers, destroyers, submarines and scores of fast small torpedo boats complements the naval units the British have sent to the Orient in a way that could not have been a coincidence and makes the combined strength of the two navies considerably more than is indicated by tonnages or the number of ships.

  Political observers here say the arrival of the British fleet brought powerful new pressure on the Japanese in connection with the Washington negotiations and believe it may be decisive in forcing Japan to drop her plans for new aggressions and to begin a general retreat.

  DECEMBER 5, 1941

  AUSTRALIA GIRDS FOR PACIFIC WAR TOKYO WATCHES BRITISH

  Wireless to The New York Times.

  MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 4—A War Cabinet meeting in which service chiefs participated has completed comprehensive plans to put Australia on a new emergency footing if war spreads to the Pacific. The Cabinet resumes tomorrow.

  Prime Minister John Curtin said the Cabinet reviewed the services and the state of preparedness, examined precautionary measures to meet any contingency and authorized further precautions when necessary.

  News of the arrival of a battle fleet in Singapore gave the government special satisfaction, for the Ministers when in opposition consistently urged the dispatch of capital ships to Malaya as a bulwark against a southward move by an Asiatic aggressor. Thus, Australia’s northern defenses are now regarded as more secure.

  DECEMBER 6, 1941

  JAPAN CONFIDENT TALKS WILL GO ON

  Spokesman Says Both Sides Are ‘Sincere’

  By OTTO D. TOLISCHUS

  Wireless to The New York Times.

  TOKYO, Dec. 6—Tomokazu Hori, spokesman of the Cabinet Information Board, announced at a press conference yesterday that the Washington negotiations would continue. He repudiated charges by the Japanese press that America lacked sincerity and was protracting the negotiations purposely.

  “Both sides,” Mr. Hori said, “will continue to negotiate with sincerity to find a common formula to ease the situation in the Pacific. If there were no sincerity there would be no need to continue the negotiations.”

  Spokesman Hori said the Japanese Government was amazed at the continued existence of great American misunderstanding regarding Japan’s policy in the Far East. United States Secretary of State Cordell Hull, he said, charged that Japan was following a policy of force, conquest and military despotism.

  CITES PUPPET REGIME

  Naturally, Mr. Hori said, conditions in China are not normal on account of hostilities, but he maintained that the ultimate objective of the “China incident” had been fixed in the statement of former Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoye, which disclaimed territorial ambitions and indemnities. This principle, Mr. Hori asserted, was incorporated in the basic treaty with Nanking [puppet regime in China].

  The Washington negotiations, he continued, have the purpose of removing this misunderstanding. Although he did not subscribe to Mr. Hull’s statement that the negotiations were virtually back at their starting point, he made it clear that there was still a wide difference of opinion on the two sides.

  As for the occupation of French Indo-China he declared that there were many examples of sending troops to a foreign domain with the consent of its government. Mr. Hori declared, in regard to American inquiries, that the number of Japanese troops in French Indo-China was within the agreed limit as reported in news dispatches from Vichy.

  “If Vichy says so,” he said, “there cannot be any complaint from any other side.”

  EPITHETS FOR AMERICA

  Meanwhile, in contrast with the vernacular press, which confines itself in the main to scouring the dictionary for epithets to hurl against Mr. Hull and the United States, the Japan Times Advertiser, the Foreign Office organ, attempts to present a reasoned argument in contravention to Mr. Hull’s fundamental thesis. Mr. Hull’s revelations, it says, appear to be a scarcely statesmanlike attempt to seize the propagandistic initiative and put the responsibility for a breakdown in the negotiations on Japan. The Japan Times Advertiser raises the following points, which may be summarized as follows:

  1. America maintains the Monroe Doctrine and President Roosevelt himself has declared that other regions have the right to a similar doctrine. Japan, therefore, feels itself entitled to establish one for the Far East to prevent distant powers from encroaching on the territories of the Western Pacific. But while a statement about non-interference with existing colonies and dependencies of distant powers is left in the quotation of the Monroe Doctrine, that point is not further discussed.

  2. President Roosevelt declared nations must be free to choose their own forms of government free from interference by outside nations. Therefore Far Eastern States should be free to determine their own destiny free of interposition by the United States—not, however, of Japan, which is promoting a co-prosperity sphere.

  3. Mr. Hull charges Japan’s policy is based on force. The very core of Oriental business is compromise and adjustment, but Japan will apply force when it finds itself confronted with a hostile disposition.

  4. Mr. Hull says he put the negotiations back on a basis of fundamental principles. These principles are obscurantist.

  5. Japan put forward a practical principle of the highest human order, including non-intervention in Far Eastern affairs. The United States, Chungking, the Netherlands and the Soviet oppose Japan.

  The paper concludes:

  “The American and British people will now use their influence on Mr. Hull to make some pr
actical efforts at agreement with Japan on pacific principles, instead of appealing to publicity for the purpose of discrediting one nation that is seriously trying to avoid war.”

  DECEMBER 7, 1941

  JAPANESE HERALD ‘SUPREME CRISIS’

  U.S. IS HELD AGGRESSIVE

  Press Intimates Efforts for Negotiated Settlement May Soon Be Abandoned

  TOKYO, Dec. 7 (UP)—Japan indicated early today that she was on the verge of abandoning efforts to achieve a settlement of Pacific issues by diplomatic negotiation at Washington.

  At the same time warnings circulated that Soviet Russia—with an estimated Far Eastern army of 840,000—had joined the United States, Britain, China, the Netherlands Indies and the British Dominions in a united front against Japan.

  The press, bellwether of Japanese opinion, thundered that the moment of supreme crisis was at hand. A government spokesman said Japan’s “patience” may be tried only a little longer.

  Japanese economic preparations against what is called the “open strengthening of anti-Japanese encirclement” were believed completed with adjournment of a highly significant meeting of 300 Japanese industrial and business leaders who comprise the East Asia Economic Council.

  The report that Russia was casting her lot with the so-called ABCD powers appeared in the newspaper Hochi, which attributed it to “undisclosed Tokyo quarters.”

  LITVINOFF VIEWED OMINOUSLY

  The imminent arrival of Maxim Litvinoff, new Soviet Ambassador to the United States, in Washington was said to increase the prospect of Russia’s participation in moves against Japan.

  The newspaper estimated the strength of the Russian Red Banner Far Eastern armies at 840,000 men despite reported transfers of some troops from the eastern theatre to the western front.

  The statement that Japan’s “patience” is drawing to an end was made by Lieut. Gen. Teiichi Suzuki, president of the Cabinet Planning Board, in an address to the East Asia Economic Council.

  “Japan’s patience,” he said, “will no longer be necessary in the event the countries hostile to peace in East Asia—countries whose identity now is becoming absolutely clear—attempt to continue and increase Far Eastern disturbances.

  “We Japanese are tensely watching whether or not President Roosevelt will commit the epoch-making crime of further extending the world upheaval.”

  DECEMBER 8, 1941

  TOKYO ACTS FIRST

  Declaration Follows Air and Sea Attacks On U.S. and Britain

  TOGO CALLS ENVOYS

  By The Associated Press.

  TOKYO, Dec. 8—Japan went to war against the United States and Britain today with air and sea attacks against Hawaii, followed by a formal declaration of hostilities.

  Japanese Imperial headquarters announced at 6 A.M. [4 P.M. Sunday, Eastern standard time] that a state of war existed among these nations in the Western Pacific, as of dawn.

  Soon afterward, Domei, the Japanese official news agency, announced that “naval operations are progressing off Hawaii, with at least one Japanese aircraft carrier in action against Pearl Harbor,” the American naval base in the islands.

  Japanese bombers were declared to have raided Honolulu at 7:35 A.M., Hawaii time [1:05 Sunday, Eastern standard time].

  Premier-War Minister General Hideki Tojo held a twenty-minute Cabinet session at his official residence at 7 A.M.

  Soon afterward it was announced that both the United States Ambassador, Joseph C. Grew, and the British Ambassador, Sir Robert Leslie Craigie, had been summoned by Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo.

  The Foreign Minister, Domei said, handed to Mr. Grew the Japanese Government’s formal reply to the note sent to Japan by United States Secretary of State Cordell Hull on Nov. 26.

  Smoke pouring from sinking battleship USS California, which was attacked during the surprise Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.

  [In the course of the diplomatic negotiations leading up to yesterday’s events, the Domei agency had stated that Japan could not accept the premises of Mr. Hull’s note.]

  Sir Robert was summoned by Foreign Minister Togo fifteen minutes after Mr. Grew was called.

  At the brief Cabinet session Premier Tojo reported on the progress of war plans against the British and American forces, according to Domei, and outlined the Japanese Government’s policy.

  DECEMBER 8, 1941

  Japan Wars on U.S. and Britain

  Makes Sudden Attack on Hawaii

  By FRANK L. KLUCKHOHN

  Special to The New York Times.

  WASHINGTON, Dec. 8—Sudden and unexpected attacks on Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, and other United States possessions in the Pacific early yesterday by the Japanese air force and navy plunged the United States and Japan into active war.

  The initial attack in Hawaii, apparently launched by torpedo-carrying bombers and submarines, caused widespread damage and death. It was quickly followed by others. There were unconfirmed reports that German raiders participated in the attacks.

  Guam also was assaulted from the air, as were Davao, on the island of Mindanao, and Camp John Hay, in Northern Luzon, both in the Philippines. Lieut. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, commanding the United States Army of the Far East, reported there was little damage, however.

  Japanese submarines, ranging out over the Pacific, sank an American transport carrying lumber 1,300 miles from San Francisco, and distress signals were heard from a freighter 700 miles from that city.

  The War Department reported that 104 soldiers died and 300 were wounded as a result of the attack on Hickam Field, Hawaii. The National Broadcasting Company reported from Honolulu that the battleship Oklahoma was afire. [Domei, Japanese news agency, reported the Oklahoma sunk.]

  Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities an American ship sent a distress call from (1) and a United States Army transport carrying lumber was torpedoed at (2). The most important action was at Hawaii (3), where Japanese planes bombed the great Pearl Harbor base. Also attacked was Guam (4). From Manila (6) United States bombers roared northward, while some parts of the Philippines were raided, as was Hong Kong, to the northwest. At Shanghai (5) a British gunboat was sunk and an American gunboat seized. To the south, in the Malaya area (7), the British bombed Japanese ships, Tokyo forces attempted landings on British territory and Singapore underwent an air raid. Distances between key Pacific points are shown on the map in statute miles.

  NATION PLACED ON FULL WAR BASIS

  The news of these surprise attacks fell like a bombshell on Washington. President Roosevelt immediately ordered the country and the Army and Navy onto a full war footing. He arranged at a White House conference last night to address a joint session of Congress at noon today, presumably to ask for declaration of a formal state of war.

  This was disclosed after a long special Cabinet meeting, which was joined later by Congressional leaders. These leaders predicted “action” within a day.

  After leaving the White House conference Attorney General Francis Biddle said that “a resolution” would be introduced in Congress tomorrow. He would not amplify or affirm that it would be for a declaration of war.

  Congress probably will “act” within the day, and he will call the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for this purpose, Chairman Tom Connally announced.

  [A United Press dispatch from London this morning said that Prime Minister Churchill had notified Japan that a state of war existed.]

  As the reports of heavy fighting flashed into the White House, London reported semi-officially that the British Empire would carry out Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s pledge to give the United States full support in case of hostilities with Japan. The President and Mr. Churchill talked by transatlantic telephone.

  This was followed by a statement in London from the Netherland Government in Exile that it considered a state of war to exist between the Netherlands and Japan. Canada, Australia and Costa Rica took similar action.

  LANDING MADE IN MALAYA

  A Singapore communiqué disclosed that Jap
anese troops had landed in Northern Malaya and that Singapore had been bombed.

  The President told those at last night’s White House meeting that “doubtless very heavy losses” were sustained by the Navy and also by the Army on the island of Oahu [Honolulu]. It was impossible to obtain confirmation or denial of reports that the battleships Oklahoma and West Virginia had been damaged or sunk at Pearl Harbor, together with six or seven destroyers, and that 350 United States airplanes had been caught on the ground.

  The White House took over control of the bulletins, and the Navy Department, therefore, said it could not discuss the matter or answer any questions how the Japanese were able to penetrate the Hawaiian defenses or appear without previous knowledge of their presence in those waters.

  Administration circles forecast that the United States soon might be involved in a world-wide war, with Germany supporting Japan, an Axis partner. The German official radio tonight attacked the United States and supported Japan.

  A nation-wide round-up of Japanese nationals was ordered by Attorney General Biddle through cooperation by the FBI and local police forces.

  Action was taken to protect defense plants, especially in California, where Japanese are particularly numerous. Orders were issued by the Civil Aeronautics Authority to ground most private aircraft except those on scheduled lines.

  FLEET PUTS OUT TO SEA FROM HAWAII

  The Navy last night swept out to sea from its bombed base at Pearl Harbor after Secretary of State Cordell Hull, following a final conference with Japanese “peace envoys” here, asserted that Japan’s had been a “treacherous” attack. Neither the War nor the Navy Department had been able to communicate with its commanders in Manila.