Shortcomings Of Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor was one of the most horrific attacks in the history of the United States but could it have ended differently? Were there any intelligence gaps that could have helped to warn the US of the impending danger? What would the second and third order effects be if the outcome were changed? By identifying these shortcomings, we may be able to see future weaknesses and better manage our intelligence processes.
December 7, 1941 was a tipping point in US history. On this day, the Japanese Navy attacked the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. US forces were caught completely off guard during this attack and suffered great losses. A total of 2,400 Soldiers and Sailors were killed and an additional 1,200
were wounded. Thirteen of the Navy’s Ships were sunk, which included eight Battle Ships. The attack also claimed a total of 326 planes that were left exposed on runways across the island (Davenport, 2008). Fortunately, the US Pacific Fleet’s three Aircraft Carriers were still at sea on a mission to deliver fighters to Wake Island (Clayton, 2009). The fact that the Japanese completely missed the Aircraft Carriers allowed the US to maintain a strong hold in the Pacific.
The actions of the Japanese enraged the US populous and pulled them out of Isolationism and into the war effort. Factories were converted and started manufacturing planes, tanks and ammunition. Young men enlisted in the military and women volunteered to support the war effort, taking jobs as nurses and in manufacturing. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, now had the backing he needed to inter the war in Europe and Asia (Davenport, 2008). The US was now united in the efforts to defeat their adversary’s. The attack on Pearl Harbor became one of the largest strategic losses made by the Axis alliance.
Looking back, there was a definite misuse of a valuable early warning system, the SCR-270. This was the radar system used by the Opana Mobile Radar Unit at Kahuku Point. The radar was capable of detecting planes from a maxim of a 110 miles depending on their altitude (Clayton, 2009). If the system had been utilized properly, the outcome of Pearl Harbor would have been drastically different. For example, an alternate future that allows US Forces an early warning of an imminent attack may have changed the course of history.
An alternate future that allows US Forces an early warning of an imminent attack may have changed the course of history.
It may have looked something like this: Between 0645 and 0700 on December 7, 1941, the Opana Mobile Radar Unit at Kahuku Point detected fifty planes approaching Pearl Harbor. The Opana Mobile Radar Unit reported the sighting to the watch officer at the Aircraft Warning Service Center on Fort Shafter. The watch office issued an alert and contacted both Army and Navy Commanders on the island. Luckily, US forces were already on a heightened sense of security. This was due to earlier intelligence reports predicting an act of sabotage somewhere on the island in the near future. A total of 500 planes were pre-staged on runways around the island as a precautionary measure. As a result, the fighters were airborne within moments and able to provide overwhelming force. Allowing time for the naval ships to man their fighting positions and drop torpedo nets saving the fleet. These actions caused the Japanese to sustain great losses and in the end retreat back out into the
Pacific.
This alternate future is centered on one key piece of equipment, the Opana Mobile Radar. Interestingly, this radar system did in fact pick up the approaching Japanese aircraft (Davenport, 2008). Unfortunately, the sighting was misinterpreted as a group of B-17s that were expected to arrive from California later that morning. This radar system was a new piece of equipment in the military arsenal. If it had been used properly, it may have changed the outcome of Pearl Harbor. The Opana Mobile Radar was specifically placed around the island to warn US Forces of approaching Japanese threats. If the system data had been interpreted correctly, and the information passed to the appropriate people, these tragic events could have been prevented. Regrettably, both the watch officer and the radar technician allowed the Japanese to surprise US Forces and clam victory over the battle.
While this alternate future is plausible, some may still argue that US Forces would not have been able to react in time to fend off the Japanese assault.
Yet Japan’s greatest weapon was its ability to remain undetected until moments before the attack. The Japanese needed surprise on their side and went to great lengths to accomplish it. Using only flags and flashes of light they were able to navigate a fleet of naval aircraft carriers within range of Pearl Harbor (Clayton, 2009). If the US Forces had had an early warning of an impending attack they could have easily launched fighters and set up defensive measures. As it stood, Pearl Harbor had been on high alert for several weeks and several precautions were in place. For example, all planes were parked on the runway ready to take off at a moment’s notice (Clayton, 2009). Pearl Harbor undoubtedly had the means and ability to defend itself. What they did not have was the indication of an impending
attack.
Although this alternate future allows for a victory at Pearl Harbor, it also leads the US down a very different path. During this time, the US was in a mindset of Isolationism and did not want to get involved in a foreign war. Fear stemmed from the losses during WWI and people were apprehensive about being drawn into another world war. Had the losses at Pearl Harbor not been as substantial, the US populous would not have backed the war effort. This would have delayed the US involvement and caused Europe to fall. These implications would have had a global impact “and while a short-term tactical victory for Japan, the attack on Pearl Harbor turned into a long-term strategic defeat” (Clayton 2009, p. 238).
Although the losses at Pearl Harbor were substantial, the event brought the US out of Isolationism and into the war. Without US involvement, the Nazi led super power would have been unstoppable. Ultimately, the loss at Pearl Harbor worked to save Europe and free the world as a whole.