Pearl Harbor Redefined: USN Radio Intelligence in 1941

by Timothy Wilford

Overview

This book redefines the Pearl Harbor controversy through a study of radio intelligence as practiced by the United States Navy (USN) in 1941. Newly released primary documents, supported by secondary historical and technical accounts, explain the effectiveness of USN radio intelligence in terms of its principal activities in 1941: cryptanalysis, traffic analysis and intelligence reporting. This evidence also demonstrates the extent to which the USN exchanged intelligence with its Allied counterparts. USN radio intelligence penetrated the vast expanses of the Pacific, permitting the partial reading of Japanese naval messages and the tracking of Japanese vessels. In the period preceding the Pearl Harbor attack, radio intelligence provided the USN with foreknowledge of Japan's operations in the North Pacific, although Washington failed to provide its Hawaiian commanders with adequate forewarning. Washington's response can now only be explained in terms of gross neglect or careful design, rather than complete surprise.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761821335
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	11/14/2001
Pages:	154
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.58(h) x 0.47(d)

About the Author

Timothy Wilford is an Electronics Specialist and a Master's Graduate in History. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Acknowledgements Chapter 3 Introduction: A Prelude to Pearl Harbor Chapter 4 Understanding Japan's Intentions: USN Cryptanalysis and the Challenge of JN-25B Chapter 5 Understanding Japan's Actions: USN Traffic Analysis and the Search for the Combined Fleet Chapter 6 Integrating the Evidence: USN Intelligence Reporting and Allied Cooperation Chapter 7 Conclusion: Redefining an Historical Controversy Chapter 8 Appendix: List of Abbreviations and Special Names, Chart of Naval Radio Communications, Great Circle Map of the Pacific Ocean Chapter 9 Bibliography Chapter 10 Index