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    "title": "Report, Navy Court of Inquiry, Finding of Facts",
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    "seq": 32,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602191/750350/750350-05-032.tif",
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    "ocrText": "hours' notice certain vessels of the Fleet which were in West Coast\nports, held six submarines in readiness to depart for Japan, delayed\nthe sailing of one battleship which was scheduled to visit a West Coast\nNavy Yard, and placed in effect additional security measures in the\nFleet operating areas.\nHe reported to the Chief of Naval Operations the steps taken and\nreceived written approval of his action. He continued the measures\nwhich he had already placed in effect looking to readiness for war,\npreparation of the Pacific Fleet for war being his assigned task.\nHe did not interpret the dispatch of 16 October as directing or\nwarranting that he abandon his preparations for war. He held daily\nconferences with his subordinate commanders and the members of his\nstaff, all experienced officers of long service, and sought by every\nmeans to ascertain wherein his interpretation might be incorrect. The\nconcensus throughout was that no further steps were warranted by the\ninformation at hand.\nOn 24 November, 1941, Admiral Kimmel received a dispatch from the\nChief of Naval Operations, addressed also to the Commander-in-Chief,\nAsiatic Fleet, and to Commandants of Naval districts with headquarters\nat San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Panama, which stated:\n\"Chances of favorable outcome of negotiations with Japan very\ndoubtful X This situation coupled with statements of Japanese\nGovernment and movements their naval and military forces indi-\ncate in our opinion that a surprise aggressive movement in any\ndirection including attack on Philippines or Guam is a possi-\nbility X Chief of Staff has seen this dispatch concurs and\nrequests action addressees to inform senior Army officers\ntheir areas X Utmost secrecy necessary in order not to compli-\ncate an already tense situation or precipitate Japanese action\nX Guam will be informed separately.\"\nThe contents of this dispatch were made known to Lieut. General\nShort and discussed with him.\n1-32"
}