The Pearl Harbor advance-knowledge conspiracy theory is the idea that the American officials had advance knowledge of Japan's December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Ever since the Japanese attack there has been debate as to how and why the United States had been caught off guard and how much and when American officials knew of Japanese plans for an attack.
Several writers, including journalist Robert Stinnett and former United States Navy Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald, have argued that various parties high in the U.S. and British governments knew of the attack in advance and may even have let it happen or encouraged it in order to force America into war via the "back door." Evidence supporting this view is taken from quotations and source documents from the time and the release of newer materials.
Read more about Pearl Harbor Advance-knowledge Conspiracy Theory: Ten Official U.S. Inquiries, Assertions That Japanese Codes Had Already Been Broken, Detection of Japanese Transmissions, Statements By High-ranking Officials, The McCollum Memo, Japanese Intelligence, Allied Intelligence, Notices To Japanese Foreign Stations – The Winds Code Message, Official U.S. War Warnings, "Inherent Invulnerability" of Pearl Harbor, Role of American Carriers, American Response To Attack, Roosevelt's Desire For War With Germany, Release of Information – Delays and Problems With Declassification, Unreleased Classified Information
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“We’re in greater danger today than we were the day after Pearl Harbor. Our military is absolutely incapable of defending this country.”
—Ronald Reagan (b. 1911)
“Major Bagley: So they really got the Arizona.
Captain Quincannon: Yes, sir. Hickham Field was hit just as bad as Pearl Harbor, lot of fifth column work.
Major Bagley: I’ve studied all the wars in history, gentlemen, and I’ve never come across any dirty treachery like that.”
—Dudley Nichols (1895–1960)
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—For the State of New Jersey, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
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—Don Delillo (b. 1926)
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—Willard Van Orman Quine (b. 1908)