I hope our new Commander-in-Chief...
isn't the coward they say he is.
Whatever they say,
Yamamoto is the kind of leader we need.
He believes in the value of the airplane.
But why a Vice-Navy Minister...
for such an important position?
Maybe the climate in Tokyo was detrimental to Yamamoto's health.
The Army is against him...
for opposing their policies.
So he runs away to sea.
Now he has the entire fleet to guard him.
This order makes you Commander-in-Chief.
The Imperial fleet consists of--
Save your breath, Yoshida.
Those details are in the documents.
You haven't changed!
With the Army controlling politics...
...your job as Navy Minister will be difficult.
Don't mess it up
Thank God you're here.
We know your life has been threatened.
I'm not that easy to kill.
Army hotheads are demanding
an alliance with Germany.
That would be tragic for Japan.
As Navy Minister l will continue to fight with the Army.
You are our last hope, Yoshida.
The Navy must stand firm against the alliance.
America is against the war we are waging in China...
...and angry that we are negotiating with the Germans.
Now we are threatened with an embargo of the raw materials we need.
Either we improve relations with the U.S. ...
and withdraw from China
...or find another source of raw materials here in Indo-China.
Why worry about threats from America?
President Roosevelt's attention is on Europe...
...where Germany is winning a quick victory over the Allied Armies.
So I think we don't have to withdraw our force...
from China
Now is the time to strike.
The British, the Dutch and the French are withdrawing their forces...
...from Southeast Asia ...
to strengthen their armies in Europe.
We must be careful.
The Americans have an Army in the Philippines...
...and they have moved ...
their Pacific Fleet from San Diego to Pearl Harbor
Yes, and that fleet is a knife leveled at Japan's throat.
The Japanese ambassador just arrived. He should be up shortly.
Thank you.
The Japanese are stalling, Henry.You know that.
When Nomura took over as ambassador...
... l had some hopes of settling our differences.
But our meetings so far have been unproductive.
He brings me proposals,I offer compromises.
He brings me counterproposals, and so on.
I tell you, Henry, Nomura was sent here to buy time.
That's what he's doing, at our expense.
The president believes him to be...
...a man we can trust and deal with.
Mr. Ambassador, we meet again.
It is always a pleasure.
I assume you know Mr. Stimson, the head of our War Department.
Oh, yes, of course.
Mr. Ambassador.
I do hope, Mr. Stimson your presence here does not indicate anything ominous.
Of course not, Mr. Nomura.
Mr. Nomura, won't you please sit down?
Thank you.
Well, since our last talk a week ago...
... l have received certain shall we say questions from my government...
...to put to you to clarify certain matters.
Good morning, colonel.
There it is.
This machine lets us intercept every word between Tokyo...
...and all Japanese embassies.
The coded material is fed into that machine.
It goes round and round in there...
...and comes out here, decoded in Japanese.
All we have to do is translate it.
We decode this quicker than the Japanese embassy...
...right here in Washington.
No wonder you decided to call it "Operation Magic."
The latest intercept, sir. Thank you.
Things are getting a little hotter in the Pacific.
As long as we're sharing this assignment...
...take a look at this.
Behold the 12 apostles.
The chosen few are authorized to see the magic intercepts.
Hap Arnold, Chief of the Air Corps, isn't on the list.
No,
and not one of our overseas commanders.
fire
Excellent!
Who is in command of those torpedo planes?
Lt. Commander Fuchida, sir, from the carrier Akagi.
Send him this message from me.
"Congratulations on brilliant torpedo attack."
lf we are forced into a war with America...
...Japan's only hope...
...is to annihilate the American Pacific fleet at the outset.
I wonder if we could use torpedo planes at Pearl Harbor?
Pearl Harbor
Stand by.
Execute.
Look at that entrance to the harbor.
Sink one good-sized ship in the channel and you've bottled up our whole fleet.
You know as well as l do,
this harbor is a mousetrap.
Fleet should have stayed in San Diego where it belongs.
I made the mistake to point that out to Roosevelt.
We're expected to obey orders.
We're also expected to exercise our own good judgment.
I didn't ask for the job.
Sorry, Kim, but this was my command, and it's become habit...
...to worry about the security of the fleet.
The British, flying some old biplanes...
...torpedoed and sank three ltalian battleships at Taranto.
Harbor very much like this one.
yeah
I share your concern, but CNO doesn't think it can happen here.
Why not?
A torpedo dropped from a plane plunges...to a depth of 75 feet or more before it levels off.
I know, and Pearl is only 40 feet deep.
I'm still worried, Kim.
Frankly, sir, l was stunned when l heard of your proposal.
You think the plan is reckless?
You suggest using torpedo planes against the American Fleet...
...but Pearl Harbor is too shallow for that.