Pearl Harbor: The Seeds and Fruits of Infamy - Ludwig von Mises ...

188 Pearl Harbor: The Seeds and Fruits of Infamy
and other countries in the Far East and their defenses and state
of preparation for war. 13
Because of the mounting evidence of Japanese off ensive
action, McCollum assembled and evaluated the available data in
a memorandum, which he took, on the morning of December 1,
to his superior, Admiral Th eodore S. Wilkinson, director of naval
intelligence. Th e memorandum reported that Japanese transports
had been moving large numbers of fully equipped veteran troops
from Shanghai to Indochina. Others were going by rail:
From 21 to 26 November 20,000 troops were landed at Saigon
and 4,000 at Haiphong which with 6,000 troops already there
were sent South to Saigon and Cambodia by rail. All wharves
and docks at Haiphong and Saigon are reported crowded with
Japanese transports unloading supplies and men. It is estimated
that the following Japanese troops are now in French
Indo-China ready and equipped for action.
(a) South and Central Indo-China 70,000
(b) Northern Indo-China 25,000
Th e landing of reinforcements continues and additional troops
and supplies are undoubtedly available on nearby Hainan
Island and more distant Formosa.
McCollum also reported extensive Japanese naval activities:
ships being equipped and repaired, air and surface patrols being
established and ships and planes being moved to the Mandated
Island area, merchant vessels being fi tted out as antiaircraft ships,
naval task groups being reorganized, outlying naval air groups
being inspected, and so on. He said the Japanese had under surveillance
the U.S. island of Guam, more than 3,000 miles west of
Hawaii. Espionage networks were being established throughout
13 Ibid., part 36, p.13. McCollum testimony before the Hewitt Inquiry.