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

222 Pearl Harbor: The Seeds and Fruits of Infamy
Th e war plans announced here were those prepared under
Marshall’s orders by Lt. Col. Albert C. Wedemeyer. Wedemeyer
had been assigned the task in May 1941 of compiling a “complete
statement of Army needs—not for 1941 and 1942 but for
the actual winning of a war not yet declared.” Th en in July 1941,
almost immediately after Hitler attacked Russia, Roosevelt had
expanded the scope of Wedemeyer’s assignment to include not
only the needs of the Army, but also those of the Navy and Air. 2
On August 30, FDR had enlarged it still further to encompass
also the “distribution of expected United States production of
munitions of war as between the United States, Great Britain,
Russia and the other countries to be aided.” 3
Th e project had been carried out in utmost secrecy, and
Wedemeyer had completed his Herculean task by September 10.
Th e result of his eff orts was known as the “Victory Program.”
To preserve the security of the project, the number of copies and
their distribution were strictly limited. 4 Nevertheless, rumors had
circulated in October that “the Army was currently preparing an
expeditionary force for duty in Africa.” To protect the secrecy
of the plans, Marshall had “categorically” denied their existence.
“Th ere is no foundation whatsoever,” he stated, “for the allegation
or rumor that we are preparing troops for a possible expedition
to Africa or other critical areas outside this hemisphere.” 5 And
now, to the chagrin of all involved, the security surrounding the
program had been breached.
Th e military’s war plans had been leaked and published for all
the world to see in the anti-administration Chicago Tribune. Th ere
was consternation and embarrassment in the administration. An
2 Ibid., pp. 338–39.
3 Ibid., pp. 347–49.
4 Albert C. Wedemeyer, Reports! (New York: Henry Holt, 1958), pp. 20–21.
5 Watson, Th e War Department, pp. 358–59.