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

The Navy Court of Inquiry (July 24–October 19, 1944) 511
to Honolulu dated November 15, asking them to “make your ‘ships
in harbor report’ irregular, but at a rate of twice a week.” 68 On
December 4, we learned that on November 20, Tokyo had told the
consul general in Honolulu to “investigate comprehensively the
fl eet _______[sic] bases in the neighborhood of the Hawaiian
military reservation.” 69 Saff ord testifi ed: “On December 5 we
learned that Tokyo had instructed [the consul] in Honolulu on
November 29: ‘In the future, report even when there are no ship
movements’.” 70
During the Hart inquiry, Saff ord had testifi ed about the
“Winds Code,” but the Japanese intercepts had not then been
available. Saff ord brought the subject up again. Th e Japanese
message setting up the “Winds Code” had been sent from Tokyo,
Saff ord said, on November 19. 71 It provided for inserting false
weather reports, each containing a secret meaning, in the middle
and at the end of daily Japanese language shortwave news
broadcasts, permitting the Japanese government to reach her
representatives around the world in the event it could no longer
communicate in normal code. 72 Saff ord testifi ed that his fi rst indication
the code setup had been implemented and that a “Winds
Codes Execute” had actually been picked up came on December
4, around 8:00 a.m. He had not seen a copy of the translation since
“about the 15th of December, 1941,” but to the best of his recollection,
the translation had said, “War with America; war with
England; and peace with Russia.” 73 Th is “Winds Code Execute,”
the Navy Department communications intelligence unit had then
68Ibid., part 33, p. 777 ( Japanese intercept #111); also part 12, p. 262.
69Ibid., part 12, p. 263 ( Japanese intercept #111).
70Ibid., part 33, pp. 777, 1379 ( Japanese intercept #122); also part 12, p. 263.
71Ibid., part 33, pp. 738, 1368 ( Japanese circular #2353); also part 12, p. 154.
72Ibid., part 33, pp. 770–75, Saff ord testimony.
73 Ibid.