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

The Navy Court of Inquiry (July 24–October 19, 1944) 547
Finally, based upon the facts established, the Court is of the
opinion that no off enses have been committed nor serious
blame incurred on the part of any person or persons in the
naval service. 197
Th e report was promptly presented to Secretary of the Navy
Forrestal. 198 Th e presidential election was less than three weeks
off . Roosevelt was running against Republican candidate Th omas
E. Dewey for an unprecedented fourth term. Th e war was still
going on. Th e report dealt with an extremely sensitive topic, the
reading of the Japanese codes that were still helping the United
States in its struggle against Japan. Moreover, it had exonerated
Kimmel, who had been blamed for the extent of the catastrophe
and hastened into retirement on the basis of the fi ndings of the
presidentially blessed Roberts Commission. Th en, too, the NCI’s
criticism of Stark, a close friend and adviser of FDR’s, could
prove dangerous in the political campaign. Forrestal faced a diffi
cult question: What should he do?
197 Ibid., p. 321.
198 Th e New York Times, October 21, 1944, pp. 1, 9.