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

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726 <strong>Pearl</strong> <strong>Harbor</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Seeds</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Fruits</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Infamy</strong><br />

the blame on to get it <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> themselves. . . . Th at is exactly what<br />

I want to convey. 156<br />

Th e same two basic accusations made against Kimmel by the<br />

Roberts Commission had also been made against Short: “dereliction<br />

<strong>of</strong> duty” <strong>and</strong> “errors <strong>of</strong> judgment.” Under date <strong>of</strong> April 20,<br />

1942, the War Department formalized the Roberts Commission<br />

accusations against Short into 11 specifi c charges, each <strong>of</strong> which<br />

was considered a violation <strong>of</strong> the 96th Article <strong>of</strong> War. 157 When<br />

Ferguson questioned Short, he pleaded “not guilty” to each <strong>of</strong><br />

the 11 charges. 158 He explained that his actions in every case had<br />

been limited by equipment shortages <strong>and</strong> shaped by the limited<br />

information supplied him. He had done the best he could, he<br />

said, given the resources <strong>and</strong> information available.<br />

1. Failure to provide an adequate inshore aerial patrol.<br />

“Not guilty,” Short said. He “did have an adequate patrol. Th e<br />

air people were satisfi ed <strong>and</strong> had full control. . . . [I]t was not<br />

designed for air defense.” He was using all the equipment he<br />

had.<br />

2. Failure to provide adequate antiaircraft defenses.<br />

Not guilty. We would have had an adequate antiaircraft defense<br />

if the War Department had given us the equipment <strong>and</strong> had<br />

given us the information which indicated imminent attack. Or,<br />

if they had replied to my [sabotage alert] report <strong>and</strong> indicated<br />

any desired modifi cation.<br />

156Ibid., p. 3169.<br />

157Ibid., part 18, pp. 3211–15, F. Granville Munson, Colonel, J.A.G.D., April<br />

20, 1942, memor<strong>and</strong>um for judge advocate general.<br />

158Ibid., part 7, pp. 3191–95.

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