TEXT
OF 1:00 AM DECEMBER 8 (12 NOON, DECEMBER 7, WASHINGTON TIME) WAR DEPARTMENT
MESSAGE 733 TO USAFFE
:
JAPANESE
ARE PRESENTING AT 1:00 P STOP M STOP COMMA EASTERN STANDARD TIME TODAY COMMA
WHAT AMOUNTS TO AN ULTIMATUM STOP ALSO COMMA THEY ARE UNDER ORDERS TO DESTROY
THEIR CODE MACHINE IMMEDIATELY STOP JUST WHAT SIGNIFICANCE THE HOUR SET MAY HAVE
WE DO NOT KNOW BUT BE ON ALERT ACCORDINGLY STOP INFORM NAVAL AUTHORITIES OF THIS
COMMUNICATION END MARSHALL
TEXT OF 3:10 AM DECEMBER 8 MESSAGE FROM HART TO ASIATIC FLEET:
JAPAN STARTED HOSTILITIES STOP GOVERN YOURSEL[V]ES ACCORDINGLY END HART
7: TEXT OF 3:45 AM DECEMBER 8 MESSAGE FROM HART TO ASIATIC FLEET:
SUBMARINES AND AIRCRAFT WILL WAGE UNRESTRICTED WARFARE END HART
8: TEXT OF 4:30 AM DECEMBER 8 (3:30 PM DECEMBER 7, WASHINGTON TIME) MESSAGE (WAR DEPARTMENT 736 TO USAFFE):
HOSTILITIES BETWEEN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES COMMA BRITISH COMMONWEALTH COMMA AND DUTCH HAVE COMMENCED STOP JAPANESE MADE AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR THIS MORNING DECEMBER SEVENTH STOP CARRY OUT TASKS ASSIGNED IN RAINBOW FIVE SO FAR AS THEY PERTAIN TO JAPAN STOP IN ADDITION COOPERATE WITH THE BRITISH AND DUTCH TO THE UTMOST WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF YOUR PRIMARY MISSION OF DEFENSE OF THE PHILIPPINES STOP YOUR ARE AUTHORIZED TO DISPATCH AIR UNITS TO OPERATE TEMPORARILY FROM SUITABLE BASES IN COOPERATION WITH THE BRITISH OR DUTCH STOP REPORT DAILY MAJOR DISPOSITIONS AND ALL OPERATIONS STOP YOU HAVE THE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT AND WE ASSURE YOU OF EVERY POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT WITHIN OUR POWER END MARSHALL
9: INCOMPLETE TEXT OF 4:30 AM DECEMBER 8 (3:30 PM DECEMBER 7, WASHINGTON TIME) MESSAGE (WAR DEPARTMENT 749 TO USAFFE):
REPORTS OF JAPANESE ATTACKS ALL SHOW THAT NUMBERS OF OUR PLANES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED ON THE GROUND STOP TAKE ALL POSSIBLE STEPS AT ONCE TO AVOID SUCH LOSSES IN YOUR AREA COMMA INCLUDING DISPERSION TO MAXIMUM POSSIBLE EXTENT (TEXT
MISSING) AND PROMPT TAKE OFF ON WARNING NOTE END ARNOLD