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Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread.

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
Southeast Asia, 1941: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive, December 1941
Malaya, 1941: Topography-Japanese Centrifugal Offensive, December 1941-January 1942
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – Operations of the Japanese First Air Fleet, 7 December 1941-12 March 1942
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – American Carrier Operations, 7 December 1941-18 April 1942
Micronesia, Melanesia and New Guinea: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive-Japanese Fourth Fleet and South Seas Detachment Operations, December 1941-April 1942
Luzon, P.I., 1941: Centrifugal Offensive, 10 December 1941-6 May 1942-Fourteenth Army Operations on Luzon
Netherlands East Indies, 1941: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive, December 1941-April 1942, Sixteenth Army and Southern Force (Navy) Operations
Southern Asia, 1941: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive (and Continued Operations), January-May 1942
North Africa, Auchinleck’s Offensive, 18 November-31 December 1941
Eastern Europe, 1941: Soviet Winter Offensive – Operations, 6 December 1941-7 May 1942
The Mediterranean Basin

Interesting about the Jan. 24, 1941 letter quoted from Adm. Yamamoto. I had always seen him described as relatively non-imperialistic, non-aggressive, liking the USA from his time here etc., but this sounds extremely bellicose and aggressive:

“Any time war breaks out between Japan and the United States I will not be content merely to capture Guam and the Philippines and occupy Hawaii and San Francisco I am looking forward to dictating peace to the United States in the White House at Washington.”

— Admiral Isoroku Yamamato, Jan. 24, 1941 —

re: the various conspiracy theorists, Cordell Hull’s formal “war warning” to all govt depts, Nov. 27, was ample warning to Kimmel and Short to be prepared for anything. It was not for civilian officials to spell out every possibility of attack etc. Of course hindsight is easy but the relevant information was in the hands of Kimmel and Short, they knew Japan had made surprise attacks in the past, the Brits at Taranto had showed what aerial attacks on a fleet in port could do, etc. No one hid the relevant info from Short and Kimmel, they had it and did not act sufficiently upon what they knew.

From what I remember, the message from Wake Island, “Send us more Japs” never actually took place. It was just a rumor that started in Hawaii. I sure like it though and I’m sure the American public at this time really did too.

December 17, 1941:

"A Jewish physician named Dubski dies of spotted typhus while treating patients at a Gypsy camp near the Lódz (Poland) Ghetto; See December 29, 1941."

"Not until Hitler declared war on the United States did these office workers at the America First headquarters remove isolationist material.
Formed in July 1940, the America First Committee was the major isolationist group of the time.
Infiltrated by the Nazis and determined to prevent American entanglements in Europe, America First had ties with congressional isolationists and antisemites.
The committee did not officially adopt antisemitism, although its membership list contained such prominent antisemites as Henry and Clara Ford, Charles Coughlin, Gerald Smith, Gerald Winrod, William Pelley, and American Nazi leader Fritz Kuhn."