Summary of Stephen W. Sears's Eyewitness to History

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 On March 18, 1942, 82 days out of Manila, a small, green schooner entered the port of Fremantle in Western Australia. Its name was Lanikai, and its captain was to be my commanding officer.

#2 The president’s order was to be executed as soon as possible and in two days if possible. I reported for final instructions. Open these orders when you are clear of Manila Bay, said Slocum. If you are queried by the Japanese, tell them you’re looking for the crew of a downed plane.

#3 On the eighth of December, 1941, a radioman woke me up from my sleep. The message he carried read, ORANGE WAR PLAN IN EFFECT, RETURN TO MANILA. In today’s frame of reference, which tolerates the Korean and Vietnam wars having been fought without constitutional legitimacy, it is difficult to appreciate FDR’s dilemma.

#4 On August 3, 1941, Roosevelt left New London, Connecticut, aboard his yacht USS Potomac, taking great pains to give the appearance of a fishing holiday. He met with Winston Churchill in Argentia, Newfoundland, on August 8, and promised him America would help Britain out of their financial situation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: May 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9798822522510

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Insights on Stephen W. Sears's Eyewitness to History

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 5

Insights from Chapter 6

Insights from Chapter 7

Insights from Chapter 8

Insights from Chapter 9

Insights from Chapter 10

Insights from Chapter 11

Insights from Chapter 12

Insights from Chapter 13

Insights from Chapter 14

Insights from Chapter 15

Insights from Chapter 16

Insights from Chapter 17

Insights from Chapter 18

Insights from Chapter 19

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

On March 18, 1942, 82 days out of Manila, a small, green schooner entered the port of Fremantle in Western Australia. Its name was Lanikai, and its captain was to be my commanding officer.

#2

The president’s order was to be executed as soon as possible and in two days if possible. I reported for final instructions. Open these orders when you are clear of Manila Bay, said Slocum. If you are queried by the Japanese, tell them you’re looking for the crew of a downed plane.

#3

On the eighth of December, 1941, a radioman woke me up from my sleep. The message he carried read, ORANGE WAR PLAN IN EFFECT, RETURN TO MANILA. In today’s frame of reference, which tolerates the Korean and Vietnam wars having been fought without constitutional legitimacy, it is difficult to appreciate FDR’s dilemma.

#4

On August 3, 1941, Roosevelt left New London, Connecticut, aboard his yacht USS Potomac, taking great pains to give the appearance of a fishing holiday. He met with Winston Churchill in Argentia, Newfoundland, on August 8, and promised him America would help Britain out of their financial situation.

#5

The American public was uninterested in Europe’s war. Before the shock of Pearl Harbor, which dramatically reversed the course of U. S. opinion, Congress became aroused enough or informed enough to ask embarrassing questions about commitments.

#6

On November 25, the War Council - Roosevelt, Hull, Secretaries of War and the Navy Stimson and Knox, Marshall, and Stark - met to discuss the situation with Japan. The final terms of the modus vivendi were smoothed out.

#7

The Pearl Harbor attack force was approaching Hawaii. The War Cabinet, which was the group in charge of deciding whether or not to go to war, met on November 28 to discuss the Japanese expedition. They agreed that if the Japanese got into the Isthmus of Kra, the British would fight.

#8

The Japanese cabinet made the final decision for war. An intercepted Tokyo message told Japanese diplomats in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Manila to destroy their code machines. The Japanese envoys in Washington, following their orders, made one more appeal to an unreceptive Hull, suggesting a second-level meeting at Hawaii.

#9

Lanikai was used to evacuate Navy headquarters on December 24, and she began her escape by sailing southward. She was almost hit by bullets and bombs, and she passed by the Japanese guns at Jolo.