Bless the real history researchers. Very few people know about this. The manipulation of public perception in the past was more easily performed because of a lack of person 2 person information exchange. It is only obvious today because of modern information exchange. The manipulators have adapted to the new tech and developed tools to try and control the narrative, but we are all proof that it is failing. Hiding the provocation of the US against the Japanese was expertly done at the time. Even today, the truth is well hidden around the attack on Pearl Harbor. At the time, I understand why they saw it as necessary to manipulate the public perception to engage the US directly into the war in Europe, but that doesn't exculpate the repeated abuse of that tool in the time that has followed since.
That the Roosevelt people knew damn well that Pearl attack with coming, and withheld that information from forces in Hawaii, and they had the gall to lay the blame on Admiral Kimmel pisses me off ever time I think about it.
In my view, Roosevelt is as responsible for the carnage, and deaths at Pearl as in Japanese bombs.
And that damn Douglas MacArthur was given a MOH when he should have been court martialed for his lack of defense of the Philippines. That pompous ass is why we ended up drawing the Chinese into the Koran war, and the by directly disobeying orders what the did to the WWI bonus marchers was despicable. I riles me that so many people who should be castigated by history are seen as a hero.
One more thing - My dad fought in the pacific theater at the time of PT109. And he told me that it was pretty much common knowledge that the reason PT109 was destroyed was that Kennedy shut his engines off so he could better hear if Japanese ships were steaming toward him. Shutting off the engines on a PT boat was a direct violation of order to not do so. The PT boats had a 6v electrical system, and it was known that the engines had trouble restarting when hot. Kennedy should have been court martialed too, but because of his connections was turned into a hero also.
I understand the horrific choices that have to be made when you are in charge. We can only judge by the history we have, but if Roosevelt had not positioned us to join the war effort with troops, the world would undoubtedly be far different. As far as JFK is concerned, I understand what he was trying to do. He took a risk and failed. It may have turned out differently for him, but he fell on the bad side of grace and paid for it. If he had succeeded he would have been rewarded, he failed and it turned out poorly, but he didn't quit and wallow. He recovered. There are mistakes in war, i understand that. Sometimes you take a risk and it pays off, other times you fail. It is the nature of war to be unpredictable. Folks have played it safe and by the book and had catastrophic failures, but our greatest heroes took a big risk and came out on the side of grace. He wan't a hero because he failed, it was that he persevered and was able to be rescued with his crew.
I did some follow up reading because i wasnt familiar with the PT boats. It was a 40 ton boat. This was no small vessel. The captain would not have controls for the exhaust valves at the helm. This would have been in the machinery space. The command would have gone down via a telegraph and if a full throttle order was given, the engineer would have had to open the valves for the exhaust. The Captain of the vessel would not have been directly responsible, but he would ultimately be accountable. Apparently, the exhaust manifold had butterfly valves that would redirect the exhaust into the water to muffle the sounds of slow running. When an enemy ship is spotted, full throttle is required for maximum steerage/maneuverability. I didnt read where the engines were off, they were muffled. If he did give the order for full throttle and the butterfly exhaust valves were not open, the engine would have stalled. They would have been dead in the water. I don't think anyone really knows for sure what happened that night, however if the engines were off, he wouldve heard the destroyer coming from a long way off.
I'm just telling you what a lot of people actually fighting right in that area though at the time, my father being one of them.
And my dad knew quite a bit about engines in boats because he operated landing craft during Guadalcanal, Tulagi, Florida Island, Tanambogo, and Gavutu Islands campaign.
Just like when the Roosevelt administration basically forced Japan into attacking Pearl Harbor. Squeeze them until that is their only option.
It's not a direct parallel, but hopefully you see my point.
Bless the real history researchers. Very few people know about this. The manipulation of public perception in the past was more easily performed because of a lack of person 2 person information exchange. It is only obvious today because of modern information exchange. The manipulators have adapted to the new tech and developed tools to try and control the narrative, but we are all proof that it is failing. Hiding the provocation of the US against the Japanese was expertly done at the time. Even today, the truth is well hidden around the attack on Pearl Harbor. At the time, I understand why they saw it as necessary to manipulate the public perception to engage the US directly into the war in Europe, but that doesn't exculpate the repeated abuse of that tool in the time that has followed since.
https://mises.org/library/how-us-economic-warfare-provoked-japans-attack-pearl-harbor
https://www.learnliberty.org/blog/did-the-us-provoke-japans-attack-on-pearl-harbor/
https://thenewamerican.com/pearl-harbor-hawaii-was-surprised-fdr-was-not/
That the Roosevelt people knew damn well that Pearl attack with coming, and withheld that information from forces in Hawaii, and they had the gall to lay the blame on Admiral Kimmel pisses me off ever time I think about it.
In my view, Roosevelt is as responsible for the carnage, and deaths at Pearl as in Japanese bombs.
And that damn Douglas MacArthur was given a MOH when he should have been court martialed for his lack of defense of the Philippines. That pompous ass is why we ended up drawing the Chinese into the Koran war, and the by directly disobeying orders what the did to the WWI bonus marchers was despicable. I riles me that so many people who should be castigated by history are seen as a hero.
https://www.scottsdalerealestatearizona.com/bonus-army/ https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/bonus-army-attacked/
One more thing - My dad fought in the pacific theater at the time of PT109. And he told me that it was pretty much common knowledge that the reason PT109 was destroyed was that Kennedy shut his engines off so he could better hear if Japanese ships were steaming toward him. Shutting off the engines on a PT boat was a direct violation of order to not do so. The PT boats had a 6v electrical system, and it was known that the engines had trouble restarting when hot. Kennedy should have been court martialed too, but because of his connections was turned into a hero also.
I understand the horrific choices that have to be made when you are in charge. We can only judge by the history we have, but if Roosevelt had not positioned us to join the war effort with troops, the world would undoubtedly be far different. As far as JFK is concerned, I understand what he was trying to do. He took a risk and failed. It may have turned out differently for him, but he fell on the bad side of grace and paid for it. If he had succeeded he would have been rewarded, he failed and it turned out poorly, but he didn't quit and wallow. He recovered. There are mistakes in war, i understand that. Sometimes you take a risk and it pays off, other times you fail. It is the nature of war to be unpredictable. Folks have played it safe and by the book and had catastrophic failures, but our greatest heroes took a big risk and came out on the side of grace. He wan't a hero because he failed, it was that he persevered and was able to be rescued with his crew.
I did some follow up reading because i wasnt familiar with the PT boats. It was a 40 ton boat. This was no small vessel. The captain would not have controls for the exhaust valves at the helm. This would have been in the machinery space. The command would have gone down via a telegraph and if a full throttle order was given, the engineer would have had to open the valves for the exhaust. The Captain of the vessel would not have been directly responsible, but he would ultimately be accountable. Apparently, the exhaust manifold had butterfly valves that would redirect the exhaust into the water to muffle the sounds of slow running. When an enemy ship is spotted, full throttle is required for maximum steerage/maneuverability. I didnt read where the engines were off, they were muffled. If he did give the order for full throttle and the butterfly exhaust valves were not open, the engine would have stalled. They would have been dead in the water. I don't think anyone really knows for sure what happened that night, however if the engines were off, he wouldve heard the destroyer coming from a long way off.
I'm just telling you what a lot of people actually fighting right in that area though at the time, my father being one of them.
And my dad knew quite a bit about engines in boats because he operated landing craft during Guadalcanal, Tulagi, Florida Island, Tanambogo, and Gavutu Islands campaign.
Interesting picture of ship he was on when it was torpedoed. Some hole huh? http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/02/100200914.jpg