Warning Signal Quotes
General Gerow was army chief of staff George Marshall’s deputy. President and the Secretary of state or worried that Japan might attack American forces in the Pacific. They thought the Philippines might be in imminent danger. Military intelligence did not agree with their political assessment. So the army temporized by drafting a general alert to all Pacific forces. FDR wanted a more specific war warning sent and the Secretary of War to carry the message. The army did then send a mild warning message to the Philippines as well as other facilities and an even milder message to Pearl Harbor. See {589278}. The commanding general and Admiral of Pearl Harbor paid little attention to the ambiguous message and ten days later the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The Philippines were invaded subsequently.