", I would like to tell you about another myth, namely that the United States suddenly stopped supplying petroleum products to Japan in order to provoke the Japanese, and that it was for this reason that Japan decided to attack Pearl Harbor.
This article is written primarily based on the Wikipedia article, as well as other articles that I link to in the text.
Long before the attack on Pearl Harbor, back in November - December 1937, during the Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese army launched an attack on Nanjing along the Yangtze River, and on December 12, 1937, Japanese aircraft carried out an unprovoked raid on American ships stationed near Nanjing, which were part of the so-called “Yangtze Patrol” (Yangtze Patrol or YangPat for short).
YangPat was originally part of the United States Navy's Asiatic Squadron in East India, which existed under different names from 1854 to 1945. In 1922, YangPat was created as a formal component of the Asiatic Fleet. Under treaties signed by the United States, Japan, and various European powers, YangPat was allowed to sail the rivers of China and engage in "gunboat diplomacy." They also patrolled the coastal waters, protecting their citizens, their property, and their religious missions.
So, Japanese aircraft carried out an unprovoked raid on YangPat, as a result of which the American gunboat Panay was sunk, but despite this, the United States not only did not declare war on Japan, but even the supply of petroleum products to Japan was not stopped. Moreover, after this YangPat ceased its mission and was withdrawn from China, which proves that the United States did not really want to fight.
Japan then invaded what was then French Indochina in 1940, cutting off the Sino-Vietnamese border. railway, under which China imported weapons, fuel, and 10,000 tons of materials from Western allies every month. But even after this, the United States did not stop oil supplies, but only banned the export of aircraft, spare parts, machine tools and aviation fuel to Japan.
It was only after the Japanese completely occupied Indochina in July 1941 that the United States froze Japanese financial assets and imposed a comprehensive trade embargo on August 1.
After the embargo was imposed, the Japanese Ambassador in Washington and Secretary of State Cordell Hull held numerous meetings to discuss a solution to the Japanese-American problems, but no solution could be agreed upon for three main reasons:
- Japan's alliance with Hitler's Germany and Italy
- Japan wanted to establish economic control over all of Southeast Asia.
- Japan refused to leave mainland China.
And this is called a sudden embargo? It turns out that the Japanese decided to attack Pearl Harbor only in August 1941, after the Americans imposed an embargo, and it took about 4 months to prepare the entire operation?
In fact, preliminary planning for the attack on Pearl Harbor began early in 1941 under the auspices of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, then in command of the Japanese Combined Fleet. Full-scale planning for the operation has begun in early spring 1941. Over the next few months, pilot training took place, equipment adaptation and reconnaissance were carried out. Despite these preparations, the attack plan was approved by Emperor Hirohito on November 5, after the third of four Imperial Conferences convened to consider the matter. The final decision was made by the emperor only on December 1.
Although by late 1941 many observers believed that hostilities between the United States and Japan were imminent, and U.S. Pacific bases and installations were placed on alert several times, American officials doubted that Pearl Harbor would be the first target. They expected that the bases in the Philippines would be attacked, since it was through them that supplies went to the south, which were the main goal of Japan. The most likely target of the Japanese, according to the Americans, was to be the US naval base in Manila. The Americans also mistakenly believed that Japan was incapable of conducting more than one major naval operation at a time.
So, the Americans expected the Japanese to attack the Philippines, and the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Why Pearl Harbor? There were 3 main reasons for this:
- By defeating the American Pacific Fleet, the Japanese hoped to prevent it from interfering with the conquest of the Dutch East Indies and Malaya.
- The Japanese hoped to buy time so that Japan could strengthen its position and increase its naval forces before the Vinson-Walsh Act of 1940 took effect (the Act provided for an increase in naval forces USA by 70%), since the Japanese's chances of victory after this were greatly reduced.
- Finally, this attack was supposed to deal a heavy blow to American morale, which was supposed to deter Americans from participating in the war in the western part Pacific Ocean and the Dutch East Indies. To achieve maximum effect Battleships were chosen as the main targets, as they were the most prestigious ships in any navy in the world at the time.
In addition, back in November 1940, the British carried out a successful attack on the Italian fleet in the Italian port of Taranto. The Japanese command carefully studied the experience of the British, which not least influenced the decision to attack Pearl Harbor.
This is what it looks like brief background Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor.
On December 7, 1941, Japanese aviation under the command of Chuichi Nagumo delivered an unprecedented force to the US naval base Pearl Harbor, located in the area. 414 Japanese torpedo bombers, bombers and fighters swept in two waves over the naval base. As a result, four (and the same number were severely damaged), three destroyers, three cruisers, a minelayer were sunk, and according to various sources, from 188 to 272 aircraft were destroyed.
In one day, the Americans lost 2,403 people, 1,282 were wounded. In the entire history of the United States, this was their largest military loss. The defeat of the linear forces of America's Pacific Fleet became the reason for its immediate entry into World War II. Before this event, the United States had maintained a position of neutrality in the war since 1939 and increased military power through arms supplies to Europe.
Attack on Pearl Harbor Japan prepared it very carefully. Command American army I did not expect such a development of events, since Hawaii is located at a distance of more than 4 thousand miles from Japan. From their point of view, if an attack was to be expected, it would be in the southern part on one of the American colonies - Singapore or Indochina. Therefore, at the time of the attack it was working normally.
Other bases located closer to Europe were more secure and secure. Almost all units of naval equipment of the Pacific Fleet were gathered at Pearl Harbor, hundreds of aircraft were located at neighboring airfields. Japan sought to destroy the entire American Pacific Fleet in one blow in order to gain a significant advantage in military operations.
Researchers call this start to a war in the ocean incredibly sophisticated. Complete radio silence, sudden first strikes and terrible losses - Japan understood perfectly well how to unbalance the strongest world power.
The first wave of attacks to hit Pearl Harbor came at 8 a.m., when Japanese planes filled the skies over the American base. This happened a few minutes before the raising of the flags - a traditional daily American ceremony in blessed Hawaii. Bombs fell from the air onto the ships, the first of which hit the battleship Arizona, killing more than a thousand people. Not a single sailor from his crew survived. Also, significant damage to the fleet was caused by small submarines of the Japanese fleet.
One of Japanese pilots who took part in the attack, said later that it was a wonderful sight, the American ships were shining, ready for the Sunday parade, so the targets were clearly visible and it was easy to attack. During the attack, the ships did not have time to move; they were all motionless and presented ideal targets for the Japanese. The American Navy has never experienced such disgrace before. Most of the US fleet in the Pacific Ocean turned into a heap within an hour, but losses in this battle were minimal.
Paradoxical as it may sound, Pearl Harbor, whose history of defeat was so bloody and merciless, benefited the American fleet. Throughout 1942, all remains of ships that were not completely destroyed were raised, restored and significantly modernized and improved. Fortunately for the Americans, the base's shipbuilding potential was not damaged in 1941.
Revenge for Pearl Harbor » was captured by the Americans on the night of October 24-25, 1944 in the Philippines. The US squadron collided with Japanese battleships, destroying targets in pitch darkness according to radar readings.
Today, the United States celebrates Remembrance Day for the events of Pearl Harbor, which became a turning point in US history. This day was no longer considered a “shame” for the American fleet; it became the beginning of the glory of the country’s armed forces, which participated in the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Pearl Harbor became a US military base in 1875, when the Americans took possession of part of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Over time, shipyards were built there, and by 1908 the site became the central base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Reasons that led to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Japan, as you know, was an ally of Germany. The authorities in this country wanted to expand their borders and seize neighboring countries. Beginning in 1931, Japan gained enough strength and began to gradually conquer China. By 1937, most of this country was already under occupation. And the apogee of this confrontation was the incident in the city of Nanjing, when Japanese troops carried out an act of intimidation and killed hundreds of thousands of civilians. After the partial capture of China and other neighboring Asian states, the Japanese decided to attack the USSR, but it did not work out. In parallel, Japan was able to capture the French colony of Indochina in the south. While the Germans were fighting the main forces European countries, the Asians easily occupied their colonies in this region. Many different cities belonging to Britain and the Netherlands were captured. The only force that prevented Japan from becoming a superpower in Pacific region, was the USA. At the same time, the Americans demanded that the Japanese return their state borders to the previous position in which they were before 1931. The United States also stopped supplying this country with strategic raw materials necessary for waging war, including oil. This did not suit the Japanese authorities, led by the Prime Minister. But the preponderance of forces was on the side of the Americans. Therefore, the Japanese were in no hurry to enter into open war with them. They decided to carry out a surprise and quick operation to attack the main American military base in Hawaii, Pearl Harbor.
Attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941
In November 1941, events in this region began to develop very rapidly. The United States supported China in the fight against the Japanese, and the authorities of this country did not like this very much. Then they proposed the following to the Americans: Japan withdraws troops from Indochina, and the United States stops supporting China. But this was not enough for the Americans, and they also suggested that the Asians withdraw their troops from China. But such demands greatly offended the Japanese General Staff, and then a firm decision was made to suddenly attack Pearl Harbor. This event was destined to take place on December 8, 1941.
Early that morning, about 350 Japanese bombers and torpedo bombers took off and within minutes attacked Pearl Harbor. The attack was so unexpected that the bombing sank or disabled 18 ships and about 300 aircraft of the American Pacific Fleet. In this case, about 2,500 soldiers and officers died. During this battle, irreparable damage was caused to the entire US naval fleet. However, there could have been even more losses, but all four aircraft carriers were absent from this military base at that time. Despite this, Japan's main goal was achieved. The US Pacific Fleet practically ceased to exist, and the Japanese completely seized control of the sea in this region. This allowed them to carry out extensive offensive operations in the Philippines and the Dutch Indies.
As you know, as a result of World War II, Japan was forced to capitulate, but the Battle of Pearl Harbor dealt a serious blow to the reputation of the United States.
It forced the United States to join WWII. Initially, the Americans did not even imagine that Pearl Harbor could be attacked. Back in 1932, the US military conducted large-scale exercises, the main task of which was in the event of an attack by a mock enemy on the Hawaiian Islands. Admiral Yarmouth is known to have outwitted the defending side by sending only a few carriers forward. Then, 40 miles from the island, he lifted attack aircraft into the air and conditionally destroyed all enemy defenses. As a result, he managed to gain complete air superiority, but, unfortunately, this did not convince the main intermediary that the fortification system needed to be changed. He (the mediator) stated that "any aircraft carriers would be destroyed on approach, and attacking aircraft would suffer too heavy losses, since Oahu was under heavy heavy air defense." In 37 and 38, the exercises were repeated, and the attackers managed to “destroy” shipyards, airfields and the entire fleet. It was this series of mistakes that led to the disaster that happened on December 7, 1941.
The basis for the incorrect conclusions of the American command was that in the 30s, ships of the “battleship” class were considered the main weapon both at sea and in politics. Countries that could afford the production of these ships forced all other world powers to reckon with themselves. The main military doctrine of both the United States and Japan (which was seriously inferior in the number of these ships) was considered to be the implementation of a general battle, where battleships take the place of the main combat units. Aircraft carriers appeared much later; accordingly, the command of both sides considered them something of secondary importance and used them mainly to reduce the advantage of the enemy’s battle fleet.
Pearl Harbor is located on the island of Oahu, which belongs to the Hawaiian Archipelago. The harbor gets its name from the name of the bay, which translates as “Pearl Harbour”. Almost the entire territory of the island consisted of military bases, airfields and other defensive fortifications.
Still no accurate information about when exactly the Japanese began to work out an attack plan. It is only known that in 1927 - 28, a certain captain of the 2nd rank named Kusaka Ryunosuke began to prepare the initial plan for an attack on the American base in the Hawaiian Islands. He was subsequently promoted to commander of the 1st Carrier Fleet. He had the opportunity to teach an aviation course to ten very important people, among whom was Nagano Osami. In this regard, he prepared a document in which it was stated that if the United States did not want to enter the general battle themselves, then Japan urgently needed to seize the initiative. It was planned to carry it out through an attack on Pearl Harbor. It is likely that Isoroku Yamamoto saw that document and drew up the vague plans more clearly and specifically, which, together with the results of American exercises, was able to convince the entire Japanese command of the feasibility of this idea.
The attack on Pearl Harbor had several goals, but most of them were only partially achieved, despite the initial success of the operation. In particular, the main tasks of their fleet were:
- The preemptive attack would weaken American forces in the region and thus provide security for Japanese forces seizing the oil-rich South-East Asia. Considering that due to the capture of the southern part of Indochina, the USA, Holland and Great Britain imposed an embargo on the supply of petroleum products. This option was the only chance to maintain positions in the political arena. However, the idea failed because the most well-armed American forces were serving elsewhere.
- The destruction of the fleet and airfields made it possible Japanese troops act more freely and opened up a wide theater of military operations. However, far fewer American ships were hit during the attack than planned, especially considering that many of them were already outdated. That is why this goal was achieved only partially, mainly due to huge losses in personnel among US troops.
On November 26, 1941, one of the strike formations of the Japanese fleet (commanded by Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo) left the base located in Hitokappu Bay (modern name - Kasatka Bay) on Iturup Island, by order of the fleet commander Isoroku Yamamoto. The strike force consisted of six aircraft carriers, which together carried more than 400 fighters, dive bombers and torpedo bombers. The escort included 2 battleships and 2 heavy cruisers, as well as one light one, in addition they were covered by 9 destroyers. Also, about 6 submarines took part in the operation, transporting dwarf submarines to the battle site. All these combat units They were sent in various, hidden ways to the assembly point, where they were to receive the final instructions, which depended on the decision of the Japanese command regarding the start of the war.
As a result, on December 1, the decision was made to start the war, and the very next day a message was transmitted to Admiral Nagumo. In turn, Yamamoto sent an encrypted message to the strike force. It read: “Climb Mount Niitaka,” which meant that the attack was to begin on December 7th.
At approximately 6 o'clock in the morning, aircraft of the first wave began to take off from aircraft carriers located 230 miles from the island. Among them were 40 Nakajima B5N2 torpedo bombers, their torpedoes were equipped with special wooden stabilizers for more convenient launching in cramped harbor conditions. Also, 49 of them were equipped with bombs weighing 800 kg. In addition, the group included 51 Aichi D3A1 dive bombers, armed with 250 kg of bombs, and 43 A6M2 fighters.
While the attack aircraft were reaching the island, at the same time a Japanese mini-submarine was discovered and sunk there.
At 7:02, using radar, the Americans managed to detect the approaching Japanese, but Lieutenant Tyler reassured the station personnel, saying that they were their own. The radio station used for direction finding also transmitted similar information. That day, B-17 bombers were actually supposed to fly to the base, but the radar was lucky to detect the Japanese.
Already 40 minutes later the attack began, and the first explosions began to be heard. Despite the ensuing chaos and devastation, at exactly 8:00 am, military musicians on the USS Nevada began playing the US anthem. At the same time, an alarm was sent that read: “The air raid on Pearl Harbor is not an exercise.”
With no aircraft carriers in the harbor, this threw the Japanese into disarray, who were forced to choose their targets at will. As a result of the raid, 4 battleships, 2 destroyers and a minelayer were sunk. 3 light cruisers, 4 battleships and 1 destroyer suffered heavy damage. The Americans also lost more than 188 aircraft shot down and another 159 damaged. It was especially hard for the personnel - 2,403 killed (1,102 died on board the battleship Arizona, which was blown up), while the number of wounded reached 1,178. The Japanese lost only 29 aircraft destroyed and 74 damaged.
The second wave consisted of more than 160 aircraft. Among them there were 54 - B5N2, 78 - D3A1 and 35 - A6M2. Torpedo bombers were not included in its composition, since the main emphasis was placed on the first wave, and even fighter cover was reduced. However, this echelon was destined to meet the most fierce resistance - the Americans were already able to scramble several fighters into the air, although most of them had already been destroyed.
Conclusion
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was supposed to break the spirit American people and destroy most their fleet. None of these tasks were completed. Soldiers, on the contrary, constantly went into battle with slogans like: “Remember Pearl Harbor.” Although the Japanese were lucky enough to sink part of the enemy fleet, this did not give them a serious advantage in the ensuing war.
The defeat of the American Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, remains one of the most painful topics in the history of the United States today.
A large-scale attack by Japanese forces led to the destruction of 4 American battleships, three cruisers, three destroyers, and about 250 aircraft; more than 2,400 American military personnel were killed.
The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred without a declaration of war; the American fleet was completely unprepared to repel it, which led to a serious defeat.
US President Franklin Roosevelt called December 7, 1941 a day “that will go down in history as a symbol of shame,” and demanded that Congress declare war on Japan. This demand was immediately fulfilled.
Throughout the war, Americans were dominated by the idea of “revenge for Pearl Harbor.” They took revenge on both those who were directly responsible for the attack and those who were completely uninvolved in it. Even atomic bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki were seen by some as revenge for the humiliation of December 7, 1941.
Eliminate the admiral
Among those whom the American Avengers personally hunted, number one was the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet of the Empire of Japan during World War II. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.
In April 1943, American intelligence, during Operation Magic, was able to intercept and decipher information about plans regarding Admiral Yamamoto's travels. This allowed us to prepare special operation to eliminate the Japanese commander in chief.
The green light for this action was given personally by US President Roosevelt, who asked Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox"get Yamamoto."
Paradoxically, the man who became “target number one” for the Americans was one of the most vehement and consistent opponents of the war with the United States.
In 1904, a graduate of the Japanese Naval Academy found himself in the thick of it. Russo-Japanese War. Victoriously for the Japanese Battle of Tsushima Yamamoto was wounded, losing two fingers of his left hand. The injury did not affect his desire to continue military service, however, may have shaped a negative attitude towards military conflicts in general.
"White Crow" among the militarists
Yamamoto believed that all conflicts must be resolved at the negotiating table. After studying in Japan, he attended Harvard and then served as naval attaché at the Japanese Embassy in the United States.
He took part in the second London Naval Conference in 1930 with the rank of rear admiral and in the 1934 London Naval Conference with the rank of vice admiral.
While militaristic sentiments were gaining strength in Japan, Yamamoto remained a “black sheep” - he was opposed to the invasion of Manchuria, the war with China, and had an extremely negative attitude towards the conclusion of an allied pact between Nazi Germany and fascist Japan.
Yamamoto's position extremely irritated supporters of the war, who began to openly threaten him.
“To die for the Emperor and for the Motherland is the highest honor for a military man. Flowers rise in a field where a hard, brave battle took place. And even under the threat of death, the fighter will be forever faithful to the Emperor and his land. The life and death of one person means nothing. The Empire is above all... They can destroy my body, but they will never be able to conquer my will,” Yamamoto responded to all threats.
Isoroku Yamamato, 1934. Photo: Public Domain
In 1939, he was appointed to the post of Commander-in-Chief of the United Fleet. This appointment was connected with the desire to remove Yamamoto from Tokyo, where the nationalists almost openly threatened him with death.
The commander-in-chief of the Japanese fleet foresaw the outcome of the war
When the decision about the upcoming war with the United States was actually made in 1941, many believed that Admiral Yamamoto would lose his position, but this did not happen.
His opponents knew that the admiral was faithful to his oath and, despite his views, would carry out the orders received. In addition, Yamamoto had very high authority in the navy.
Yamamoto actually carried out the order he received, developing a plan for the attack on Pearl Harbor. At the same time, the admiral foresaw how further events would develop.
“I will move forward uncontrollably for half or a whole year, but I absolutely cannot guarantee the second or third year,” the admiral said when asked about military prospects.
According to Yamamoto, in order to defeat the United States, the Japanese army “needs to march all the way to Washington and sign America’s surrender at the White House.” “I doubt that our politicians (who talk about the Japanese-American war with such carelessness) are confident in victory and are ready to make the necessary sacrifices,” said the Japanese admiral.
Yamamoto's prediction was completely justified. After the first months of a successful offensive, Japanese forces lost the initiative and their position in the war began to rapidly deteriorate. Despite this, the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet continued to try to rectify the situation. He didn’t really believe in success, but he did his duty.
Hunters and prey
In February 1943, Japan was defeated at the Battle of Guadalcanal, resulting in the final loss of strategic initiative in the war.
Admiral Yamamoto, realizing that after this failure the soldiers and officers were in serious psychological state, decided to personally inspect the South Pacific troops. The inspection took place in April 1943, and American intelligence officers managed to intercept information about it.
The Americans learned that on the morning of April 18, Yamamoto would fly from Rabaul to Ballalae airfield, which is located on Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands.
The 339th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, 13th Air Force, was chosen to carry out the interception, as their P-38 Lightnings had sufficient range. The American pilots were notified that they would be intercepting a "significant senior officer" but were not informed of the name of their target.
The Japanese did not know that information about the commander-in-chief's movements was available to the enemy, but they feared for his safety. Admiral Yamamoto was offered to cancel the flight, but he flatly refused. Taking a seat next to the pilot in the Betty bomber, the admiral set off on a 319-mile flight right on schedule.
19 P-38s specially equipped with additional fuel tanks were to fly from Guadalcanal Island to intercept the plane carrying the admiral. In reality, 18 were able to take off, then another one returned to base due to a breakdown, and two more fell into the sea. The remainder flew at low altitude and maintained radio silence for almost the entire 430-mile flight to avoid detection.
Isoroku Yamamato, 1940. Photo: Public Domain
"Killers" attack
Initially, the detachment of American aircraft was divided into a “killer group” and a “cover group.” It was assumed that the first of them would include four aircraft, the pilots of which must destroy Admiral Yamamoto’s plane at any cost, while the rest would engage in battle with Japanese covering fighters.
The “group of killers” included Lt. Thomas Lanphier, Lt. Rex Barber, Lt. Joe Moore and Lt. Jim McLanagan. However, Moore did not take off due to damage, and McLanagan returned due to problems with the fuel supply system. Lieutenants Besby Holmes and Ray Hine were urgently transferred to the “killers”, who, however, were inferior to Moore and McLanagan in skill.
At about 9:30 Tokyo time, American and Japanese planes met in the skies over Bougainville Island. The Japanese group included two Betty bombers (Admiral Yamamoto himself flew on one, the officers accompanying him on the other) and six Zero cover fighters. The main group of P-38s engaged the Japanese fighters in combat, while the "killers" were ordered to attack the bombers. But on Holmes' plane it was discovered technical problem, and he and Hein left the battle. As a result, two bombers attacked - Thomas Lanphier and Rex Barber.
They completed their task - the first Betty crashed into the jungle, the second made an emergency landing on the water. The Americans did not have the opportunity to finish off the grounded plane, since it was necessary to return to base due to an extreme shortage of fuel.
The Americans did not suffer any casualties directly during the attack, but upon returning to base they were intercepted by Japanese fighters. During this attack, the plane of the would-be “killer” was shot down Ray Hine, who died.
Award posthumously
There were three survivors in the Betty bomber that landed on the water. One of them turned out to be Vice Admiral Matome Ugaki, who will become a propagandist of the “kamikaze war”. In August 1945, the admiral himself became a suicide pilot, dying during an attack on American ships in the Okinawa area.
The plane carrying Admiral Yamamoto crashed into the jungle. Rescue Squad under the command of the army engineer Lieutenant Hamasuna got to the crash site the next day. None of those who flew in this bomber survived. Admiral Yamamoto's body was found under a tree, strapped to his seat. The hand of the deceased clutched the hilt of a katana - the admiral died, as befits a true warrior, with a weapon in his hands. An examination showed that Yamamoto died before he fell to the ground, from bullet wounds received when the plane was fired upon.
The admiral's remains were cremated, taken to Japan and buried with honors. Posthumously, Isoroku Yamamoto was awarded the title of "Admiral of the Fleet", as well as Japan's highest award - the Order of the Chrysanthemum.
Isoroku Yamamato's grave in Tokyo. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
The “skin” of the murdered admiral was shared for more than half a century
The operation to eliminate Admiral Yamamoto made an extremely difficult impression on the Japanese military. It was believed that the admiral, despite all his negative attitude towards the war, was almost the only one who could effectively fight the Americans. His death was a heavy blow to Japan and boosted morale in the US Army.
Participants in Operation Revenge received awards, but a conflict arose between Thomas Lanphier and Rex Barber that lasted for three decades. Each of their pilots insisted that it was he who ended Admiral Yamamoto.
Only in 1975, one of the Japanese pilots who were part of the cover group described the exact picture of what was happening, after which it became known for sure that the “Betty” on which the admiral was flying was shot down by Rex Barber.
However, the dispute continued after this, and only in 2003, after examining the wreckage of a downed bomber for traces of hits, the destruction of Admiral Yamamoto was indisputably attributed to Barber. True, the pilot himself did not live to see this - he died in 2001 at the age of 84.
