`New York Times' Coverage of 1932 to 1948 History Revisited: Part 6

Between 1932 and 1948, the New York Times newspaper claimed to always be providing its readers with accurate information about what was going on during the 1932 to 1948 period of world history. But between 1932 and 1948, the New York Times sometimes printed articles that turned out to be historically accurate; and sometimes also printed articles that turned out to be historically inaccurate.

In a December 5, 1941 article, headlined "Australia Girds For Pacific War," for example, the New York Times reported from Melbourne, Australia that "a War Cabinet meeting in which service chiefs participated has completed comprehensive plans to put Australia on a new emergency footing if war spreads to the Pacific."

And in a December 7, 1941 article, headlined "Japanese Herald `Supreme Crisis': U.S. Is Held Aggressive, Press Intimates Efforts For Negotiated Settlement May Soon Be Abolished," the New York Times reported that "Japan indicated early today that she was on the verge of abandoning efforts to achieve a settlement of Pacific issues by diplomatic negotiation at Washington."

Then in a December 8, 1941 article, headlined "Tokyo Acts First," the New York Times noted that "Japan went to war against the United States and Britain today with air and sea attacks against Hawaii, followed by a formal declaration of hostilities."

But in another December 8, 1941 article, headlined "Japan Wars On U.S. And Britain: Makes Sudden Attack On Hawaii," the New York Times stated:

"Sudden and unexpected attack on Pearl Harbor and other United States possessions in the Pacific early yesterday by the Japanese air force and navy plunged the United States and Japan into active war...There were unconfirmed reports that German raiders participated in the attacks...The news of these surprise attacks fell like a bombshell on Washington. President Roosevelt immediately ordered the country and the Army and Navy onto a full war footage...

"...The White House took over control of the bulletins, and the Navy Department, therefore, said it could not discuss the matter or answer any questions how the Japanese were able to penetrate the Hawaiian defenses or appear without previous knowledge of their presence in those waters..."

And in a third December 8, 1941 article, headlined "Hull Denounces Tokyo `Infamy': Brands Japan `Fraudulent' In Preparing Attack While Carrying On Parleys, the New York Times stated:

"Japan was accused by Secretary of State Hull of making a `treacherous and utterly unprovoked attack' upon the United States and of having been `infamously false and fraudulent' by preparing for the attack while conducting diplomatic negotiations with the professed desire of maintaining peace.

"But even before he knew of that attack, Mr. Hull had vehemently brought the diplomatic negotiations to a virtual end with an outburst against Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura, the Japanese Ambassador, and Saburo Kurusi, special envoy, because of the...reply they delivered to his document of November 26...

"...Japan charged that the United States was `conspiring' with Great Britain in the Far East...The document revealed definitely that the Japanese Premier had sought to meet President Roosevelt last August [1941] for a conference, but that this was refused..."

Then, in a June 8, 1942 article, headlined "West Coast Finishes Removing Japanese; 100,000 Sent Inland, Leaving Only The Incapacitated," the New York Times reported that "except for a handful of ill or otherwise incapacitated persons and a still smaller number considered irreplaceable in their work, not one of about 100,000 Japanese remained at liberty today in that roughly 150 mile-wide strip of the three coast states and Arizona which was their home when war began..." (end of part 6)