Fleet headquarters – Truck 10/28/46

Admiral Yammomato was at Truck on the day of the raid. Had he not been there on an inspection tour he would have been in Naval Headquarters at Tokyo. Reports of the raid were sketchy because of the devastation but there was no doubt about on thing, it was devastating. A few radios survived in the bombed cities and the reports were grave. All attempts to get in touch with fleet headquarters were unsuccessful. A message from a ship that was about 20 miles offshore at the time of the raid informed them that what was left of Fleet Headquarters was burning. Yammomato called his staff together.

“The situation in the homeland is grave. Fourteen of our cities were bombed yesterday by planes that dropped only one bomb each. All but the largest cities were destroyed. Tokyo was hit by two planes, well over half of it is gone. The Emperor’s palace is gone. Apparently it was an aiming point for one of the bombs. The Americans have desecrated all we hold sacred. Let us make them pay. We will attack their shores. What forces do we have within the area that can be used to hit the mainland of the Americas?”

“Our remaining carrier forces are off the coast of Alaska. We moved them there about six weeks ago. They have been supporting our forces in Alaska and Canada. We are advancing there for the first time in nearly a year. Several submarines are off the California coast and we have a surface force moving south from Juneau that includes the battleships with the eighteen inch rifles. They were to support the other naval forces there and lend fire support to troops near the coast. Our troops on the coast are ready for an assault to the south. Other than what we have here, that is our assets. We can count on nothing that was at the homeland. Much of it was destroyed. The remainder is committed to relief of our own people.”

“This should be adequate. Let us attack. Let the forces off Alaska move south along the American coast and shell and bomb whatever is within range. Let us hit their major coastal cities. Our land forces in Canada must attack to the south and now. They are within 100 miles of the American border. Let them push to it and beyond. Let us hit the Americans where it hurts, at home. They have taught the lesson. Let us show them we are good students.”