Tora! Tora! Tora!

I hope our new Commander-in-Chief isn't the coward they say he is.

Whatever they say, Yamamoto is the kind of leader we need.

He believes in the value of the airplane.

But why a Vice-Navy Minister for such an important position?

Maybe the climate in Tokyo was detrimental to Yamamoto's health.

The Army is against him for opposing their policies.

So he runs away to sea. Now he has the entire fleet to guard him.

This order makes you Commander-in-Chief.

The Imperial fleet consists of...

Save your breath, Yoshida. Those details are in the documents.

You haven't changed!

With the Army controlling politics...

your job as Navy Minister will be difficult.

Thank God you're here.

We know your life has been threatened.

I'm not that easy to kill.

Army hotheads are demanding an alliance with Germany.

That would be tragic for Japan.

As Navy Minister I will...

continue to fight with the Army.

You are our last hope, Yoshida.

The Navy must stand firm against the alliance.

America is against the war we are waging in China...

and angry that we are negotiating with the Germans.

Now we are threatened with an embargo of the raw materials we need.

Either we improve relations with the U.S. and withdraw from China...

or find another source of raw materials here in Indo-China.

Why worry about threats from America?

President Roosevelt's attention is on Europe...

where Germany is winning a quick victory over the Allied Armies.

Now is the time to strike.

The British, the Dutch and the French are withdrawing their forces...

from Southeast Asia to strengthen their armies in Europe.

We must be careful.

The Americans have an Army in the Philippines...

and they have moved their Pacific Fleet from San Diego to Pearl Harbor.

Yes, and that fleet is a knife leveled at Japan's throat.

The Japanese ambassador just arrived. He should be up shortly.

Thank you.

The Japanese are stalling, Henry.

You know that.

When Nomura took over as ambassador...

I had some hopes of settling our differences.

But our meetings so far have been unproductive.

He brings me proposals, I offer compromises.

He brings me counter proposals, and so on.

I tell you, Henry, Nomura was sent here to buy time.

That's what he's doing, at our expense.

The president believes him to be...

a man we can trust and deal with.

Mr. Ambassador, we meet again.

It is always a pleasure.

I assume you know Mr. Stimson, the head of our War Department.

Oh, yes, of course.

Mr. Ambassador.

I do hope, Mr. Stimson...

your presence here does not indicate anything ominous.

Of course not, Mr. Nomura.

Mr. Nomura, won't you please sit down?

Thank you.

Well, since our last talk a week ago...

I have received certain...

shall we say...

questions from my government...

to put to you to clarify certain matters.

Good morning, colonel.

There it is.

This machine lets us intercept every word between Tokyo...

and all Japanese embassies.

The coded material is fed into that machine.

It goes round and round in there...

and comes out here, decoded in Japanese.

All we have to do is translate it.

We decode this quicker than the Japanese embassy...

right here in Washington.

No wonder you decided to call it "Operation Magic."

- The latest intercept, sir. - Thank you.

Things are getting a little hotter in the Pacific.

As long as we're sharing this assignment...

take a look at this.

Behold the 12 apostles.

The chosen few are authorized to see the magic intercepts.

Hap Arnold, Chief of the Air Corps, isn't on the list.

No, and not one of our overseas commanders.

Excellent!

Who is in command of those torpedo planes?

Lt. Commander Fuchida, sir, from the carrier Akagi.

Send him this message from me.

"Congratulations on brilliant torpedo attack."

If we are forced into a war with America...

Japan's only hope...

is to annihilate the American Pacific fleet at the outset.

I wonder if we could use torpedo planes at Pearl Harbor?

Stand by.

Execute.

Look at that entrance to the harbor.

Sink one good-sized ship in the channel and you've bottled up our whole fleet.

You know as well as I do, this harbor is a mousetrap.

Fleet should have stayed in San Diego where it belongs.

I made the mistake to point that out to Roosevelt.

We're expected to obey orders.

We're also expected to exercise our own good judgment.

I didn't ask for the job.

Sorry, Kim, but this was my command, and it's become habit...

to worry about the security of the fleet.

The British, flying some old biplanes...

torpedoed and sank three Italian battleships at Taranto.

Harbor very much like this one.

I share your concern, but CNO doesn't think it can happen here.

Why not?

A torpedo dropped from a plane plunges...

to a depth of 75 feet or more before it levels off.

I know, and Pearl is only 40 feet deep.

I'm still worried, Kim.

Frankly, sir, I was stunned when I heard of your proposal.

You think the plan is reckless?

You suggest using torpedo planes against the American Fleet...

but Pearl Harbor is too shallow for that.

Taranto is also a shallow harbor...

but the British torpedoed and sank three Italian battleships there.

I know as well as you do that my plan is a gamble.

And it's risky, but we have no choice.

What I need immediately is a plan for such an attack.

Then we should consult with Genda...

the new Air Staff Officer on the Akagi, a superb strategist.

Yes, I remember Genda. We'll talk to him.

Glad to see you, Genda.

So this is the new Zero?

Type 21, with folding wings.

This means we can carry more fighters now.

This Zero is fast, maneuverable and has a long cruising range.

Better than the Messerschmitt or Spitfire?

Definitely. I've seen both in combat over London.

You outrank me, so it must be true.

Now that you're Staff Officer here, things will be tough.

You don't have to worry, you won't be here.

You're going to the Third Fleet with a promotion.

The Commander-in-Chief must think you're good!

Of course he does! And I've got proof!

Here is his telegram. Want to read it?

Ten-hut!

Do the planes have to be parked like that?

Way at the edge of the field.

Standard dispersal procedure, general.

In case of enemy air attack.

There are 130,000 Japanese on this island.

Our main problem is sabotage.

It'd be too easy for enemies to sneak in at night...

and blow up every one of them if they're left out there.

Make a note, Fielder, we'll have to make changes.

Ten-hut.

- Yes? - Admiral Halsey's here to see you.

Send him in, please.

Blast me, break me, court-martial me, draw and quarter me...

if you think they're gonna send my ships...

on convoy duty in the Atlantic.

Kim, I think they've gone nuts in Washington.

How will I fight a task force if they send...

my ships to the Atlantic?

That damn ocean is a swimming hole compared to the Pacific.

What are we, a fighting fleet, or are these toy boats out here...

so the Japs can buy them at Christmas?

All right, Bill, now ease it off. It's not just you.

They asked for some of our tankers too.

How do they expect to feed these wagons...

parked out here on this land-locked duck pond?

You're still planning on rotating half of them at sea?

I was.

Look, Kim, you've got to make them understand what's going on out here.

I'm gonna do everything I can, Bill.

Even go to the president.

By God, I knew there was at least one man...

in this man's Navy who hadn't gone nuts.

"Gandhi" is still in hiding, sir.

A strange man, he works in his cabin like a hermit.

But he should be here.

Watanabe, go and ask him to join us.

When "Gandhi" concentrates on a plan, he is lost to this world.

Please don't bother me! This is important...

so I'm not going.

Genda's plan for attacking Pearl Harbor...

is foolproof. It's brilliant!

He stresses the importance of combat aircraft.

Just think of it.

We use six aircraft carriers...

torpedo planes...

high-level bombers, dive bombers.

Zero fighters for cover...

go by the northern route, use the new torpedoes...

we attack on a weekend.

Genda has thought of everything...

refueling...

the weather...

And we go on to say, "It should be noted that Japan..."

Has never preceded hostile action by a declaration of war.

We have concluded it possible that a fast-rated...

Japanese carrier force may arrive in Hawaii with no prior warning...

from our intelligence service.

The most favorable time to the enemy would be dawn.

He probably would employ a maximum of six carriers...