6.3 The Clock Set Ticking

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3. At Whose Bottom Lie Many Ships

5 May 1942, Thursday, Last days ashore: At night, with officers in saké house, heard them speak of “Beating hell out of Yankee Monkees at Midway.” It is an island 2000 kilometers northwest of Hawaii, midway between Lower California and Okinawa and uninhabited except for U.S. Naval Base. In conversation with naval lieutenant he expresses doubts: “Success depends on strict secrecy yet in every restaurant and tea house we can’t stop talking about it.  He goes on that Yamamoto's combined fleet will be composed of more than 200 warships in two strike forces: a Southern Strike Force with carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu will spearhead the main air attack and carry an army division; a Northern Strike Force will bomb Dutch Harbor in Alaska as diversion.

I interview Commander Minoru Genda about Akagi. It is the largest carrier and makes a pygmy of Yamato. As my launch draws alongside I feel a sense of fear. Will it end on the bottom or on top? On board, am whisked to Genda; in contrast to cabins on Hotel Yamatomoto his quarters are Spartan.

   Genda greets me in simple white naval officer uniform. In his late 30's and intensely serious, with silver-rim glasses, he is said to be a brilliant innovator in long-range bombing.  He neither smokes nor drinks. He answers succinctly.

   On Pearl Harbor: "Surprising the U.S. Fleet in port was old hat even in the 1930's but the stimulus to action came while watching a 1940 newsreel of the U.S. Fleet steaming into the Honolulu harbor. I wrote up a tactical plan and when time was ripe showed it to Chief of Naval Operations Onishi.”

   On Kuroshima’s claims: No comment.

   After interview I am taken on deck to meet the two who will head the Midway Strike Force: Vice Admiral Nagumo and his operations chief Rear Admiral Kusaka. Admiral Nagumo’s fame comes from his commanding the carrier that launched the attack planes on Pearl Harbor. As is usual in this navy he was given command of an aerial strike despite never having been in an airplane. Apparently what recommended him to Yamamoto is his inability to say No. He greets me with bow and soft handshake. One cannot imagine a more unlikely admiral: short slight, graying hair over watery eyes that never quite fix on anything. His operations chief, Kusaka, is called “Nagumo's brain.” A muscular energetic man in his late 40's with open face and quick wit, he comes from rich business family and graduated top in Naval Academy. Aviation is his forte and prior to Pearl he captained the Koryu.

   Before the off record interview begins, a Navy photographer shoots film of Nagumo and Kusaka in overstuffed chairs.

   Nagumo with nod of head refers my questions to Kusaka. I am surprised that despite the secrecy, Kusaka describes a meeting Yamamoto chaired four days ago. At it, in addition to the Supreme Commander with Nagumo and Kusaka, was Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi commander of the smaller Northern Force. 
Admiral Yamaguchi, wrestling champ during his days at Princeton university in New Jersey USA, is a heavy drinking roistering type – opposite to Nagumo. They sat around a round table in Yamamoto's suite listening to the Supreme Commander read a poem he wrote on the eve of Pearl Harbor.

After the battle I forget the heat,

While contemplating the 16-day moon.

Contemplating the moon,

I mourn the enemy’s sacrifice.

Beneath the moon stretches the sea,

At whose bottom lie many ships.

Quite good. My curiosity about Yamamoto – who can write poetry while commanding a savage war – grows stronger and stronger and I grow curiouser and curiouser.

   Back to Kusaka's recollection of Yamamoto's conference: Suddenly Yamamoto places the tactical plan for Midway on the table before his subordinates. After several minutes, Yamamoto lifts his cup in toast. “Gentlemen, I have made the plan; now you must make the victory.” Thus, Midway is set ticking.
   To read next, now, click 6.(4-6) Admiral Yamamoto's Astounding Confession