Henry C. Clausen (1905–1994)

Possibly, the definitive book on Pearl Harbor and how it happened. A, very Harry Truman like lawyer got "carte blanche" from Secretary of War Stimson to determine the intelligence flaws and subsequent coverups prior to and after the actual attack. A volunteer in for the duration of WW2, he pursues an investigation around the world that causes him to personally interview participants that range from clerks, that managed our information desks and communication linkages to strategic receptors, such as MacArthur that would have benefited greatly from accurate and timely information. Much detail that is interesting but complex to follow until you realize how a few key people really, mostly for personal advancement or circling the service, Army or Navy, wagons made a difficult but resolvable situation a national disaster. His apportionment of blame in the final chapters can be strongly defended by his very stringent rules of evidence collection and documentation. Kimmel and Short had all the information needed between them and failed to communicate, the rest is history.… (more)