Cablegram 1167 WASHINGTON, 17 December 1941, 11.50 p.m.
IMMEDIATE [BRONX] [1]
Most important and most disturbing fact in the Pacific is that United States Pacific Fleet based on Honolulu is on the defensive and apparently cannot be induced to take [any] offensive action even directed towards relieving the Philippines. Damage suffered Honolulu though slightly less than originally believed is still formidable. For public purposes it is being very much minimized as you will have seen from Secretary of Navy’s [2] public statement yesterday. Naval Attache at this Legation [3] has signalled to Australian Chief of Naval Staff [4] today United States Navy Department plans for utilization United States Pacific Fleet based Honolulu which is not pleasant reading for us and which explains why the President [5] was unwilling to speak to me today (and has shown the same unwillingness to speak to the British Ambassador [6] and others) on any aspect of United States naval action in the Pacific.
Some diversionary [raids and] movements designed to relieve the pressure [on] United States islands under attack are possible to westward and south-westward of Honolulu but will not be extended to westward [of] 180 degrees south of the equator.
There is great bitterness among the senior people in the Army [and other] Department[s] concerned who know the facts, and there is considerable pressure being exerted to create a more [militant] viewpoint so far without success.
The whole burden of seeking to try to relieve the Far Eastern situation is at present being thrown on the United States Army Air Corps by means that I have reported [7], and by flying heavy bombers from United States of America across Atlantic and Africa and through India to Philippines and to China.
It is possible that the outlook and attitude here may improve when additional U.S.A. naval strength reaches the Pacific from the Atlantic.
No doubt you will restrict circulation of this telegram to a minimum. I hope to see Secretary of Navy and Secretary of War [8] tomorrow.
CASEY
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1 Words in square brackets have been corrected/inserted from the Washington copy on file AA:A3300, 101.
2 Colonel Franklin Knox.
3 Commander D. H. Harries.
4 Vice-Admiral Sir Guy Royle. The message has not been found.
5 Franklin D. Roosevelt.
6 Lord Halifax.
7 See cablegram 1163 of 17 December on the file cited in note 1.
8 H. L. Stimson.
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[AA:A981, WAR 54]