1. Who were Husband Kimmel and Walter Short?

2. The two men were investigated after the Pearl Harbor attack. What did the commission conclude?

3. What was the general response to the ruling against Kimmel and Short?

4. What did a later Naval court of Inquiry and Army court of inquiry determine about each officer?

5. a) Define dereliction of duty. Why is this such a serious charge?
b) What do you think the Navy should have done after the 1944 court of inquiry conclusions?

6. According to the WSJ reporters, who should have been blamed for the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor? Why?

7. How did fellow admirals view Admiral Kimmel’s responsibility for the U.S. being taken by surprise at Pearl Harbor?

8. Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have declined to restore Kimmel and Short to their 1941 ranks. The WSJ reporters conclude: "In 1944, after the Navy inquiry virtually cleared Kimmel, the admiral’s lawyer sent the secretary of the Navy a scathing telegram. 'For nearly three years [Kimmel] has borne public blame' for Pearl Harbor, it read. 'His treatment has been un-American.' So it has. After 75 years, it is long past time to correct this wrong."
Considering the facts, do you agree with their assertion? Explain your answer.