Tora! Tora! Tora!

l 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.

l'm not that easy to kill.

Army hotheads are demanding

an alliance with Germany.

That would be tragic for Japan.

As Navy Minister l 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...

... l had some hopes of settling

our differences.

But our meetings so far

have been unproductive.

He brings me proposals,

l offer compromises.

He brings me counterproposals,

and so on.

l 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.

lt is always a pleasure.

l assume you know Mr. Stimson,

the head of our War Department.

Oh, yes, of course.

Mr. Ambassador.

l 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...

... l 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.

lt 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."

lf we are forced into

a war with America...

...Japan's only hope...

...is to annihilate the American Pacific

fleet at the outset.

l 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 l do,

this harbor is a mousetrap.

Fleet should have stayed

in San Diego where it belongs.

l 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.

l 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 ltalian

battleships at Taranto.

Harbor very much like this one.

l 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.

l know, and Pearl is only 40 feet deep.

l'm still worried, Kim.

Frankly, sir, l was stunned

when l 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 ltalian battleships there.

l know as well as you do

that my plan is a gamble.

And it's risky,

but we have no choice.

What l 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, l 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. l'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 l'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.

ln case of enemy air attack.

There are 130,000 Japanese

on this island.

Our main problem is sabotage.

lt'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, l think they've

gone nuts in Washington.

How will l fight

a task force if they send...

...my ships to the Atlantic?

That damn ocean is a swimming hole

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