MWSA Review

Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning by Valarie J. Anderson is a historical account of the message that arrived too late. The book details events leading up to, during, and after the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on the beautiful tropical paradise of Oahu. Anderson weaves a horrific tale of loss and tragedy into the everyday lives of the people on the island who were most directly affected. It was, indeed, a day that lives in infamy.

Anderson provides an account from the archives of her grandfather, George Street, who was the District Manager of RCA-Honolulu. In addition, the author had access to many documents, decoded messages, and family memories from her uncle George Street, Jr. and her mother, Barbara Street. These documents demonstrate the many errors in communication that resulted in the awful consequences of the Japanese airstrike.

On that fateful day, Washington sent a message about a potential Japanese attack to its Pacific outposts—all except Pearl Harbor. All who received the message had time to prepare for an assault. Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning, subtitled A Man, A Message, and Paradise Lost, documents in detail the flaws of governmental bureaucracy that resulted in the carnage that day. The Street family was immediately embroiled in this historical boondoggle.

This book is an example of the importance of communications and good intelligence. The story illustrates weaknesses of politicians and leaders at every level of government, including the military. The flawed decisions they made affected not only the service members but all civilians living in the islands of Hawaii.

Pearl Harbor’s Final Warning is a well-researched book about America's military preparations and/or lack of preparation, communications, and coordination between the U.S. Armed Forces leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Review by Nancy Panko (May 2022)

Author's Synopsis

On 7 December 1941, Washington sent a message to its Pacific outposts about a potential Japanese attack. All but Pearl Harbor received it in time to prepare. 

New information from the archives of George Street, District Manager of RCA-Honolulu, exposes the fatal flaws that resulted in the surprise attack. Operational snafus, collusion, and spies weave a web of misdirection that entangles George Street and his children in one of history's biggest mistakes. Pearl Harbor's Final Warning amends the historical record by presenting unpublished material, including the original copy of Marshall's coded message.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 354