Tora! Tora! Tora! Quotes
A dramatization of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the series of American blunders that allowed it to happen.
Private George E. Elliott: [Telephone conversation from the radar station to the Information Center]
Private George E. Elliott: Sir, this is Private Elliott at Opana Point. There's a large formation of planes coming in from the north - 140 miles, 3 degrees east.
Lieutenant Kermit A. Tyler: Yeah? Well... Don't worry about it.
Lieutenant Kermit A. Tyler: [Click!]
Private George E. Elliott: Sir, this is Private Elliott at Opana Point. There's a large formation of planes coming in from the north - 140 miles, 3 degrees east.
Lieutenant Kermit A. Tyler: Yeah? Well... Don't worry about it.
Lieutenant Kermit A. Tyler: [Click!]
[a bullet smashes through the window of Kimmel's office and hits him in the chest, but only tears his uniform before falling to the floor. Commander Curts picks it up]
Commander Maurice E. Curts: It's spent, sir.
[Kimmel stares at the bullet]
Admiral Husband E. Kimmel: [somberly] Would've been merciful had it killed me.
Commander Maurice E. Curts: It's spent, sir.
[Kimmel stares at the bullet]
Admiral Husband E. Kimmel: [somberly] Would've been merciful had it killed me.
Lt. Colonel Rufus S. Bratton: [rushing in with a message warning about a possible attack] Ed, here's a message; I need this typed up immediately!
Colonel Edward F. French: [in no hurry whatsoever] R-i-ight.
[he studies the paper]
Colonel Edward F. French: Umm... the General's handwriting - hard to read. You're going to have to help me out with this, Rufus.
[looking nervously at French, Bratton takes the paper from French and sits down at a typewriter, rolling paper in as if to begin typing the handwritten message]
Colonel Edward F. French: [in no hurry whatsoever] R-i-ight.
[he studies the paper]
Colonel Edward F. French: Umm... the General's handwriting - hard to read. You're going to have to help me out with this, Rufus.
[looking nervously at French, Bratton takes the paper from French and sits down at a typewriter, rolling paper in as if to begin typing the handwritten message]
Cordell Hull: In all my fifty years of public service, I have never seen a document so crowded with infamous falsehoods and distortions, on a scale so huge that I never imagined until today that any government on this planet was capable of uttering them.
Ambassador Nomura: [pleading] Mr. Hull...
Cordell Hull: [wearily] Go!
Ambassador Nomura: [pleading] Mr. Hull...
Cordell Hull: [wearily] Go!
[Admiral Stark is reading through the final part of the Japanese diplomatic ultimatum at his desk with Kramer, McCollum, Wilkinson, and two other officers]
Captain Arthur H. McCollum: Sir, the fourteenth part of this intercept which Kramer just delivered, indicates to me that the Japanese are going to attack.
Admiral Harold R. Stark: None of us doubt that war is coming. We know they have an expeditionary force heading south.
Rear Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson: Sir, as hostilities seem imminent, may I recommend that you telephone Admiral Kimmel... in Hawaii.
[Stark looks around the room, undecided, while Kramer and Wilkinson watch anxiously. Finally he reaches for one of the telephones on his desk. He hesitates for another long moment]
Admiral Harold R. Stark: No...
[He hangs it up]
Admiral Harold R. Stark: I'd better call the President first. Now if you'll all please excuse me.
[the others nod and leave the room. Kramer, the last to leave, looks back at Stark as he goes, extremely worried. Alone, Stark stares at the telephone. It is 11: 05 AM, Washington time on December 7th]
Captain Arthur H. McCollum: Sir, the fourteenth part of this intercept which Kramer just delivered, indicates to me that the Japanese are going to attack.
Admiral Harold R. Stark: None of us doubt that war is coming. We know they have an expeditionary force heading south.
Rear Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson: Sir, as hostilities seem imminent, may I recommend that you telephone Admiral Kimmel... in Hawaii.
[Stark looks around the room, undecided, while Kramer and Wilkinson watch anxiously. Finally he reaches for one of the telephones on his desk. He hesitates for another long moment]
Admiral Harold R. Stark: No...
[He hangs it up]
Admiral Harold R. Stark: I'd better call the President first. Now if you'll all please excuse me.
[the others nod and leave the room. Kramer, the last to leave, looks back at Stark as he goes, extremely worried. Alone, Stark stares at the telephone. It is 11: 05 AM, Washington time on December 7th]
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto: Finally, gentlemen... many misinformed Japanese believe that America is a nation divided... isolationist... and that Americans are only interested in enjoying a life of luxury, and are spiritually and morally corrupt. But that is a great mistake. If war becomes inevitable, America would be the most formidable foe that we have ever fought. I've lived in Washington and studied at Harvard, so I know that the Americans are a proud and just people.
[Halsey has been ordered to take his Task Force to Wake Island to deliver a squadron of fighters]
Admiral Halsey: Kim, level with me. I want a clear directive... If I run into a Jap ship, what action do I take?
Admiral Kimmel: Use your common sense.
Admiral Halsey: That's the best damn order I ever had.
[Halsey walks away, then turns around]
Admiral Halsey: If I see so much as a sampan near it, I'll blow it out of the water.
Admiral Halsey: Kim, level with me. I want a clear directive... If I run into a Jap ship, what action do I take?
Admiral Kimmel: Use your common sense.
Admiral Halsey: That's the best damn order I ever had.
[Halsey walks away, then turns around]
Admiral Halsey: If I see so much as a sampan near it, I'll blow it out of the water.
