Obviously, most Americans will agree, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, it did not happen by accident. It was the result of careful planning, and therefore meets the definition of "Conspiracy" -
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conspiracy
"1.
the act of conspiring.
2.
an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.
3.
a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose: He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government."
If we had a poll, was Pearl Harbor Conspiracy Theory or Conspiracy Fact ? - most of us would say, it was Conspiracy fact.
The Japanese government in the months & years prior to 12-7-41 participated in "an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons".
In other words - to get to the point - most of us do acknowledge Conspiracy Fact.
But let us consider the work of Robert Stinnett, and his book, "Day of Deceit, the Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor" -
http://www.amazon.com/Day-Deceit-Tru.../dp/0743201299
"Using documents pried loose through the Freedom of Information Act during 17 years of research, Stinnett provides overwhelming evidence that FDR and his top advisers knew that Japanese warships were heading toward Hawaii.
The heart of his argument is even more inflammatory: Stinnett argues that FDR, who desired to sway public opinion in support of U.S. entry into WWII, instigated a policy intended to provoke a Japanese attack.
The plan was outlined in a U.S. Naval Intelligence secret strategy memo of October 1940; Roosevelt immediately began implementing its eight steps (which included deploying U.S. warships in Japanese territorial waters and imposing a total embargo intended to strangle Japan's economy), all of which, according to Stinnett, climaxed in the Japanese attack. Stinnett, a decorated naval veteran of WWII who served under then Lt. George Bush, substantiates his charges with a wealth of persuasive documents, including many government and military memos and transcripts.
Demolishing the myth that the Japanese fleet maintained strict radio silence, he shows that several Japanese naval broadcasts, intercepted by American cryptographers in the 10 days before December 7, confirmed that Japan intended to start the war at Pearl Harbor.
Stinnett convincingly demonstrates that the U.S. top brass in Hawaii--Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Husband Kimmel and Lt. Gen. Walter Short--were kept out of the intelligence loop on orders from Washington and were then scapegoated for allegedly failing to anticipate the Japanese attack (in May 1999, the U.S. Senate cleared their names). Kimmel moved his fleet into the North Pacific, actively searching for the suspected Japanese staging area, but naval headquarters ordered him to turn back."
As soon as someone suggests that the US had actionable foreknowledge of the attack, many Americans and AT members will shriek "Conspiracy Theory", even though there is considerable evidence that the US did have foreknowledge of the December 7 attack.
We therefore see the purpose of the Rhetorical Term "Conspiracy Theory". It is used whenever someone suggests that someone in the US was involved in a Conspiracy (other than Watergate).
The purpose of the term "Conspiracy Theory" is not to illuminate, but to obfuscate.
In some clique-ish environments, group members then compete to see who can most thoroughly ridicule the person presenting the unwelcome facts, by parroting terms such as "batshit insane tin-foil-hatter crazy."
As far as the attack on Pearl Harbor goes, we already proved that you believe in Conspiracy Fact - you do believe that Japan planned the attack. It was not perpetrated by some crazed Japanese soldiers who drank some bad sake and acted randomly & independently.
Personally, I would say that the provocation of the Japanese qualifies as Conspiracy Theory - not to denigrate Stinnett, but because I have not yet seen enough proof to accept that part of the history as Conspiracy Fact.
That FDR had foreknowledge of the attack - yes, that part is Conspiracy Fact.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conspiracy
"1.
the act of conspiring.
2.
an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.
3.
a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose: He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government."
If we had a poll, was Pearl Harbor Conspiracy Theory or Conspiracy Fact ? - most of us would say, it was Conspiracy fact.
The Japanese government in the months & years prior to 12-7-41 participated in "an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons".
In other words - to get to the point - most of us do acknowledge Conspiracy Fact.
But let us consider the work of Robert Stinnett, and his book, "Day of Deceit, the Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor" -
http://www.amazon.com/Day-Deceit-Tru.../dp/0743201299
"Using documents pried loose through the Freedom of Information Act during 17 years of research, Stinnett provides overwhelming evidence that FDR and his top advisers knew that Japanese warships were heading toward Hawaii.
The heart of his argument is even more inflammatory: Stinnett argues that FDR, who desired to sway public opinion in support of U.S. entry into WWII, instigated a policy intended to provoke a Japanese attack.
The plan was outlined in a U.S. Naval Intelligence secret strategy memo of October 1940; Roosevelt immediately began implementing its eight steps (which included deploying U.S. warships in Japanese territorial waters and imposing a total embargo intended to strangle Japan's economy), all of which, according to Stinnett, climaxed in the Japanese attack. Stinnett, a decorated naval veteran of WWII who served under then Lt. George Bush, substantiates his charges with a wealth of persuasive documents, including many government and military memos and transcripts.
Demolishing the myth that the Japanese fleet maintained strict radio silence, he shows that several Japanese naval broadcasts, intercepted by American cryptographers in the 10 days before December 7, confirmed that Japan intended to start the war at Pearl Harbor.
Stinnett convincingly demonstrates that the U.S. top brass in Hawaii--Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Husband Kimmel and Lt. Gen. Walter Short--were kept out of the intelligence loop on orders from Washington and were then scapegoated for allegedly failing to anticipate the Japanese attack (in May 1999, the U.S. Senate cleared their names). Kimmel moved his fleet into the North Pacific, actively searching for the suspected Japanese staging area, but naval headquarters ordered him to turn back."
As soon as someone suggests that the US had actionable foreknowledge of the attack, many Americans and AT members will shriek "Conspiracy Theory", even though there is considerable evidence that the US did have foreknowledge of the December 7 attack.
We therefore see the purpose of the Rhetorical Term "Conspiracy Theory". It is used whenever someone suggests that someone in the US was involved in a Conspiracy (other than Watergate).
The purpose of the term "Conspiracy Theory" is not to illuminate, but to obfuscate.
In some clique-ish environments, group members then compete to see who can most thoroughly ridicule the person presenting the unwelcome facts, by parroting terms such as "batshit insane tin-foil-hatter crazy."
As far as the attack on Pearl Harbor goes, we already proved that you believe in Conspiracy Fact - you do believe that Japan planned the attack. It was not perpetrated by some crazed Japanese soldiers who drank some bad sake and acted randomly & independently.
Personally, I would say that the provocation of the Japanese qualifies as Conspiracy Theory - not to denigrate Stinnett, but because I have not yet seen enough proof to accept that part of the history as Conspiracy Fact.
That FDR had foreknowledge of the attack - yes, that part is Conspiracy Fact.
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