FBI had information about Pearl Harbor attack four months before Japanese offensive

The attack on Pearl Harbor which took place on December 7, 1941 may not have been such a "surprise attack" after all.

One of the major conspiracy theories that has stood the test of time is the "Pearl Harbor advance-knowledge conspiracy theory," wherein the argument is that US Government officials had advance knowledge of Japan's December 7, 1941, attack on the island in Hawaii.

The attack will always be remembered as a dark day for the US, but for many the "surprise attack" on Pearl Harbor may not have been such a surprise after all. 

Episode 4 of Smithsonian Channel's 'America's Hidden Stories', "Pearl Harbor Spies" mines declassified documents to make a case that the FBI was well aware of Pearl Harbor being a probable target during World War 2, but the agency was unable to prevent it from happening.

The documentary reveals that the FBI was aware of the existence of an extensive network of Japanese and German spies who had allegedly been present in the United States for around 20 years prior to the attack.

According to information gathered, it is believed that agencies knew of the interest of these secret operatives in the US Pacific fleet.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

A flood, a potential building sale, vendors cutting them off - nothing can stop ‘The Bear’ crew from offering a Michelin-star-level fine dining experience.
1 hour ago
Tate is missing, Cal and Belle are injured, and Season 2 begins where the cliffhanger ended. How far will the team go to set things right?
4 hours ago
Peter McFerrin faced off against Kaylea Bowers and Alejandro Sobalvarro in Monday's episode of 'Jeopardy!'
6 hours ago
Netflix announced the return of the Omar Sy's gentleman thief coming back to screens after a lengthy hiatus.
17 hours ago
Netflix released the photo and teaser of the series currently on the floors in Atlanta, and pencilled for a 2027 release
18 hours ago
Season 3 of 'High Potential' is expected to release in January 2027, and the show's star shared her two cents on what she wanted to see
18 hours ago
In an exclusive sitdown with MEAWW, Darin Toonder also recalled the one fan comment that left him in stitches
19 hours ago
Supriya Ganesh's exit at the end of Season 2 drew a ton of backlash from fans, who suspected on-set drama was to blame for her unexpected departure.
20 hours ago
The third installment of the series is based on the second half of the video game 'The Last of Us Part II' and will focus on Abby's story
22 hours ago
Apple TV achieves EGOT status with ‘Schmigadoon!’s ‘Best Musical’ win at 2026 Tony Awards
1 day ago