Japanese steamers berthed before Pearl Harbor

Have you ever in your research heard anything of this:

“David Howarth in his history of the P&O line mentioned that British intelligence intercepted a recall of all Japanese merchant vessels in late 1941. Plotting their locations and time to steam to Japan, they figured everyone would be home by December 6. This would make them safe from US/British/Dutch action following a Japanese attack after December 6. Of course, this analysis could not predict the location of the attack, only the earliest date.”

It seems a bit far fetched to me.

Bruce Cowie

 Our index on the oligarchs 

YES, I heard something similar, and it is the kind of Intelligence which rings very true, and is hard to conceal from enemy Intelligence networks.