TheCodeBreakers
provides that ". . . hostilities . . . must not commence without previous
and explicit warning, in the form either of a reasoned declaration of war
or of an ultimatum with conditional declaration of war." Togo had
suggested to the Liaison Conference that the note was far stronger than
an ultimatum and that to include a specific declaration of war would be
"merely to reiterate the obvious." The conferees had gratefully acceded to
this casuistry, since it enabled them to comply with the prior-notification
requirement without endangering the surprise of the attack. Since the
Hague Convention does not specify how long in advance such notification
must be given, Premier Tojo and the other conferees thought to shave the
time as much as possible. Dawn in Hawaii was about noon m
Washington. The Liaison Conference had tentatively set 12:30 p.m.,
Sunday, December 7 (Washington time), as the time of delivery of the
note.
annaabi.ee 
