Admiral Chester Nimitz: "Our Good Luck at Pearl Harbor" Artwork

Harvest of Mars: History and War

Harvest of Mars seeks to uncover the essentials of war. Essentials that have been swept under the rug or forgotten by people and societies eager to rewrite history in a way that is intellectually pleasing. This podcast seeks to open your eyes to aspects of military history that, as Paul Fussell accurately noted, never got into the books because of what he called the Disneyfication of war. Here you will get authentic insights from someone who has a genuine love for the material.If you are curious and enjoy seeing things from a new perspective, this is the podcast for you! You do not even know a lot about military history. Perhaps you enjoy stories about the past but have never taken a history course and are just curious. It’s all good. I get students all the time who are new to history and they learn a ton because I nudge people toward new things they have not thought about rather than have them memorize facts. .

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Harvest of Mars: History and War

Admiral Chester Nimitz: "Our Good Luck at Pearl Harbor"

February 28, 2026 • Joseph A. Campo • Season 3 • Episode 4

0:00 | 26:18

"Before we’re through with them, the Japanese language will be spoken only in hell."

– Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey upon seeing the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 1958, US Admiral Chester W. Nimitz wrote a controversial article titled “Our Good Luck at Pearl Harbor.” It was a surprising revelation that prompted Nimitz to explain and defend himself for the rest of his life. To his credit, he remained firm in his conviction and was always willing to explain his reasons.

In this episode, we ask whether or not Nimitz’s controversial statement made over 60 years ago is sustainable, given just how destructive the Japanese surprise attack was on December 7, 1941.