Some Pacific Fleet ships at sea operated under wartime rules, yet the harbor itself remained in a peacetime rhythm. That contrast points to an institutional culture rather than one commander's isolated mistake. The relaxed Sunday pattern predated Kimmel and had persisted even under Richardson, who understood the danger. Changing it required senior officers across both the Army and Navy to reinforce new expectations consistently. A recognized vulnerability can survive when everyday routines, divided authority, and incomplete warning all point away from sustained readiness.
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Why peacetime culture survived repeated warnings
Ships at sea adopted wartime precautions while Pearl Harbor retained deeply rooted Sunday routines that neither Navy nor Army leaders had fully changed.