"Japanese naval officers in dress whites are frequent guests at Pearl Harbor's officers' mess and are very polite. They always were. Except, of course, for that little interval there between 1941 and 1945"

This quote by William Manchester is referring to the relationship in between the Japanese and American naval police officers before and also after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Before the assault, the Japanese marine policemans were frequent guests at the police officers' mess as well as were always respectful. Nevertheless, after the assault, the relationship between the two countries changed substantially. The Japanese naval officers were no longer welcome at the policemans' mess and also the partnership in between the two nations was strained. This quote is a suggestion of the tumultuous connection in between both countries during the war and the value of preserving tranquility and also respect between countries. It also acts as a tip of the significance of picking up from the past and also not duplicating the exact same errors.