Japans biggest mistake
Until this date the Axis were making solid headway, but they woke the sleeping giant on this day 70 years ago.
Lest we forget those who fought for freedom and paid the ultimate price.
Have been reading this off-and-on today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Things they don't tell you in school: For several years, we were supporting China and other countries Japan was fighting, while also supplying Japan with raw materials, machine tools, and oil.
They got pissy when we cut off the supply of materials and such. Then when we shut down the oil tap, they took that as an act of provocation...
I saw something interesting on the History channel today. It had WWII Japanese pilots who talked about being ashamed they were part of a sneak attack. They were told, back in the day, that they would declare war before the attack. Now they felt the attack was dishonorable..... Atleast an interesting point.
They did plan on declaring war JUST before the attack, but translating the declaration in Washington took too long. The other thing that is really clear historically: both the US and Japan where fully aware they would be at war at sometime in the near future. Heck, a common exercise at the Japanese Naval Academy was to plan an attack on Pearl Harbor!!
Regarding the US supporting China. I guess you never heard of the AVG (Pappy Boyington got his start there):
aircooled wrote: Regarding the US supporting China. I guess you never heard of the AVG (Pappy Boyington got his start there):
Contrary to popular belief and the John Wayne movie, though, the AVG didn't fly its first mission until after Pearl Harbor.
aircooled wrote: Regarding the US supporting China. I guess you never heard of the AVG (Pappy Boyington got his start there):
Nope, knew all about them. Also,some of those old guys were still around at the beginnings of the USENET days and got online and shared stories.
What's somewhat comical (in the macabre sense) is that we were plenty willing to supply Japan as well.
For those interested in the relationship between the US and Japan prior to 7 Dec 41, I suggest reading Edward Miller's Bankrupting the Enemy: The US Financial Siege of Japan Before Pearl Harbor. Note that this is not some fringe conspiracy tract, but a well-researched work of history published by Naval Institute Press.
Yes, the US was trying to expand into Asia like the UK, France and others did, so much like how WWI fed WWII, our actions in Asia fed into the issues between Japan and the US.
my Great Uncle (who is still alive) was in Pearl that day. He was aboard an oiler that was hit. They were ordered out of the Harbor and sank once out into the ocean.
the greatest generation....
December 7th is kind of an odd day for me. Today is my grandfathers birthday. When he heard of the attack on the radio, he went and joined the army that day to fight the Japanese. He spent the rest of the war fighting in the islands of the pacific. So not only do I think of all those that were lost in Pearl Harbor, I also think of my papaw and fighting he did for our country, and how much I miss him.
Remember that day well. In utter disbelief.
I just read an interesting article on how some of the American fighters made it into the air and shot down a number of Japanese planes. And the flight of B-17's that arrived from the states at just the wrong time.
"At Dawn We Slept" is a pretty accurate account of this.
02Pilot wrote: For those interested in the relationship between the US and Japan prior to 7 Dec 41, I suggest reading Edward Miller's Bankrupting the Enemy: The US Financial Siege of Japan Before Pearl Harbor. Note that this is not some fringe conspiracy tract, but a well-researched work of history published by Naval Institute Press.
And to really understand events before that, grab a copy of The Imperial Cruise by James Bradley.
Prange's At Dawn We Slept was the standard account for many years, and is still quite a good read; his book on Midway is good as well. Bradley's work is interesting in concept, but he badly overstretches his argument IMHO, drawing very broad conclusions from a fairly narrow range of evidence.
Barnhart's Japan Prepares for Total War and and Marshall's To Have and Have Not: Southeast Asian Raw Materials and the Origins of the Pacific War are both good looks at the motives of the Japanese leadership. Miller's War Plan Orange and Asada's From Mahan to Pearl Harbor cover the pre-war naval situation pretty well. I have a copy of Wohlstetter's Pearl Harbor: Warning and Decision that I really should get around to reading one of these days.
Lighthearted note:
Grabbed a hat from SnowMongoose's Pile-o-Hats™ before going to dinner tonight.
Realized it was my rising sun trucker hat.
Remembered the date.
Put it back.
iceracer wrote: Remember that day well. In utter disbelief. I just read an interesting article on how some of the American fighters made it into the air and shot down a number of Japanese planes. And the flight of B-17's that arrived from the states at just the wrong time.
and not carrying any munitions
For a random related SciFi twist, I just finished "The Final Countdown"
I still wonder to this day, were our people translating the declaration of war or were theirs? If ours, that might have been mighty convenient.
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