[Flipside]

I've never really figured out Japans motivation in that respect, hopefully someone better versed in history can clear that up.

[an0n]

If they'd followed through with an invasion, Japan coulda taken a ton of key cities.

But for some reason they didn't.

Also, they realised that with the US sitting back and continually shipping supplies to the UK, there'd be no chance of invading England.

[redmenace]

Japanese also missed the oil tanks at pearl harbor. With out fuel we would not have been able to respond and commense the Island hopping campaign.

[Ford Prefect]

The attack on Pearl Harbor was in response to a fuel and scrap metal embargo that the US placed on Japan.

[Fergus]

Speaking as a Brit(I can feel the flamethrowers appraoching, so I shall I be brief), I have to say that Pearl Harbour was a slap in the face for America.  Almost every single other country in the world was involved and with your policy of "splendid isolation" earning you a ton of money shipping arms, I, frankly, believe that America needed some kind of crippiling blow.  If anything the war helped define your country (prodominatnly anti-Communist).

Something that made me think the other day when chatting to my American bud (apparently his great grand father invented the Jacuzzi), they have Veterans day, instead of Remeberence day (11th Nov).  It struck me as odd, and quite an intresting difference of view and way of thinking of the past.  What do you lot think?

EDIT: also in response to Anon, it was very unlikely that Japan we even interested with the UK at this point.  Thier main concern was with Hong Kong and other Empire controlled areas.

[Roanoke]

IIRC correctly Japan was in similar position to the UK in that they had to import most of the important stuff (fuel, food, ore etc)

[Unknown Target]

Ok, here's the thing: China's main strategy, and the strategy being touted by most of her admirals at the time, was that the "big guns" like battleships and destroyers and the like, would win the war. They didn't realize the power they had with air power, until it was found that the campaign in the Pacific was being won by airpower.

So, it might show that even though the Japanese were actually trying to hit the carrieres (although I don't think this is the case), they went after the US's big guns because they thought a similar strategy/thinking might be employed.

If you think about it this also makes sense, because Nimitz had to devise a completely new battle plan for taking the Pacific (the island hopping strategy).

And Ford, I highly doubt that. It may have been a tiny part of the  cause, but I doubt a very large one.

[Ford Prefect]

It was a very large part of the cause. We studied this extensively in my AP history course.

[Unknown Target]

If you say so.

I'd also like to comment on this:

'I fear we have awoken a Dragon'. That quote from the original Pearl Harbor film was actually in his Log.

That's actually true, and that commander also said that the Japanese could not hold out for longer than six months against the US. Oddly enough, this turned out to be true, almost to the exact day.

[Thrilla]

The oil and scrap metal plus a few other materials are a big part of why they attacked.  They only had a year's worth of oil after the embargo until they took Southeast Asia.

They never thought they would be marching on Washington, but they figured the Americans would be shaken and try to get to the peace table quickly to remove the embargo.  There were many cultural misjudgments about each others' society.  i.e. Japanese was seen as less than human by most Americans.  And Americans were viewed as gangsters and fancy people that couldn't take the hardships of war.  Obviously both were quite wrong.

[redmenace]

Originally posted by Ford Prefect
The attack on Pearl Harbor was in response to a fuel and scrap metal embargo that the US placed on Japan.

Which was in response to aggression towards China in 1937 and siezing of Manchuria in 1931.

http://www.worldwariihistory.info/in/Japan.html

[Ford Prefect]

I wasn't taking a position, simply stating a historical fact.

[Flipside]

hehehehe I can't help it...

So let's get this straight. Japan was running low on Oil, and started a War because of it.....?

[Ford Prefect]

[Ace]

Originally posted by Flipside
hehehehe I can't help it...

So let's get this straight. Japan was running low on Oil, and started a War because of it.....?

Yeah, but there weren't any 'No War for Oil' protest signs or 'Powered by 'Murkan Blood' bumper stickers on their Mitsubishi SUVs

[Genryu]

As I said before on something similar, subtle you ain't Flipside

[Flipside]

hehehehe

I guess it just sometimes makes me laugh to watch mankind perform the same mistakes over and over again, each time adding a new layer of 'justification' to it, as though that makes it ok.

My own species cracks me up sometimes

[.::Tin Can::.]

Japan already knew that the US would screw them up once they got us "officially" involved.

However, I respect all the soldiers, both men and women, of the WWII Era.

[ChronoReverse]

Originally posted by Flipside
Indeed, the whole 'dishonour' that resulted from the communications error that meant the attack happened before the declaration of War (everyone does know this happened by accident, right?), made Japan enter the fight feeling like cowards. This was physcologically not good.

Meh, declaring war half a day before a prepared attack is the equivalent of setting a trap for someone and telling them just before you spring the trap on them after they've walked in.

[Flipside]

Possibly, but it's a question of honour, Japan dishonoured itself right at the start of the War, that dishonour lived with them throughout.