After Japanese victories in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, and World War I, Japanese experience and confidence in military operations began to soar. As early as 1905, Japan had identified the United States as their primary threat and began preparations to win a war against it. Despite Japan’s vast combat experience and military buildup prior to the Pacific War, their prewar preparation was only slightly more robust than the United States and this edge was eaten away by time for three different reasons. First, Japan began the Pacific War with slight technological advantages over the United States and believed they could use higher-quality technology to defeat the quantitative numbers of a larger foe. Second, Japan created doctrine and effectively trained tactics for military operations to counter an offensive by the United States. Lastly, Japan conceived a very plausible limited strategy. Technology The Japanese began manufacturing its own aircraft just toward the end of World War I. Japan received tremendous assistance from Great Britain, United States, Germany and many other countries and private companies prior to World War II. Through this they helped guide design as well as contributed or sold Japan a steady supply of equipment and engines. “During the course of the 1930s..the Japanese aircraft industry not only began to join the technological revolution in military aircraft design and construction…in certain fields (they) began to take the lead.” (Evans and Peattie, p300-304) As demonstrated against China, Japan understood aircraft carriers and what type of power projection they could bring over long distances upon an enemy. (Millett, p221) In response to this opportunity, Japan develo... ... middle of paper ... ...d and demoralized their enemies. (Evans and Peattie, p445) Great potential industrial capability was present in the United States when Japan attacked, however, having such a potential and successfully harnessing it to the level the Americans did was not easy. Assuming the Americans ???? Conclusion In summary, Japan’s military buildup before the Pacific War coupled with its recent combat experience left Japan’s prewar preparation only slightly more resolute than the United States and this advantage was deleted by time. Japan’s current technological position was superior to that of America’s at the start of the war where craftsmanship generated higher-quality products to defeat quantitative numbers of a larger foe. Japanese doctrine and training were simply better. Finally, Japan’s limited strategy was logically sound and culturally acceptable to them.
To begin, the attack on Pearl Harbour was devastating to U.S. naval capabilities in the Pacific at the onset of their entry into the war. Japanese officials had grown tired of the U.S. oil embargo, which was meant to limit their territorial expansion and aggression in South-East Asia as well as China, and as negotiations weren’t reaching any conclusions they decided that the only course of action was a first strike on the aircraft carriers at Pearl Harbour to cripple U.S. naval capability in the Pacific (Rosenberg 1). The attack, which lasted about two hours, had resulted in the sinking of four battleships, among ...
“After successfully executing operations in the Southeast and the Southwest Pacific by the spring of 1942, what should Japan have done next?”
Japan led a ruthless assault in the Pacific for fifteen years. This small island was able to spread imperialism and terror to neighboring countries through means of force and brutality. Japan even attempted to combat and overcome European and Western countries such as Russia and the United States. Even with an extreme militaristic government, Japan was unable to achieve the glory it was promised and hoped for. The Pacific War analyzes Japan’s part in the war and what the country could have done to prevent such a tragedy.
The bombings of 1945 by the United States of America on Japan were very controversial events. Many historians believe these acts were aggressive and unnecessary. In addition, analysts argue that the U.S. should have used alternative methods instead of the bomb, but most do not realize the repercussions of these different tactics. On the contrary, the bomb was needed to ease tension quickly and effectively. Ultimately, the bomb proved more effective than any other method, and also proved to be a technique that is sufficient for America’s needs. The effort made by the U.S. to bomb Japan after their disapproval of the Potsdam Declaration was needed to end conflicts in the Pacific because of Japanese resistance, to save American lives, and to portray the U.S. as a nation of power and dominance.
Evans, David; Peattie, Mark R. (1997). Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887–1941. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-192-7.
In July 1940, President Roosevelt had placed a limitation on the sale of scrap iron and steel and completely admonished the sale of aviation fuel to Japan. This decision came after Japan had advanced on the Sout...
On December 7th 1941, Japanese Planes and submarines attacked the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor. This event singlehandedly brought the U.S from its then neutral stance in World War Two to a fighting member of the “Allied Powers.” Pearl Harbor was the first of a long series of confrontations between the U.S and the Japanese in an effort to gain control of the Pacific. Unlike the “War in Europe” the Pacific strategy was dominated by naval and aerial battles, with the occasional land-based “Island Hopping” Campaign. As such, one of the most important factors in the war in the pacific was Fleet Size, the more ships a country could send to war, the better. Pearl Harbor was the Japanese’s way of trying to deal with the massive U.S Pacific fleet. However, Pearl Harbor was not the turning point of the war. After December 7th the United States began work on numerous technological developments which would ultimately help them in one of the most important battles of WWII, the largest naval confrontation of the war, The Battle of Midway. The battle, which took place from June 4th to June 7th , 1942 is widely considered the turning point of the Pacific Theater (James & Wells). Through the Post-Pearl Harbor desire for “Revenge” and various technological advantages including code breaking and radar, the U.S were able to outsmart the Japanese at Midway and ultimately win the battle, eventually leading to a victory in the Pacific.
In the early 1940s, an event that was so premeditated and yet so very atrocious hit our nation’s pacific ocean. The state of Hawaii and its famous harbor was left victimized and bleeding as the skies rained down with munitions and kamikaze fighter planes. Many of the members of the armed services found themselves asking one question. What was to come next? As the United States of America and the empire of Japan at the time demonstrated that both sides had its differences no one could have ever expect anything of this magnitude to take place.
...feat of Japan in World War 2). With the changes of the nature of power, Japan by balancing out aggressive economic policies and a quiet military buildup, was able to build herself up to become a prominent player in the international sphere today. In closing, while Japan’s policies today in general have been skewered towards the arguments of the ‘Gentleman’, increasingly Japan has considered more realist concerns of security in the escalation of tensions of the East Asian geopolitical sphere. Chomin’s Discourse has nonetheless served as a prophetic blueprint for more than a century of Japan policy-making.
Jones, Mike. “War in the Pacific.” Lecture, US Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, CA, May 5-7, 2014.
On the fateful morning of December 7, 1941, Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor caught the American armed forces by surprise. The next day, Franklin Roosevelt set the public mood by describing the event as “a date which will live in infamy.” The American people demanded answers as to why the Pacific Fleet was so unprepared for the attack. Many were quick to blame a single institution such as the commanders at Pearl Harbor or even the Roosevelt administration; however, placing the blame on just one of these organizations would be inaccurate. The explanation for the inadequate defense of Pearl harbor includes a combination of American organizations, not just one person or organization alone.
The primary goal of this extreme force was to bring a swift end to the war in the Pacific, (Walker) but a secondary goal was to display the military and technological might of the United States to allies and rivals around the world (Walker). The use of multiple nuclear weapons made it clear to Japan and the world that Truman's threat of “utter destruction” was intended to be carried out unless Japan delivered what the United States wantedunconditional surrender (Cite). The potential use of atomic weapons against the Japanese was appealing to the United States because it was seen as a dramatic and decisive way to end the war (Walker, ). Prior to the decision to use nuclear weapons, Japan and the United States were at odds over the terms by which the Japanese would surrender to the Americans, which did nothing but prolong the military conflict (Walker, ). Japanese leadership had expressed its desire to end the war to third parties, but could not come to an agreement over what terms would be acceptable for their surrender (Walker, 47)....
Initially, the US had planned to invade Japan in what was to be known as Operation Downfall. America would have provided most of the forces for the operation. The rest were to come from the British Commonwealth. However, the U.S projected that the operation would cost the country more than half a million soldiers. Furthermore, the U.S feared that an invasion would hav...
Introduction – Pearl Harbor was vulnerable to attack because of the obstruction of defense and warning.
...high power status, Japan had to have a self-reliant industrial common ground and be able to move all human and material resources (S,195). Through the Shogun Revolution of 1868, the abolition of Feudalism in 1871, the activation of the national army in 1873, and the assembly of parliament in 1889, the political system of Japan became westernized (Q,3). Local Labor and commercial assistance from the United States and Europe allowed Japan’s industry to bloom into a developed, modern, industrial nation (Q,3). As a consequence production surplus, and food shortage followed (Q,3). Because of how much it relied on aid of western powers, Japan’s strategic position became especially weak. In an attempt to break off slightly from the aid of the west Japanese leaders believed that it would be essential for Japan to expand beyond its borders to obtain necessary raw materials.