The Attack That 'Enraged America:' Victor David Hanson Explains Japan's Miscalculation at Pearl Harbor



Hanson went on to explain that while "the attack was brilliant," it "did not achieve its goal," because, "by a twist of fate, the three American aircraft carriers based at Pearl, the ships the Japanese most wanted to destroy — Enterprise, Lexington, and Saratoga — were all out to sea on the 7th, and safe."

Moreover, "the Japanese didn't finish the job," Hanson continued, explaining that the Japanese needed "three attack waves," rather than just two, in order to destroy "a full six months worth of stored naval and aviation fuel, dockyards, and maintenance shops, and truly set the Americans reeling."

Video.
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2021/12/07/the-attack-that-enraged-america-victor-david-hanson-explains-japans-miscalculation-at-pearl-harbor/

Even if the Japanese did all those things they had  no chance, even if they had occupied Hawaii. We were an industrial juggernaut. The war may have taken longer, but  maybe  not with us  having the atomic  bomb.

Fun fact about the "surprise attack" on Pearl Harbor:

For at least fifteen years before the attack,
one question appeared every year on the final exam
for cadets at Japan's military academy.
The question was,
"How would you go about attacking Pearl Harbor?"

Didn't Hitler lament that Japan had awakened the sleeping giant?

Quote from: supsalemgr on December 08, 2021, 04:24:25 AMDidn't Hitler lament that Japan had awakened the sleeping giant?

https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/11713/awakening-the-sleeping-giant-the-birth-of-the-greatest-generation/

QuoteJapanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor would reportedly write in his diary, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

Whether or not the Admiral actually uttered those words is debatable, however, there is no doubt that the attack did awaken a sleeping giant. S

Quote from: Possum on December 08, 2021, 05:51:34 AMhttps://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/11713/awakening-the-sleeping-giant-the-birth-of-the-greatest-generation/

 

Quote from: supsalemgr on December 08, 2021, 04:24:25 AMDidn't Hitler lament that Japan had awakened the sleeping giant?

No.

Frustrated by US "interference" in his war against Great Britain, Hitler declared war against the US on December 11, 1941, four days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Even at the time, the declaration was seen as completely unnecessary and a bad move on Hitler's part.

The "alliance" between Germany and Japan was worthless. Japanese were pissed when Germany  invaded Russia.

Quote from: ldub23 on December 08, 2021, 06:20:52 PMThe "alliance" between Germany and Japan was worthless. Japanese were pissed when Germany  invaded Russia.

It was kabuki. The Japanese had nothing in common with Germany or with the other of the three in the "Axis," Italy. Perhaps the only common thread was a disdain for Western democracy.

Quote from: TboneAgain on December 08, 2021, 07:42:20 PMIt was kabuki. The Japanese had nothing in common with Germany or with the other of the three in the "Axis," Italy. Perhaps the only common thread was a disdain for Western democracy.

They were fighting  common enemies. Germany came rather  close to convincing Poland to join in on an attack on Russia but that fell through because  both Poland and Germany wanted the  food and  oil rich Caucuases. The  diplomacy that  ocurred with France, England, Germany, Japan, Poland, and Russia  in 1939 was fascinating. After being dealt a  major defeat  by Russia  in Mongolia the  Japanese were eager to sign a  5 year  non agression pact with Russia  in Apr  1941. Had Japan, Germany, and Russia been allies then they would  have been impossible to defeat.

Quote from: ldub23 on December 08, 2021, 08:16:09 PMThey were fighting  common enemies. Germany came rather  close to convincing Poland to join in on an attack on Russia but that fell through because  both Poland and Germany wanted the  food and  oil rich Caucuases. The  diplomacy that  ocurred with France, England, Germany, Japan, Poland, and Russia  in 1939 was fascinating. After being dealt a  major defeat  by Russia  in Mongolia the  Japanese were eager to sign a  5 year  non agression pact with Russia  in Apr  1941. Had Japan, Germany, and Russia been allies then they would  have been impossible to defeat.

As you've already pointed out, the alliance between Japan and Germany was worthless. But they were not fighting common enemies, except perhaps in the philosophical sense that they were both fighting Western democracy.

Whether by treaty or otherwise, Japan and the USSR were at peace for almost the entire 1941-1945 war. Poland had no designs whatsoever on the Caucasus at any time. With slightly better planning by Hitler and just a little less Lend-Lease help, the Soviets would be speaking German today. Stalin may have been the most imbecilic leader of any major nation in history, but he at least knew enough to take advantage of his worst enemies to protect his flanks.