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To: Selara
>I had not known of this fascinating tidbit of US History. Thanks for the wonderful read.

Well, it took some doing for this raid to happen. However: 1) The raid shock and horrified Japan, rather than weakening their spirit to fight. 2) The raid convinced the Japanese that the US were monsters. The Pearl Harbor attack as at a serious military target. The Doolittle Raid targetted civilian targets. 3) The Pearl Harbor raid destroyed military targets and actually almost changed the course of the war. The Doolittle Raid accomplished nothing and killed almost only civilians.

When I was a young person, I thought the Doolittle Raid was great stuff, wonderful adventure. Over the years, I've come to reverse my thinking and now I see the raid as a horrible, pointless military exercise.

Mark W.

10 posted on 04/19/2002 2:36:00 PM PDT by MarkWar
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To: MarkWar
The Pearl Harbor raid destroyed military targets

Not exactly. One of my friends was there at the time as a civilian. He told me that many non-combatants were injured and killed by Japanese bombs which hit areas outside of the military installations. I beg to differ with your opinion about the raid. The Doolittle raid was quite a feat of tactics for those days; it demonstrated that the Japanese homeland was not immune from the war which the Japanese started.

11 posted on 04/19/2002 2:47:45 PM PDT by 45Auto
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To: MarkWar; Poohbah
I disagree. I think it rattled Yamamoto enough that he set up the Battle of Midway to finish off the American carriers.

Of course, thanks to Joe Rochefort and Edwin Layton, we were able to ambush Kido Butai and rip the heart out of Japanese naval aviation. Their intel was so good, that we managed to win the battle even though Frank Jack Fletcher was the guy in tactical command (eventually, Yorktown was hit, and he turned over command to Spruance).

Of course, a year after the Tokyo raid, Tom Lanphier managed to settle the score with the mastermind of Pearl Harbor.

12 posted on 04/19/2002 2:50:02 PM PDT by hchutch
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To: MarkWar
Hark! The voice of the uninformed speaks!
20 posted on 04/19/2002 4:59:56 PM PDT by TheDon
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To: MarkWar
Then you grew more foolish as you grew older sir.
21 posted on 04/19/2002 5:30:13 PM PDT by SpeakLittle_ThinkMuch
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To: MarkWar
2) The raid convinced the Japanese that the US were monsters. The Pearl Harbor attack as at a serious military target.

Wow! I don't know how old you are boy, but you need to a mind transplant.

1. Immediately after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese began committing War Crimes in the Pacific, against civilians in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore. These included the rape and murder of British and American nurses, nuns, and dependent families. Not to mention the crimes they had already committed against civilians in China, including the "Rape of Nan king" --where women were raped (vaginally and anally) with broom handles, sticks from trees, and greased rifles.

2. Read a book (there is a concept) about the Hell Ships. Here is a link Hell Ships of the Japanese

But, I don't think you will. Ignorance is bliss.

22 posted on 04/19/2002 11:22:58 PM PDT by SkyPilot
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