The Root Causes of Pearl Harbor Serve as Important Lessons for America Today

DB Daily Update ^ | David Blackmon

[EyesOfTX]

The origins of the Pearl Harbor attack can be traced back to 1853 when the United States essentially forced a feudal Japan to open trade via Commodore Matthew Perry’s squadron of armed ships. Japan, at that time was very much like much of Europe was centuries before with warlords using the obsolete sword as the primary weapon of war duking it out among their various tribes with little central control. This forced Japan out of some 250 years of self-imposed isolation from the rest of the world and they opened one port for international trade. Other nations, including Russia soon followed trading with Japan.

Japan’s leadership saw how far they were behind in weaponry and understood they were vulnerable to becoming a dominated colony. Unlike China and the Philippines and even America’s Native Americans they decided it was far better off to unite and be able to defend their homeland rather than be subjugated under another nation’s rule.

Of the seven major powers in World War II, only England was a mature nation with centuries of consistent governance. It took until the middle 1800s for America (1865 and many years after to recover from the Civil War), Japan (1868), and Italy and Germany to become unified nations. The ruling dynasties of Russia and China had collapsed by 1917 and the 1920s, respectively. Japan, once unified, took great pains to ‘catch up’ with western technology and essentially armed itself to the teeth to make it very costly for any power to colonize them. That coupled with their islands having virtually no exploitable resources ensured their independence on the world stage.

Throughout this period England had the most powerful navy and it only made sense that Japan would emulate it and in fact formed an alliance and a trading partnership with England. Originally warships and other weapons were imported, studied and copied and once their industrial base became developed, they built their own. England and other European Powers were happy to have another customer for its military accoutrements and with the purchaser on the other side of Asia they did not feel threatened. This was also the time when wooden sailing ships were being replaced by steel and coal power and other modern technologies from which Japan benefitted greatly.

Within twenty-seven years Japan embarked on being a colonial power and fought their first war with China where they gained Formosa (Taiwan) at little cost. Ten years later (1904-5), seeing the building of the Russian Trans-Siberian Railroad as a threat, they launched a sneak attack on Russia and opened their second conflict without a formal declaration of war against a neighbor. They were unbelievably successful and defeated what was considered a first-class western power and navy; the world took notice.

Troubles with America began brewing at about this time and would fester for the next four decades until that fateful “Day of Infamy”. The highlights are:

Late 1800s, America acquired the Philippines which was viewed as a threat

Theodore Roosevelt intervened in the Russo-Japanese War and was and forced the Treaty of Portsmouth on Japan which halted the war, but was seen as another unwelcome intervention. The peace deal greatly benefitted Japan at the time because they were still very weak economically and even winning was bankrupting them. As an ally of England Japan defeated Germany in 1918 and gained many German colonies in the central Pacific at little cost by being on the right side. In 1921-2, the United States forced a naval arms limitation treaty on the Japanese which ultimately saved Japan from going broke and America from embarking on an expensive arms race. Japan and America were the only two countries not severely impacted by World War I and the other naval powers had no ability to engage in such a race. Japan wanted naval parity but was forced to accept second rate naval status; they greatly resented being limited to building 60% of what the United States and Great Brittan could. America, through its diplomacy, forced a fracturing of the Anglo-Japan trade and arms alliance further exacerbating the deteriorating relations. However, England still sent military equipment and a training – most notably in naval aviation – commission to Japan. America’s purpose was to prevent Japan and England ganging up on the US Navy from the Atlantic and Pacific in a continued alliance – we still were not all that friendly with England post World War I. America passed very restrictive immigration laws in the 1920s severely limiting Japanese immigration, and later during the Depression enacted trade tariffs which destroyed Japanese exports to the United States. While Japan was embracing capitalism and modern ways, their centuries old traditions were always in the forefront especially regarding the tradition of the emperor and racial purity. When the worldwide Depression hit, Japan was among the hardest hit. The militant wing of the military gradually took over and much of the nominal civilian control of their government was run by assignation throughout the thirties. The cause of much of this upheaval was the near total autonomy granted to the army and navy and the perceived failing of western capitalism as an economic system. In short, during the 1930s Tokyo could not control the Army and the Army could not control its mid-level officers when they were stationed next to Mongolia, China and the USSR.

These hotheads provoked border clashes with all three nations. In 1930, another naval arms treaty was forced upon Japan which was even more unpopular with its hawks in the navy. In 1931 army officers precipitated the Manchuria ‘incident’. The result was a large territorial gain with some resources but international condemnation. Ultimately this led to Japan walking out on the worthless League of Nations when they were condemned by the body in 1934. At around this time Japan also quit the naval treaty restrictions as of 1936. Japan was rapidly becoming a rogue nation and was seen as a regional bully. With the depression deepening, the hotheads in the military never being sanctioned by their superiors and gaining ever more power, Japan saw its destiny as being the leader of the Orient, they had their own version of lebensraum (living space), which was dubbed “The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” with the ultimate goal of driving out the European colonial powers.

In 1937 another boarder ‘incident’ was provoked, this time with China which was embroiled in its own civil war and was always seen as being weak since the collapse of its running dynasty decades earlier. This conflict resulted in an eight-year quagmire with no victory, great losses, and a near premature war with the United States. Only a massive diplomatic apology for sinking a US Navy gunboat, the Panay, averted open conflict.

Soon thereafter, there was another boarder clash – this time with the USSR – and the Japanese Army got its nose bloodied and quickly sued for peace and later signed a long-term non-aggression pact with Stalin. This ‘incident’, as Japan liked to call their undeclared wars was a disaster for her because it forced the permanent deployment of over half its army to defend against a feared USSR attack and paralyzed their military doctrine which effectively reduced their ability to fight America in the Pacific.

Japan soon thereafter allied with Germany and Italy, by formally joining the Axis. Further incursions into China caused the United States to begin trade embargoes on vital resources. When Japan’s Army bullied its way into French Indochina (Vietnam) in July of 1941 to gain a key staging point, Roosevelt got the world to cut off all oil supply to Japan. This was intolerable and Japan was going to have to either accede to America’s demands which included leaving ALL of China in order to get the oil and other resource trade resumed or fight. Even without the embargo Japan was going to default on foreign trade by 1942. The only way to stave off economic disaster was territorial expansion and take the resources it needed to achieve hegemony and self-sufficiency. Being in a similar circumstance as Germany in 1938, they followed Hitler’s route to war and national destruction.

Japan’s initial targets were England’s Malaysia, Singapore and Burma and the Netherlands’ (Dutch) East Indies in order for it to survive as an independent nation and not a colony under the Allies’ thumb. As events transpired, France had fallen which allowed for the bloodless grab of their Indochina colony which gave them a vital operation base for future expansion. The Netherlands likewise fell to Hitler and their oil producing islands were ripe for conquest. England was known to be extremely weak in Asia and was fighting for its very existence, so her prized colonies were also vulnerable. Furthermore, in late 1941 the USSR was on the brink of collapse and not a threat at that time. All these ambitions could have been successfully realized at this time except for one major problem.

That problem was the United States and its Philippine possession which laid astride the main line of advance to the southern resource areas that Japan needed. Earlier in 1941 the US Navy was permanently stationed at Pearl Harbor from the US west coast which represented a major threat that could not be ignored. Japan’s plans of conquest would likely succeed only if America remained neutral. However, since America was already seen for decades as a probable future belligerent, it had to be incorporated into the grand scheme. And finally, one other event occurred which forced the Pearl Harbor attack decision: After the fall of France, America embarked upon a massive naval building program that would be realized in 1943-44.

In 1941 Japan’s Navy was equal to or held numerical superiority over the US Pacific Fleet, however it would be dwarfed by the US Navy in three years AND be out of oil. The window of opportunity and time to strike was at the end of 1941 when American strength and the other allies were at their nadir. The strategic situation was never going to be better and the economic and military dynamic was only going to deteriorate. By mid-1941, Japan had found itself truly between a rock and a hard place, but it was a rock and a hard place largely of its own making.

The three thousand plus mile sneak attack on Pearl Harbor was extremely contrary to Japan’s Naval doctrine which was basically defensive in nature and designed to be fought within a thousand or so miles of their home Islands. The main reason Pearl Harbor was attacked was to disable the US Pacific Fleet (like they did with Russia in 1904) to gain a six month breathing space whereby Japan could conquer the southern islands, get their resources flowing and capture the Philippines without interference form the (on paper) powerful US Pacific Fleet. In that regard she succeeded brilliantly with their tactical raid which should have been strategic attack. In the end it was a strategic blunder because it galvanized a lethargic America like nothing else could have and spelled Japan’s doom.

In closing, America also bears some of the blame in its clumsy handling of Japan in the forty years prior to the Pearl Harbor attack, and because it began rebuilding its military and navy far too late to thwart Japan’s imperialist ambitions. Had the mobilization and new construction begun when Japan quit the limitation treaties, invaded China, attacked the USSR, when Germany attacked Poland, or when Japan joined the Axis, it would most likely have persuaded its leaders that a war with the United States was a no-win proposition under any circumstances. Reagan’s doctrine of “Peace Through Strength” was a true then as it was in the 1980s and is true today. A powerful unassailable United States would probably have kept Japan at bay and it likely would have forced them to play nice on the international stage.

A perceived weak United States always emboldens mischief from nations controlled by tyrants.

[corkoman]

Keep in mind we had conducted training exercises where our carriers attacked Pearl Harbor several times in the 30s. We knew it could happen.

The military practices for lots of things but very few in high command thought much of naval air power. In the 1930s and shortly thereafter Battleships were considered the main weapon despite the Brits successful Battle of Taranto.

We did prepare Hawaii for war but the locals thought more of sabotage and guerilla tactics. And then we were introduced to the brutal power of the Kido Butai and that finally changed some minds about naval aviation power.

[Bull Snipe]

Battle of Taranto, Nov 11/12 1940. British carrier aircraft torpedo attacked the Italian fleet anchored in Taranto. The Brits damaged 3 Italian battleships, 1 heavy cruiser and a couple of destroyers.

[ealgeone]

There is no evidence suggesting that FDR knew specifically of the attack on Pearl Harbor in advance.

But we had broken their codes enough to know they were going to attack.

IIRC there was an article posted in FR suggesting we had intercepted and deciphered the Japanese message to their embassy of the intent to start the war.

[Bull Snipe]

The first choice to replace Richardson was Nimitz. He turned down command of the Pacific Fleet to head the Bureau of Navigation. So Kimmel was give the Pacific Fleet command instead.

[Covenantor]

You're thinking of the Royal Navy Air Arm raid on Taranto, Nov 11-12 1940.

The British action was planned before the war to neutralize the Italian fleet in the Mediterranean Sea.

The attack was carried out by Fairey Swordfish bi-plane torpedo bombers.

The slow bi-planes flew in low at about 90 knots dropping their torpedos in the shallow harbor waters, a tactic previously considered ineffective by conventional wisdom. Three of the new premier Italian battle ships were hit, one sank, the other two crippled.

From: http://ww2today.com/11th-november-1940-italian-fleet-attacked-in-taranto-harbour

"More immediately it shifted the balance of naval power in the Mediterranean. Not only was a significant part of the Italian fleet put out of action, many of the remaining ships were swiftly moved to ports further north, out of harms way but further from their main area of operations."

Thus allowing the Royal Navy the foothold for eventual control of the sea, key to battering Axis resupply to North African forces.

[corkoman]

In 1942 our front-line torpedo plane was the TBD devastator. It was one of our first naval monoplanes and by Battle of Midway was sadly obsolete. And our torpedoes sucked. But you go to war with the army you have...

[AndyJackson]

Yeah, but I am sure we had figured out how to defend against 1930’s aircraft. Besides they weren’t all that capable anyway as we discovered when we tried to use them against modern Japanese aircraft.

[Karoo]

I have never known why FDR wanted us in a war. Was it to boost the economy?

[Covenantor]

"And our torpedoes sucked.

fatally so in actions where the Japanese Long Lance ruled.

[Bull Snipe]

We had broken the Japanese diplomatic codes in the 1930.
We had not broken JN 25, the main operational code for the IJN by the time of Pearl Harbor. That would occur in the Spring of 42. The information from the diplomatic codes was that Japan would probably attack American and British interests in the Far East. No specific information was decoded that specified dates or targets.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Japan has always been a great copier. They adopted the UK’s driving on the left, it’s odd currency and it’s post office.

[ealgeone]

I think it was two fold....one was he realized the "New Deal" had failed to end the Depression.

A war would boost the economy.

Second, I think he did recognize Germany was a threat. Now, the question could be was he influenced by the Communists in his administration to want to attack Germany?

And was he influenced by the large % of voters with German heritage vs UK heritage?

[Bull Snipe]

adopting systems that work is not a bad thing. The IJN was patterned after the Royal Navy.

[MissEdie]

Are they still concentrated in one port?

[PAR35]

Are they still concentrated in one port?

Yes. There is one light carrier (Wasp class LHD) at Mayport that can carry some F-35 fighters.

Along those lines, the ballistic missle submarines are also concentrated at one base on the east coast and one on the west, but at least they spend most of their time at sea, so all of the eggs aren't kept in one basket.

[MissEdie]

I’m no military genus by any stretch of the imagination but even I wouldn’t put all of our assets in one spot. Why in the world would Bush do that??

[PAR35]

Not exactly the start of World War II - more than a year in. Although planning for the raid started before the war.

November 1940 - Taranto. The British used obsolete biplanes armed with torpedos. (Fortunately, British torpedos, since American torpedos of that era were garbage.) The Japanese did study the raid.

[dfwgator]

Who is watching Indy Naidel’s Pearl Harbor Episodes...I already have learned a lot I didn’t know.

https://www.youtube.com/c/WorldWarTwo/videos

[Calvin Locke]

And our torpedoes sucked.

Because of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, Japan upped their game on torpedoes.

Both Admirals King and Nimitz failed to appreciate the USN intelligence on Japan's torpedo warfare capabilities, and didn't bother to investigate defensive/response measures.

I wondered why so many US DDs at Guadalcanal neglected to launch torpedoes on the chance of a lucky hit, and lucky detonation, before superior IJN forces destroyed them.

One IJN Long-Lance torpedo missed its target, kept going, and going, and managed to hit a US CV cruising some 20 miles distant.

[Osage Orange]

Here's a video all should watch..IMO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VADFpAfDLY

Ted Gundy...Sniper