On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in the United States, and the Pacific War broke out. Although it did not completely destroy the strength of the US military, it was almost the same. In the eyes of many people, it is entirely possible for the Japanese Navy to occupy Hawaii when it cooperates with the Army.
However, what is confusing is that after the Japanese Navy sneaked in, it did not take the opportunity to occupy Hawaii, but turned around and began to go south.
If the Japanese are not interested in Hawaii, then they are mistaken. Japan has been eyeing Hawaii since it was not part of the United States.
The Japanese attach great importance to Hawaii, believing that Hawaii is the main strategic fulcrum of Japan's eastward expansion, and the Japanese must take Hawaii if they want to dominate the Pacific Ocean and expand east.
To this end, Japan has carried out a frenzied migration to Hawaii, at its peak, even on a par with the local indigenous people. However, just when the Japanese were complacent and thought they were about to occupy Hawaii, the Americans stepped in and shattered the Japanese dream.
It can be seen that Japan is not afraid to be interested in Hawaii.
So after the Japanese sneaked into Pearl Harbor, why didn't they send the Army to occupy it?
The truth about this is actually very simple.
First, for Japan, the occupation of Hawaii was not at all important for the ensuing southward campaign.
The purpose of Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor was not to fight with the United States and break out into a full-scale war, and the reason why Japan did this was mainly for the next war to attack Southeast Asia.
Of course, the United States gradually changed its previous appeasement policy at that time, and the embargo on Japan became more and more severe; in the past, it only turned a blind eye, but now it is not possible, and Japan's attitude toward the United States is naturally not much better.
Because of this, Japan urgently needs to find strategic resources, Southeast Asia is the key, if you can not seize the occupation of Southeast Asia, access to oil and other resources, then for Japan, it is a huge blow, it is likely to use the enemy, they will finish playing.
Second, oil is important, and Japan has not lost interest in Hawaii. But Japan is really overwhelmed.
After all, the Philippines is a U.S. colony, and the U.S. Pacific Fleet is not easy to mess with, and it is likely to hinder Japan. Therefore, Japan wanted to destroy the U.S. military force in the Far East in advance, that is, the Pacific Fleet.
In this way, when going south, Japan had to transfer the Kwantung Army to Southeast Asia, knowing that the Kwantung Army was stationed in the northeast, in addition to occupying the northeast, but also to guard against the Soviet Union. However, at this time, the Kwantung Army had to fight southwards, and it can be said that Japan's troops were seriously insufficient.
Moreover, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States has declared war on Japan, although the United States strategy in Europe, but also focused on Europe, but does not mean that Japan can do whatever it wants, if Japan is determined to occupy Hawaii, it is still feasible in a short period of time, but it is very difficult to hold.
Moreover, once Japan attempts to occupy Hawaii, it is very likely that the United States will divide its troops into the Far East, after all, Hawaii is not the Philippines, and there are still many Americans in Hawaii, so the United States will definitely take care of it.
At that time, nature will affect the course of Japan's invasion of Southeast Asia.