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——【Foreword·】 ——»
"Pearl Harbor: Stupidity or Helplessness?"
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Combined Fleet raided Pearl Harbor, the base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, which became an important turning point in the history of World War II. However, there are mixed opinions about this action, with some arguing that it was a stupid strategic decision by Japan that drew the mighty United States into war and hastened its own demise; Some people also believe that this is a reluctant choice made by Japan after careful consideration in the face of domestic and foreign difficulties. So, how exactly should this historical event be evaluated? In this article, we will explore the truth about Pearl Harbor from Japan's perspective.
——【Japan in World War II】——»
During World War II, Japan's eventual defeat in the war can be traced back to its over-reliance on external resources and internal economic woes. As an island nation, Japan has a limited land area and does not have sufficient resources of its own. This made Japan face difficulties and challenges in waging foreign wars.
After launching the war of aggression against China, although Japan occupied the northeast region and obtained certain strategic resources, it still relied heavily on external imports, especially key resources such as oil and rubber. For example, in 1937, strategic resources such as oil, refined oil, scrap steel, and raw cotton accounted for a huge proportion of Japan's imports from the United States. This means that as soon as the United States imposes a resource embargo on Japan, Japan's military machine will immediately be paralyzed.
In order to sustain the war and military spending, Japan had to raise funds by increasing taxes and issuing government bonds, which caused a serious burden on the economy at the time. Japan's economic situation deteriorated dramatically during the ongoing war, and the pressure on the country's finances continued to increase. Japan had to acquire more resources and benefits by implementing wartime material control and plundering policies.
Faced with resource scarcity and economic difficulties, the two factions of the Japanese military also started a debate. The Army advocated an attack on the Soviet Union for resources, while the Navy tended to move south to invade Southeast Asia. Whichever route is chosen, however, a conflict between Japan and the United States is almost inevitable.
Therefore, it can be said that in World War II, Japan's ultimate defeat was mainly due to its excessive external dependence due to its lack of resources and economic difficulties. This made it impossible for Japan to respond effectively to the needs of war expenses and resources, which ultimately led to the defeat of the war and the collapse of the state.
——【·“ "North" or "South" ·] ——»
In the winter of 1939, the Japanese attack on the Soviet Far East changed the tide of the war. The Japanese Kwantung Army suffered a devastating blow in this battle, which forced the Japanese military to re-examine its military strength and strategic layout. The Soviet army led by Zhukov showed great equipment and firepower in this battle, making it impossible for the Japanese to resist.
News of Japan's defeat reached home, leading to turmoil in the upper echelons of the Kwantung Army. The commander of the Kwantung Army, Kenkichi Ueda, resigned, and the commander-in-chief of the front, Michitaro Komatsubara, chose to end his life in a samurai manner. The defeat in this battle made Japan realize that it was still unable to compete with the Soviet Union in terms of overall national power, and it had far-reaching effects.
At a time when Japan was considering a new strategy, Germany signed the Non-Aggression Pact with the Soviet Union, which made Japan feel betrayed by its allies. Japan then abandoned its "northward" strategy and instead signed the Neutrality Pact with the Soviet Union and continued to work on expansion in Southeast Asia.
Subsequently, Japan invaded the southern part of French Indochina, triggering a conflict with the United States. The U.S. responded with a tough response by imposing a total trade blockade on Japan, which led to serious difficulties for the Japanese economy. The Japanese government was under internal and external pressure to consider a risky attack on Pearl Harbor to break the deadlock, which eventually led to the outbreak of a full-scale war with the United States, leaving Japan in a dilemma.
——【Sneak attack on Pearl Harbor】——»
In the early stages of World War II, the United States imposed severe economic sanctions on Japan, prohibiting the export of strategic materials such as oil to Japan. This is undoubtedly a heavy blow to Japan. According to statistics, Japan's domestic oil reserves are only enough to last for about two years of war needs. Once the resources are exhausted, Japan is doomed to lose in the war.
Faced with this dilemma, there is a fierce debate within the Japanese government about how to deal with it. One opinion is that Japan should temporarily abandon its military operations in China and Vietnam and comply with US demands in order to ease US sanctions pressure. This view has been strongly opposed at home. Once the troops are withdrawn, it will not only mean that Japan's ambitions in the Asian region will be completely shattered, but it will also trigger a domestic economic crisis and political turmoil, with unimaginable consequences.
The other view is that Japan should take advantage of the victory and advance southward to occupy the Pacific region, so as to obtain sufficient resources to sustain the war and seek a strategic breakthrough. Although this will undoubtedly exacerbate the contradictions with the United States, and may even lead directly to war between the two sides, it may be Japan's only chance to end up without a problem.
In the end, the Japanese government chose the path of declaring war on the United States, a decision made after careful consideration and strategic considerations. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the mastermind of the Pearl Harbor attack, was a key figure in driving this decision with his outstanding military insight and profound strategic vision. Yamamoto realized that with the intensification of US economic sanctions against Japan, the conflict between the two countries would inevitably escalate into a military confrontation. He firmly believed that only by adopting the strategy of taking the initiative to attack could he take the lead in the war.
Yamamoto had a clear understanding of the strength of the U.S. Navy, and he knew that Japan's military strength was relatively weak, especially in terms of aircraft carriers and carrier-based aircraft. He also saw an opportunity: through a well-planned sneak attack, the United States could weaken its military power in the Pacific region in a short period of time, thereby gaining Japan valuable strategic time and space. This tactic is not without precedent in military history, and some of the most famous battles in history, such as the Trojan Horse and the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, are examples of victory through surprise attacks.
In order to implement this plan, Yamamoto Isoroku made careful preparations. He personally participated in the formulation of the entire battle plan, from selecting the target of the attack to determining the time of the attack, every detail was strictly scrutinized. In addition, he particularly stressed the importance of secrecy and demanded that the officers and men involved in the operation strictly maintain secrecy in order to ensure the suddenness of the operation.
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese naval air force successfully carried out the Pearl Harbor raid, sinking or severely damaging eight battleships and many other ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, while destroying a large number of aircraft. The attack largely undermined the main forces of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, giving Japan the upper hand in the Pacific theater for the next few months.
Yamamoto also knew that such a victory was only temporary. He understood that in order to truly win the war, Japan would need to make more efforts in other areas, including strengthening its own industrial production and improving the combat effectiveness of its army. But he believed that as long as he could gain an advantage in the early stages of the war, it would be possible to force the United States to sit down and negotiate to achieve Japan's strategic objectives in the Pacific.
In the end, the Japanese government chose Yamamoto's suggestion and decided to launch a surprise attack on American military forces in the Pacific. Yamamoto is well aware that sooner or later the US economic sanctions will escalate into military action, so he advocates "striking first and being controlled by others." Only by striking first and crushing the US fleet in the Pacific can Japan win the initiative.
In the early morning of December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy attacked the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The raid caused heavy losses to U.S. personnel and equipment, and dealt a heavy blow to U.S. power in the Pacific. Although this move by Japan is undoubtedly a serious provocation to the United States, in the eyes of Japan, it is a war that is risky but must be fought. Only by destroying the US fleet in the Pacific Ocean will Japan have a chance to win space for survival and development.
In fact, Pearl Harbor not only marked the full-scale outbreak of World War II in the Pacific, but it was also a strategic decision made by Japan in the face of severe challenges and dilemmas. In the late 30s and early 40s of the 20th century, Japan's economy was hit hard by the war, and at the same time the United States imposed severe economic sanctions on it, including an oil embargo. This forced Japan to find new sources of resources to sustain its war machine and ensure the security of its empire.
In 1941, there was disagreement within the Japanese military about how to respond to growing American pressure. Some advocate a peaceful solution through diplomatic means, while others believe that the impasse can be broken only by military means. In the end, the latter gained the upper hand and decided to adopt a preemptive strategy and attack Pearl Harbor, an important US military base in the Pacific. The operation was aimed at destroying the main forces of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, weakening its military power in the Pacific and buying time for Japan to consolidate its sphere of influence in Southeast Asia.
In the early morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Although the attack was a temporary success, sinking and heavily damaging several U.S. warships and causing a large number of casualties, it did not achieve its intended strategic purpose. The US Navy aircraft carrier was not inside Pearl Harbor, so it was spared and played a key role in the ensuing war. In addition, the attack provoked the anger of the American public, prompting the United States to officially enter World War II and fight the Axis powers alongside the Allies.
As the war dragged on, Japan gradually lost its advantage on the battlefield. In 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, killing hundreds of thousands of people. The Japanese government was forced to accept unconditional surrender, ending the war. After the war, Japan was occupied and reformed by the Allies, and its political, economic, and military systems underwent fundamental changes.
The failure of Pearl Harbor and its aftermath led to profound social and economic changes in Japan in the decades that followed. After the war, Japan began a long process of reconstruction and achieved rapid economic growth with the help of the United States and other allies. However, this high growth has not come without a cost. In the post-war Japanese political system, conservatives dominated the political system for a long time, which led to slow progress in domestic reform and increasingly serious social problems such as the gap between the rich and the poor and the aging population. The combination of these factors led to the so-called "lost decade" of the early 21st century, with economic growth stagnating.
Overall, Pearl Harbor was a strategic choice made by Japan under specific historical conditions, and although it seemed successful in the short term, it ultimately led to catastrophic consequences for the country. This historical event not only changed the course of world history, but also greatly affected the fate of the country after the war, laying the foundation for its subsequent decades of economic and social stagnation.
——【·Conclusion·】——»
Overall, although Pearl Harbor was widely seen as a mistake by Japan in later generations, it made sense in the circumstances. Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto had a deep understanding of the strength of the United States, but he also knew that in the face of urgent national conditions, confronting the United States had become a challenge that Japan had to face. Although the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor defied the condemnation of the whole world, it was a precise blow to the US naval forces and won a valuable strategic advantage for Japan.
However, history is always full of uncertainties. If Japan had discovered the Daqing oil field in the northeast, the course of the war might have been rewritten. We can't help but wonder if Japan had more oil resources at their disposal, would they have chosen a completely different strategic route? Or will it make the U.S. counteroffensive in the Pacific theater harder? These questions are still thought-provoking and have become the focus of discussion among historians.