Post by jdv on Dec 7, 2022 17:14:28 GMT -5
WHEN the Empire of Japan - who had more or less been at war non-stop since the 1880's with neighboring countries - decided to attack Pearl Harbor, it un-knowingly signed its fate as the USA was indeed a sleeping giant.
While the US was woefully un-prepared for war, it did have one important thing - aircraft carriers - which we now know as the per-eminent form of naval military might.
But that was still being vigorously debated between military strategists, many of whom still thought mighty battleships like the BISMARK and MISSOURI were the key to success - this despite the wildly successful British air attack on fascist held Taranto 13 months prior to the attack on Pearl.
In the Nov 1940 Taranto attack, British pilots launched from aircraft carriers laid waste to 6 Italian war ships in their moorings using shallow water torpedoes (sound familiar?). That amounted to half of all Italian capital ships all for the loss of just 2 planes & 2 pilots.
The future of naval warfare had arrived, but only the Japanese seemed to realize it.
Thus the stage was set for 13 months later when the Japanese attacked Pearl. But as we all know the carriers were out at sea on exercises, and thus avoided the annihilation inflicted.
So it was that just a little more than 2 1/2 years later, all of Japan was a ruined wasteland with their dream of a Japanese dominated Asia forever destroyed.
