Thread: Japanese Bombing of Pearl Harbor

Grumble Grumble Grumble

Very little is taught in high school about US foreign policy between the two World Wars. As far as US HISTORY is concerned, that era is dominated by the internal political and social economic impact of the 'Great Depression' of the 1930s. About the only thing mentioned is the bombing of that US gunboat on the by Japanese warplanes, and possible mention of US mercenary pilots working for the 'Flying Tigers' group in china.

Because one of my hobbies is military history & technology, I do know that events are much more involved then this, and that neither side can claim complete innocence for events leading up to the war...

Originally Posted by Sei-chan

Hi, I'm partly curious, and party needing this for a paper I am writing, so I hope you will help me and answer.

This is especially for Americans, I guess, unless they teach this kind of history in your own country's schools. Please if you know the real answer don't spoil it and influence other people's answers; just keep it to yourself. I'm curious as to what American teachers are teaching about this subject in high school history classes.

My question is: What did you learn in History Class of why Japan chose to bomb Pearl Harbor? Did they even touch on it at all? or did they start with "On this day, Japan suddenly bombed Pearl Harbor to everyone's shock and horror."

Please keep the convo friendly , I hate to start a fight.

In our discussion of WWII and America's involvement, my teacher explained things from both the American and Japanese sides. He was a very wise man. Unfortunately, I barely remember what he said about it because I was busy sketching caricatures of Winston Churchill . . . It was a strategically brilliant manoeuver, though.

i don't think any country is completely honest about the unpleasent parts of their history, though i suppose America is better at doing it than others...

what i can remember from history class is the Great Depression... then we watched Cinderella Man (awesome movie, by the way), then Rosevelt came along, and then WWII happend. However, we didn't really focus on the Japanese front, it was mostly the German side that was discussed.

All i really know is from what i read in Hiroshima by John Hersey and Farewell to Manzamar by Jeanna Houston and James D. Houston... which weren't really about Pearl Harbor, but do have something to do with the American mentality against the Japanese during that time.

i myself have always wanted to ask questions... like what it was like on the other side for them and things like that... but i don't know if i can, you know? i've heard that veterans in Japan don't really talk about the war... and i feel that if i did ask... it would be too taboo, you know? like... something that is left unsaid, but something they always think about...

i dunno... it's very good to ask, but are the answers are sometimes hard to say...

Wel I am not American i am Dutch and the Japanese didn't only bombed the Pearl Harbor they also bombed are colenies in Indonesia and also the English colenies, they even went as far as Perth.
But the reason for witch reason they ateckt, I'm not sure but i think it whas to domanate Asia and the Pasific.

As for the ateck of Pearl Harbor, the ateck whas suposed to be in tree waves of witch only two where held( witch whas prety fortunate for the US if the Japanese decided to also lounch the third wave there would have been much more damige and it's even speculated that it could have forced the US fleet to retreed to San Fracisco), it whas also very fortunate for the US that the wepons depot wasn't hit and that the US Enterprise whas out at see during the bombing.
One of the most inportend thing about the sucses for the Japanese of the bombing of Pearl Harbor whas that nobody in Pearl Harbor expected Japan to ateck, tought there where many signs for such an ateck, two hours before the bombing of Pearl Harbor two English war ships where ateckt by the Japanese nearby Pearl Harbor.

About the war itself the Japanese where at the time more advanged then the US but the US hade more men power and they where prety evenly matched, and it whas a prety fierce batle though both sides made a few big mistakes.
And if it wasn't for the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima then there could have been a chang of Japanese victory.

I'm kind of doubting where I should put this. Putting it in Japanese culture seems a bit strange to me...
Moving to the cyber lounge...

Originally Posted by gigi2005

Wel I am not American i am Dutch and the Japanese didn't only bombed the Pearl Harbor they also bombed are colenies in Indonesia and also the English colenies, they even went as far as Perth.
But the reason for witch reason they ateckt, I'm not sure but i think it whas to domanate Asia and the Pasific.

As for the ateck of Pearl Harbor, the ateck whas suposed to be in tree waves of witch only two where held( witch whas prety fortunate for the US if the Japanese decided to also lounch the third wave there would have been much more damige and it's even speculated that it could have forced the US fleet to retreed to San Fracisco), it whas also very fortunate for the US that the wepons depot wasn't hit and that the US Enterprise whas out at see during the bombing.
One of the most inportend thing about the sucses for the Japanese of the bombing of Pearl Harbor whas that nobody in Pearl Harbor expected Japan to ateck, tought there where many signs for such an ateck, two hours before the bombing of Pearl Harbor two English war ships where ateckt by the Japanese nearby Pearl Harbor.

About the war itself the Japanese where at the time more advanged then the US but the US hade more men power and they where prety evenly matched, and it whas a prety fierce batle though both sides made a few big mistakes.
And if it wasn't for the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima then there could have been a chang of Japanese victory.

Japan never had a chance to win their war with America, because:
1) they were fighting a seperate war to dominate Asia before America intervened, and that war had already sucked up most of their war resources and manpower
2) many of their soldiers were being stationed in remote areas around Asia without food and ammunition, and very low morale.
3) America easily bombed all of Japan's mainland (excluding six target cities meant for atomic bombs) killing civilians and decreasing morale.
4) America had surrounded Japan's mainland, occupying China and the Phillipines.

Japan had no chance of winning once America entered the war. The lost the moment they bombed Pearl Harbor.

Originally Posted by Sei-chan

Japan never had a chance to win their war with America, because:
1) they were fighting a seperate war to dominate Asia before America intervened, and that war had already sucked up most of their war resources and manpower
2) many of their soldiers were being stationed in remote areas around Asia without food and ammunition, and very low morale.
3) America easily bombed all of Japan's mainland (excluding six target cities meant for atomic bombs) killing civilians and decreasing morale.
4) America had surrounded Japan's mainland, occupying China and the Phillipines.

Japan had no chance of winning once America entered the war. The lost the moment they bombed Pearl Harbor.

Of course they didn't, but it wasn't their objective either.
They wanted to wipe out the whole fleet at Pearl Harbor and seize new territory.
Then their plan was to sign a peace treaty with the Americans, letting them keep the seized territory.