1. Notes 6: War in Asia Begins World Wars – Ms. Hamer December 9-11, 2009

2. Inter-War Japan PART 1 After WWI, Japan was a victor state Japan was angered by the fact that it could only have 3/5 of the British and US navies according to the Washington Naval Conference of 1922 Many junior officers in the military were angry at Western arrogance and influenced by nationalistic ideas

3. Inter-War Japan PART 2 Population explosion in Japan Many in the military believed: – That Japan’s security could only happen through the seizure of raw materials Military leaders felt that Japan’s salvation lay in expansion into the Asian mainland

4. Inter-War China In Chaos Ruled by warlords Civil war between communists (led by Mao Zedong) and nationalists (led by Chiang Kai- shek)

5. 1931 Manchurian Incident Japanese Kwantung Army took control of Manchuria Renamed it Manchukuo Japanese civil government was a bystander

6. 1937 “China Incident” Japan invaded China in 1937 Real war Capital of Nanking fell on December 12, 1937 – Rape of Nanking At least 200,000 civilians killed Solidified US opinion against Japan US helped Chiang Kai-shek’s regime with a loan of $25 million

7. Debate Between Japanese Army and Navy Japanese Army saw its great enemy as the Soviet Union Navy said that they should take over other colonial holdings to the South Therefore either a “northern” strategy or a “southern strategy” – 1936 decided on both

8. July 1940 – New Cabinet Takes Over Japan Goals: – Make alliance with Axis Powers – Seize China – Expand the Empire to the South Hideki Tojo is the Minister of War

9. Complete Seizure of China Japan had most of the coast and important inland cities by 1940 But England and the United States were sending support to Chiang Kai-shek – Chiang Kai-shek and communist guerillas were resisting the Japanese (when they weren’t fighting with each other!)

11. Expanding to the South PART 1 Imperial powers that had previously controlled that area had fallen to Germany Would also help to control China by cutting off the supply route of goods that were being shipped to China – Japan demanded that the British close the Burma Road in July 1940 – US couldn’t support the Brit’s refusal, but would create a limited embargo of scrap iron, steel, and aviation fuel to Japan

12. Expanding to the South PART 2 Push to the south would probably cause a problem with US because the Philippines lie to the East of the Dutch East Indies – Japanese Naval exercises of 1940 showed that war with the US would only work if the US was knocked out quickly, in the long run, Japan would probably lose

13. Alliances for Japan PART 1 September 1940 – Tri-Partite Pact signed – Between Japan, Italy, and Germany – Pact said European Axis Powers would defend Japan and fight US if Japan and US began to war – Hoped this would deter American interference – FDR made $70 million more in loans to China

14. Alliances for Japan PART 2 April 1941 Japanese- Soviet Non-Aggression Pact – Between Japan and Soviet Union – Obvious that Japan had decided on a southern strategy

15. Deteriorating Japanese American Relations in 1941 PART 1 March 1941 American Lend Lease Act – Supplies went to China Japan proposed that if US would stop helping China and resume normal trade with Japan, Japan would vacate China within 25 years – US refused, but FDR kept the negotiations going

16. Deteriorating Japanese American Relations in 1941 PART 2 Japan wanted a peaceful solution, but was ready for war to get what it wanted – US knew that Japan was ready to move into SE Asia Breaking of Japanese Diplomatic Code – MAGIC on September 25, 1941 Allies responded by seizing Japanese assets in America, GB, Netherlands – Japan cut off from 90% of its oil – Japan decided to be fully prepared for war by the end of October

17. Deteriorating Japanese American Relations in 1941 PART 3 Fall of 1941 Diplomatic traffic intensified Japan knew it had a clear military strategy - major assault into SE Asia Still hoped for diplomatic solution Japan had set a secret deadline of November 25, 1941 for the progress of the talks – FDR knew that if nothing happened by then that the diplomats in Washington were told that a new situation would apply End of October – Tojo took over Japan

18. Deteriorating Japanese American Relations in 1941 PART 4 US military position was very weak in Fall 1941, but still rejected the Japanese proposals on November 26, 1941 and demanded Japanese withdrawal from China – Japanese saw this as a slap in the face – Large carrier force set sail in the northern Pacific on same day (November 26, 1941) – objective was the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

19. Road to War

20. Japan’s Choices PART 1 3 possibilities – Abandon ambitions in the Pacific, SE Asia, and maybe China – Could compromise with US – Could take military action against Allies in South Pacific and US

21. Japan’s Choices PART 2 Military options: – European colonial possessions in SE Asia But could Japan do this without attacking the Philippines Would US strike war or not?

23. Japan’s Choices PART 3 Military option had to mean attack on the US – Key was the Philippines, or was it? – Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor was another option 2 choices: 1.Draw Americans out and attack in open sea (older plan) 2.Admiral Yamamoto (Commander in Chief of Japanese Combined Fleet) had come up with another plan

24. Yamamoto’s Plan PART 1 Japan would need to cripple the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor – Neutralizing it would allow Japan to run wild for 6 months – 1 year securing SE Asia and Western Pacific – This might discourage US who would recognize Japanese rule in East Asia

25. Yamamoto’s Plan PART 2 Coordinated attack against Guam and Wake Islands (US) as well as British Malaya and Hong Kong Additional attacks on Burma, Dutch East Indies, and Philippines Centerpiece being the surprise attack on the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor

26. Yamamoto’s Plan PART 3 Aircraft carrier fleets were key to the plan – Would allow 300 planes against one target – Like German Panzer Corps, but on ships – US also develops aircraft carriers

27. US Pacific Fleet Japanese Fleet Attacking Pearl Harbor Total Ships9629 Battleships82 Aircraft Carriers36 Heavy Cruisers123 Destroyers508 Airplanes402360

28. Japanese Navy and Naval Air Force PART 1 High level bombers Dive bombers Torpedo bombers – Special torpedoes for shallow Pearl Harbor Fighters – Best equipped, best trained naval air force in the world “Kate” torpedo bomber over Hickam Field

29. Japanese Navy and Naval Air Force PART 2 Great Japanese plane Mitsubishi A6M5 Type 0 Fighter – “The Zero” Efficient and state of the art in 1941

30. Surprise Necessary for the Japanese Plan How do you surprise America when the Japanese fleet would have to travel 3500 miles without detection? – Radio Silence – Precise timetable – Northern course off usual sea lanes

32. The Attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941

33. Japanese Leaders Admiral Yamamoto was in charge of the operation But Admiral Nagumo would lead the actual attack and was in charge of the “Pearl Harbor Attack Force”

34. American Leaders Navy Commander: Admiral Husband Kimmel Army Commander: General Walter Short

35. Radar Warnings 7:02 am - radar operators phoned into the warning service center at Oahu and told them that they had picked up aircraft about 137 miles away (about 1 hour flying time away) – Duty officer at Army Air force Warning Information Center told them not to worry B-17’s were coming in from California to Philippines

36. Submarine at Harbor’s Entrance 6:53 - Harbor Control Post received a message from the USS Ward saying that the Ward had blown up a mini sub outside the harbor entrance – Duty officer had to contact higher authorities Had to contact 6 different offices – which he began at 7am

37. First Wave Arrives Japanese planes were launched from 220 miles NW of Oahu 7:41 First wave of Japanese planes flew in over the Oahu hills with 181 dive bombers, torpedo planes, and fighters 7:53 Captain Mitsuo Fuchida radioed back and said “Tora Tora Tora” – that complete surprise was successful

39. Wheeler Field Losses

40. American Losses PART 1 Battleship Row: – Battleships: 4 sunk, 4 damaged – Destroyers: 3 sunk – Smaller ships: 3 sunk – Cruisers: 3 damaged – 2400 service personnel were killed

41. American Losses PART 2 Hickam Field – 160 Aircraft were destroyed – 128 disabled Total Planes 188 destroyed and 159 damaged

42. Easy Targets Japanese were shocked – Battleships were anchored in pairs – Planes were lined up on the runways To prevent them from sabotage!

43. Japanese Losses Japanese losses: – 29 aircraft Anti aircraft guns did not have live ammo distributed to them

44. Japanese Success Attack had gone well, but the destruction was not as severe as hoped – 3 aircraft carriers and 7 heavy cruisers were not in the harbor – Only 2 of the battleships were beyond repair – Had failed to destroy submarines or fuel storage tanks or repair and maintenance facilities Major tactical victory, but not the strategic knock out punch that Yamamoto wanted

45. No Third Wave Nagumo was urged by 2 nd in command to launch another wave to attack the aircraft carriers – Nagumo refused and didn’t want to endanger his fleet – So Japanese returned to base

46. How did America Not Know?

47. FDR Conspiracy Theory Looking for an opportunity to get America involved in the war Suppressed info about coming attack No real proof – Knew after Nov 25 that action was planned, but not where or when – Alerts were issued to all Pacific leaders

48. Problems Breaking the Code MAGIC intercepts – only diplomatic code, not military Naval intelligence could only interpret 10% of intercepted Japanese military messages Thought it would be the Philippines

49. Security Breakdowns in Washington DC and Pearl Harbor So many false alarms since October that fleet being on alert didn’t mean much Didn’t tell fleet that something was going to happen after Nov 25 Dec 7 – new alert was transmitted, but too late No torpedo nets for ships at PH General alert had not been issued after Ward sunk the sub

50. Placing Blame Admiral Husband Kimmel was blamed – No regular reconnaissance to the North General Walter Short (Army Commander) also blamed – Understaffed radar group – No clear route of reporting – Lined up aircraft at HickamField

51. America’s Reaction Instead of giving up, America was angry “A date which will live in infamy” “A date which will live in infamy”

52. Result War in Asia now linked to War in Europe since America was in both now – A few days after Pearl Harbor (December 11, 1941), Hitler would declare war on US