SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Probably. One foreign empire or another, not our problem. Was there an anti-British sentiment in the States? There was a vocal pro-German segment.
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Probably. One foreign empire or another, not our problem. Was there an anti-British sentiment in the States? There was a vocal pro-German segment.And Britain (and Empire), France and the Dutch have a lot more territory than Malaya, DEI and Burma for Japan to take. For starters, the Solomons and PNG. See maps below.
The British Empire in the Pacific and Australasia
The British Empire in the Pacific and Australasiawww.britishempire.co.uk The British Empire in the Pacific and Australasia
The British Empire in the Pacific and Australasiawww.britishempire.co.uk
Would the US sit idly by as Japan took possession of British and French territory as far east as Clipperton Island?
Not close, by a long shot.Au Contraire Amigo.
Maybe Joe Q Public in *insert state here* wanted nothing to do with nothing.
But what about Alaska? Hawaii? Midway? Philippines? Wake? Guam?
America had plenty of skin in this game. Isolation was not an option.
War with Japan was more obvious than the public realize and been caught off guard is no excuse.
America was playing the game of thrones musical chairs and got caught out when the music stopped.
Not close, by a long shot.
Americans (Hawaii, Alaska, Rhode Island ir otherwise) were not interested in a war.
They were kept updated on the war in Europe and Asia and felt bad for the situation, but those conflicts were half a world away and had nothing to do with their day to day struggle with the aftermath of the Great Depression.
Americans had no interest in being involved with a war that had nothing to do with the U.S. - even after American ships were sunk off their coast by U-Boats, they waved it off.
Once the news of Pearl Harbor hit the public, that changed instantly.
Not close, by a long shot.
Americans (Hawaii, Alaska, Rhode Island ir otherwise) were not interested in a war.
They were kept updated on the war in Europe and Asia and felt bad for the situation, but those conflicts were half a world away and had nothing to do with their day to day struggle with the aftermath of the Great Depression.
Americans had no interest in being involved with a war that had nothing to do with the U.S. - even after American ships were sunk off their coast by U-Boats, they waved it off.
Once the news of Pearl Harbor hit the public, that changed instantly.
Well I'll be. Never knew that.Gallup polling data from the period paints a somewhat different picture.
A poll conducted April 27-May 5, 1941, asked, "Do you think the United States will go into the war in Europe sometime before it is over, or do you think we will stay out of the war?". 64% replied it will go in while 14% answered it will stay out. Interestingly, 13% responded that it was already in.
A poll conducted Oct. 9-14, 1941, asked the question, "Which of these two things do you think is the more important — that this country keep out of war, or that Germany be defeated?". 32% of respondents replied keeping out of the war was more important while 68% said defeating Germany was more important.
In terms of Japan, a poll conducted Oct. 24-29, 1941, found that 64% of respondents answered yes to the question, "Should the United States take steps now to prevent Japan from becoming more powerful, even if this means risking a war with Japan?".
A poll conducted Nov, 27-Dec. 1, 1941, asked, "Do you think the United States will go to war against Japan sometime in the near future?". 52% of respondents replied yes while 27% replied no.
While the U.S public on the whole did not want to directly go to war, it's clear there was an understanding that going to war was likely inevitable, both in Europe and the Pacific, and much of that public was supportive of measures that would increase the country's war readiness, as well as supportive of taking actions that could easily lead to war, such as shooting at on sight German warships and submarines (62% of respondents replied approve when asked the question "In general, do you approve or disapprove of having the United States navy shoot at German submarines or warships on sight?" when polled Sept. 19-24, 1941).
Well I'll be. Never knew that.
It is something the democracies of the era seemed unable to do. 1936, Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland, in clear contravention of the Treaty of Versailles. Britain, France (and the US) stood by and did nothing, when THIS was the time to strike! Hitler would have been deposed within moments.If you want to know how USA could have done better is by Pearl Habouring Japan before Japan Pearl Habours you. If war is inevitable with Japan then act like it. Strike first.
Timing is everything.
The Enterprise was less than two hundred miles from Pearl that morning and was on alert as she approached.
As for the Japanese, they were too cautious - they were planning on the element of surprise and the reports coming in from the first attack wave confirmed success.
I can't envision any circumstances where the US would start a war with Japan.
Yes, the conspiracy theories favor this interpretation.It is my understanding that high ranking US officials were actively trying to provoke an attack by Japan. They had chosen to fight Japan, but wanted the Japanese to attack first, to galvanize the American people. Moving the fleet to Hawaii, militarizing Wake Island, sending US flagged fishing vessels into waters claimed by Japan, sending B-17s to the Philippines, these things were designed to put pressure on Japan,and hopefully provoke an attack.