Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
I doubt that. The Samurai mentality would take that as a lesson learned as well as a blemish on their honor, thus justifying an even more rapid and thorough militarization of "the national essence" than historically occurred.Hand the Japanese a strong defeat in 1904-5 and they may be a little more cautious when planning their expansions 35 years later
Invading China was always about resources, labor and lebensraum.Invading China was always about imperial ambitiousness.
By 1 Jan 1991, Saddam was already in Kuwait, and I had been flying 10th Mountain troops out of Ft Drum all the previous autumn, on their way to the sandbox. Sadam acted fast and GHWB was essentially dealing with a fait accompli.But that's the turns of history for you. Have GHWB firmly and clearly tell Saddam not to invade Kuwait in 1991 and much of where we are now today (GW1, GW2, 9/11, WOT, Afghan/Iraq occupation, Arab Spring, Syrian collapse, refugee crisis, etc.) would be different.
Apologies, I meant 1990. Stop Iraq from invading Kuwait and there's no US "invasion" of Saudi Arabia, and GW1, reduced motivation for Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, perhaps no 9/11, then no WOT, no invasion of Afghanistan, no GW2, less instability and chances of the Arab Spring in Syria, Libya, and Egypt, et al and the migrant crisis across Europe. Nothing is guaranteed of course, but it would be a different world had Iraq been stopped in 1990.By 1 Jan 1991, Saddam was already in Kuwait….
It's such an incredible statement. I can't imagine the US telling any country that it has no opinion on its border disputes. Heck I imagine if today Laos and Cambodia had a squabble over some bit of jungle that Washington would weigh in."We have no opinion on your Arab-Arab conflicts, such as your dispute with Kuwait.
I think FDR is going to have to manufacturer a USS Maine or RMS Lusitania event to provoke Congress into declaring war.In my hypo Japan declares war only on the Dutch in Dec 1941 or a bit later. The stated purpose is to secure the "co-prosperity sphere" from European colonists. If Japan gets attacked on the flank by British or Americans in the theater Japan can deal with it. This is a gut-check moment for the US - will the US declare war on Japan?
Well the Reuben James sinking certainly split US politicians, press and public but probably moved the US nearer the declaration of war that FDR was seeking. It didn't spark the same outcry as the Maine. FDR didn't seek to break off diplomatic relations with Germany and while FDR himself may have been less outspoken about it, he was perhaps leaving the bellicose talk to some of his fellow politicians like Frank Knox US Navy Secretary who called it "worse than piracy". An NYT editorial noted that "it brushes away the last possible doubt that the United States and Germany are now at open war in the Atlantic".I think FDR is going to have to manufacturer a USS Maine or RMS Lusitania event to provoke Congress into declaring war
It is often overlooked that the United States began preparing for war as early as 1939. The National Defense Advisory Commission, in particular, oversaw the rapid build up of the nations armaments industrial base and before December 1941 had invested over $9 billion on the construction of new factories across the country. The mobilization plan had also begun and the infrastructure for the rapid expansion of military forces was in place. Japan's greatest failure was in not recognizing this mobilization and assuming it would be years before the US would be able to wage war. At the very least, the US was prepared to arm its allies.US policy as 1941 wore on was becoming more aggressive in the Atlantic. Following agreement with Britain more USN ships were being allocated to that theatre to release RN ships for use in other theatres. The USN was preparing to protect the western Atlantic against German raiders like Tirpitz. The USN escorted convoys to/from Mid Ocean Meeting Points south of Iceland and US ships, both merchant and USN were being torpedoed and sunk. As the year went on the clashes increased in number. That culminated in the sinking of the destroyer USS Reuben James on 31 Oct 1941 with the loss of 115 US lives.
Pre-U.S. Entry Into WWII
Pre-U.S. Entry Into WWII The first action between the U.S. and German navies occured on April 10, 1941, when USS Niblack (DD-424) neared the Icelandic coast to pick-up three boatloads of survivors from the Dutch freighter Saleier, which was sunk the previous day. When a submarine was detected...www.history.navy.mil Chronological List of U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged 1939 to 1941
Chronological List of U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged 1939 to 1941 due to war causeswww.usmm.org
So the question is just how long would the US public continue to suffer losses before FDR got their support for a declaration of war on Germany? The clashes were bound to continue so it was only a matter of time.
I wonder how the US military would have looked by December 1941 had intensive rearmament started in 1936 as part of Depression Era stimulus and a reaction to Germany, with a boost again in 1937 with Japan's invasion of China. While the two North Carolina class were laid down in 1937/38 and the first of the SoDak class in 1939, the first eleven Essex class carriers were not ordered until 1940. Move those dates so that the eleven Essex class are ordered in 1938 and enter service in 1940 and Japan won't have any illusions. This may require the US to pull out of any naval treaties.It is often overlooked that the United States began preparing for war as early as 1939.
The Zimmermann Note might have also pushed the U.S. a bit.The Lusitania incident didn't actually lead the U.S. into war with Germany, though it was a prominent point used to sway public opinion.
It was Germany's switch back to unrestricted submarine warfare two years after the Lusitania's sinking that led to a declaration of war.
Historically the order for Essex was placed in Feb 1940 and she was laid down in April 1941. The contractual completion date was April 1944 ie a peacetime build time of 3 years. Even at Nov/Dec 1941 that estimated completion date had only been advanced by 3 months. The other 13 month saving came after the outbreak of WW2, presumably once the yards can go to working round the clock. It was a similar story for the rest of the class ordered in 1941.I wonder how the US military would have looked by December 1941 had intensive rearmament started in 1936 as part of Depression Era stimulus and a reaction to Germany, with a boost again in 1937 with Japan's invasion of China. While the two North Carolina class were laid down in 1937/38 and the first of the SoDak class in 1939, the first eleven Essex class carriers were not ordered until 1940. Move those dates so that the eleven Essex class are ordered in 1938 and enter service in 1940 and Japan won't have any illusions. This may require the US to pull out of any naval treaties.
Germany (Hitler) solved FDR's problem by declaring war on the US December 10th 1941The Lusitania incident didn't actually lead the U.S. into war with Germany, though it was a prominent point used to sway public opinion.
It was Germany's switch back to unrestricted submarine warfare two years after the Lusitania's sinking that led to a declaration of war.
So the question is just how long would the US public continue to suffer losses before FDR got their support for a declaration of war on Germany? The clashes were bound to continue so it was only a matter of time.