The Root Causes of Pearl Harbor Serve as Important Lessons for America Today

DB Daily Update ^ | David Blackmon

[corkoman]

Keep in mind we had conducted training exercises where our carriers attacked Pearl Harbor several times in the 30s. We knew it could happen.

The military practices for lots of things but very few in high command thought much of naval air power. In the 1930s and shortly thereafter Battleships were considered the main weapon despite the Brits successful Battle of Taranto.

We did prepare Hawaii for war but the locals thought more of sabotage and guerilla tactics. And then we were introduced to the brutal power of the Kido Butai and that finally changed some minds about naval aviation power.

[Bull Snipe]

Battle of Taranto, Nov 11/12 1940. British carrier aircraft torpedo attacked the Italian fleet anchored in Taranto. The Brits damaged 3 Italian battleships, 1 heavy cruiser and a couple of destroyers.

[ealgeone]

There is no evidence suggesting that FDR knew specifically of the attack on Pearl Harbor in advance.

But we had broken their codes enough to know they were going to attack.

IIRC there was an article posted in FR suggesting we had intercepted and deciphered the Japanese message to their embassy of the intent to start the war.

[Bull Snipe]

The first choice to replace Richardson was Nimitz. He turned down command of the Pacific Fleet to head the Bureau of Navigation. So Kimmel was give the Pacific Fleet command instead.

[Covenantor]

You're thinking of the Royal Navy Air Arm raid on Taranto, Nov 11-12 1940.

The British action was planned before the war to neutralize the Italian fleet in the Mediterranean Sea.

The attack was carried out by Fairey Swordfish bi-plane torpedo bombers.

The slow bi-planes flew in low at about 90 knots dropping their torpedos in the shallow harbor waters, a tactic previously considered ineffective by conventional wisdom. Three of the new premier Italian battle ships were hit, one sank, the other two crippled.

From: http://ww2today.com/11th-november-1940-italian-fleet-attacked-in-taranto-harbour

"More immediately it shifted the balance of naval power in the Mediterranean. Not only was a significant part of the Italian fleet put out of action, many of the remaining ships were swiftly moved to ports further north, out of harms way but further from their main area of operations."

Thus allowing the Royal Navy the foothold for eventual control of the sea, key to battering Axis resupply to North African forces.

[corkoman]

In 1942 our front-line torpedo plane was the TBD devastator. It was one of our first naval monoplanes and by Battle of Midway was sadly obsolete. And our torpedoes sucked. But you go to war with the army you have...

[AndyJackson]

Yeah, but I am sure we had figured out how to defend against 1930’s aircraft. Besides they weren’t all that capable anyway as we discovered when we tried to use them against modern Japanese aircraft.

[Karoo]

I have never known why FDR wanted us in a war. Was it to boost the economy?

[Covenantor]

"And our torpedoes sucked.

fatally so in actions where the Japanese Long Lance ruled.

[Bull Snipe]

We had broken the Japanese diplomatic codes in the 1930.
We had not broken JN 25, the main operational code for the IJN by the time of Pearl Harbor. That would occur in the Spring of 42. The information from the diplomatic codes was that Japan would probably attack American and British interests in the Far East. No specific information was decoded that specified dates or targets.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Japan has always been a great copier. They adopted the UK’s driving on the left, it’s odd currency and it’s post office.

[ealgeone]

I think it was two fold....one was he realized the "New Deal" had failed to end the Depression.

A war would boost the economy.

Second, I think he did recognize Germany was a threat. Now, the question could be was he influenced by the Communists in his administration to want to attack Germany?

And was he influenced by the large % of voters with German heritage vs UK heritage?

[Bull Snipe]

adopting systems that work is not a bad thing. The IJN was patterned after the Royal Navy.

[MissEdie]

Are they still concentrated in one port?

[PAR35]

Are they still concentrated in one port?

Yes. There is one light carrier (Wasp class LHD) at Mayport that can carry some F-35 fighters.

Along those lines, the ballistic missle submarines are also concentrated at one base on the east coast and one on the west, but at least they spend most of their time at sea, so all of the eggs aren't kept in one basket.

[MissEdie]

I’m no military genus by any stretch of the imagination but even I wouldn’t put all of our assets in one spot. Why in the world would Bush do that??

[PAR35]

Not exactly the start of World War II - more than a year in. Although planning for the raid started before the war.

November 1940 - Taranto. The British used obsolete biplanes armed with torpedos. (Fortunately, British torpedos, since American torpedos of that era were garbage.) The Japanese did study the raid.

[dfwgator]

Who is watching Indy Naidel’s Pearl Harbor Episodes...I already have learned a lot I didn’t know.

https://www.youtube.com/c/WorldWarTwo/videos

[Calvin Locke]

And our torpedoes sucked.

Because of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, Japan upped their game on torpedoes.

Both Admirals King and Nimitz failed to appreciate the USN intelligence on Japan's torpedo warfare capabilities, and didn't bother to investigate defensive/response measures.

I wondered why so many US DDs at Guadalcanal neglected to launch torpedoes on the chance of a lucky hit, and lucky detonation, before superior IJN forces destroyed them.

One IJN Long-Lance torpedo missed its target, kept going, and going, and managed to hit a US CV cruising some 20 miles distant.

[Osage Orange]

Here's a video all should watch..IMO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VADFpAfDLY

Ted Gundy...Sniper