The Japanese recognized prior to the war that the U.S. could easily out produce them. They were counting on U.S. public apathy and lack of taste for the war. After Pearl Harbor, U.S. public opinion shifted drastically. Yamamoto, who had attended Harvard and served as Naval attache in Washington told the military leaders not to start a war unless they were prepared to march down Pennsylvania Avenue and dictate surrender terms in the White House.
By 1945, Japanese public opinion had shifted and the militarists who brought disaster on their country were held in contempt and hatred by the public.
I suppose the Japanese counted on Germany doing its part to deal with the USA.
Here’s a fact many don’t know.
The turning point of the US stock market, the point where the market would go higher and higher after the depression?
The euphoria of the Doolittle raid....
Quick victory or no Victory. They had to get Port Moresby and neuter Australia, and get Guadalcanal or they were sunk.
My opinion if it weren’t for MacArthur it may have been over a year earlier but he was anal on the Philippines. A little like Montgomery that way.
We could have embargoed every Island and Nuked or starved them out. Okinawa and Iwo invasions weren’t really necessary. The Bomb being on a fixed / separate timeline however might not have fit however.
I think that’s what DJT would have done back then.
Nothing like hindsight.