[Nexus]

If the Japs had played it a little smarter in the Pacific theater, could they have gained a foothold in (undefended) Alaska?

[RLK]

If the Japs had played it a little smarter in the Pacific theater, could they have gained a foothold in (undefended) Alaska?

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They had one at one time. They couldn't support it and work in the Pacific simultaneously.

[jim_trent]

The invasion by Japan of Alaska's Aleutian Islands was just a diversion for the Midway attack. This was intended to confuse the Americans in Hawaii. Should they send the carriers to Alaska or to Midway? They never intended to invade and hold the northern islands. Anyway, we knew where to be so that invasion was also a failure.

Interestingly, the biggest loss in the Alaskan campaign was when a single Japanese Zero was captured virtually intact. It was repaired and flown in the US to find its weaknesses. New US airplanes exploited those weaknesses.

[plusone]

Yeah, the Japs did the exact worst thing. Either leave Hawaii alone, and not give FDR an excuse for joining the war, or do the Pearl Harbor thing then take the island and occupy it, preventing the US fleet from using it as a staging ground for the reconquest of the PAcific. By attacking Pearl, then basically leaving, it was just poking a stick in the eye of the American giant (the country, not FDR!). Good thing the axis powers were stupid...

[U S Army EOD]

They did in fact, remember Attu and Kiska?