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Posted on 10/04/2004 11:25:00 PM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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 The Japanese didn't embrace the tank, as it didn't have the calvary tradition that the other countries that developed the tank more extensively had. In traditional Japan Calvary was used for reconnaissance in the mountainous countryside. After World War I the Japanese acquired several different foreign tanks (French Renault FT & NCI, and Britain's Vickers 6-Ton & Medium C). After analyzing them they began to develop light and medium tanks.  Type 94 'TK' tankettes in a street of Hoihow, on the Hainan Island in 1939. The first tank designed was the Type 87 (Experimental Tank Number 1) and was produced at the Osaka Arsenal in 1927. It had a crew of 5 and had a water cooled, 8 cylinder, gasoline engine that produced 140 hp. The maximum speed was 12.5 mph. It had a 57 mm gun in a turret with two 7.2 mm MG in a turret that was located at the front and rear of the hull. In 1925 2 tank companies were established, with one established at the Chiba Infantry School to study tank tactics. In the late 1920s 6 British Carden-Loyd Mark VI MG carriers and 2 Mark VIb carriers were purchased. After trials were conducted the Tokyo Gas and Electric Industry (later Hino Motors) built a prototype. It became the Type 94 Tankette.  Tankette Type 97 Te-Ke during the victory parade in Manilla in 1942. The Osaka Arsenal in March 1927, developed the Experimental Heavy Tank I. It weighed 22 tons, with 57 mm gun in the main turret, and 2 MGs in subsidiary turrets. In 1930 the 2nd Heavy tank was developed, but it only made some modifications from the first. In 1932 the Type 91 or Type 92 was developed. The Type 95 was then developed. However, no production orders were placed. In 1929 the Type 89 (Experimental Tank Number 2) was designed. It weighed 10,000 kg and had a turret mounted 37 mm gun, a turret rear MG, and a bow mounted MG. It's engine was a 6 cylinder gasoline Daimler that propelled it to 15 mph. Mitsubishi started production on it as the Type 98 Medium tank.  Type 95 Ha-Go destroyed towards the end of the war By 1932, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was producing an air-cooled diesel engine that was suitable for tanks. This was placed experimentally into a Type 89. This later became known as the Type 89-B. In 1933 Major Tomio Hara designed the basis of many of the suspensions of future Japanese tanks, the bellcrank scissors which had paired bogie wheels connected by a coil spring. During the 1930s the Japanese considered mechanization. Studies focused on armored cars at first, but with the terrain in Asia, it was decided to go with tracked vehicles. Ishikawaijma designed the Type 92 'combat car'.  This tank seems to have been abandoned somewhere on the edge of the airstrip. A tri-color camoflage can clearly be seen on this tank. Four tank regiments were formed during 1933-34 in Japan and Manchuria. Three of the regiments had 2 companies of 10 Type 89s each. The 4th had 3 Type 89 companies and was known as the Independent Mixed Brigade which included:
 Type 89 By 1937 Japan had approximately 1,060 tanks and 8 tank regiments. During the war in China the Japanese used the tanks as mobile pillboxes as the Chinese didn't have quantities of antitank weapons. Also air-cooled diesel engines were preferred as water was scarce in Mongolia, Manchuria, and North China. After the battle of Khalkin Gol in 1939 against the Russians and the successes in Europe by the Germans, 2 armored divisions were formed in 1940 in Manchukuo.  Type 4 Chi-To During most of the war the Japanese focused their industry on building warships and aircraft during the war years as they were the more prestigious weapons of the time. By 1945 production was to be concentrated on the defence of the Japanese homeland, and tanks finally got higher priority, but this was too late.  Type 92 Notes: The names were based on the last 2 digits of the year in the Japanese calendar. The Japanese Empire was founded in 660 B.C. (Add 660 to western calendar to get year in Japanese calendar. Sensha (from word sen which meant battle, and sha which meant wagon)
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"I've been President of the Senate, but the first time I met you was when we walked on this stage."
One of the best lines to come out of the debate tonight. I thought I was watching a rerun of the Bush/Kerry Debate during Edwards first few answers.
I'll take a smart bomb over a smart mouth anyday.
BTTT!!!!!!!!
Go when you're ready.
Perhaps a FReeper Foxhole pilgrimage to The Wall for mutual support and fellowship is in order?
That'd be a good way to go.
Big fan of Sun Tsu myself. Always saw "Battles are won in the Temple...long before Generals take to the field" more akin to Napoleon's "In war the moral is to the physical as three is to one." Winning in war is more a religious than logistical matter. Beliefs, not wealth.
Of course, the Japanese in WWII were students of Sun Tsu, and the Americans were not. The Japanese thought their "fanaticism", as American's called it, the key to victory. However, a sufficient technological and technical advantage has "a quality all of it's own." War becomes insecticide.
But technical advantages, though critical to victory, were not enough by themselves. Americans were well motivated in those days (group motivation is a matter of faith, hope, and charity, that is, shared beliefs, that is, religion) unlike today. Today's Democrats would be imprisoned for sedition in 1942.
I live where broadband is not available. I find vroomspeed, at $3 a month, and a standard dialup adequate.
Vroomspeed gets the photos much more quickly by simplification and compression. Simplification is selectable by the user. Photos desired displayed with full detail can be downloaded at will in high resolution. The Foxhole loads in about twenty seconds these days, ten seconds for the photos, instead of two minutes for the photos alone. Not a T-5 line or anything, but a big improvement in my opinion.
Hello Iris
Was browsing thru some of my history stuff..and refreshed on the 2 Mongol Naval Invasions of Japan.
The Japanese learned some hard lessons..especially in their Samurai Body armor and Helmet.
Photo's above show the 14th century changes.
Getting their horses shot out from under them was another troubling reality they had to overcome.
Yet..they suprised the Mongols...who after sizing up the Japanese losses..went inland to far..and then got slaughtered by the reformed Samurai.
Japanese coastal Pirates were hired to help in the effort.
They shuttled Samurai close into Mongol ships at night.
Some Mongol ships saw their entire crews beheaded in the night.
An intersting study....the Mongol compression Bow,their tactics.
Samurai discipline and line of battle movement.
Chaos and color..it must have been spectacular.
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