2006-08-02 03:52:40 · 23 answers · asked by jredfearn08 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Actually, it was a rather brilliant tactical move, and would have achieved its intended purpose (of effecitvely taking the US out of the Pacific theater) had it been more successful. There's also the fact that the carriers were not in port when the strike occurred, which could have led to an even worse calamity.
The real "idiotic move" was in Hitler declaring war on the USA following our declaration of war on Japan, because that brought us into the war in Europe, which might not have happened (or happened as quickly) otherwise.
2006-08-02 03:59:26 · answer #1 · answered by zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 4 · 6⤊ 1⤋
I disagree. It was a mistake because they didn't know the Midway and the one other large ship had been moved. Look how much of the American Navy they did take out though. On top of that they expected Americans to fight back. They didn't plan to catch the Navy off-guard. Imagine the difference that may have been made had we been expecting the attack, as we were supposed to, and fought back. Instead we changed history to make ourselves look like some major victim, and make The Empire of Japan look so horriable that it brought America out of Isolationism. Also Japan was going to need to take out Pearl Harbor. It was in their way of dominnance of teh Pacific. Even if they let us keep the Harbor they had to get the ships out of the way. You are seeing this as hindsight but at the moment it was a well thought out move. They TOLD us that they were going to attack at the last moment. Had everything gone according to their plan they would have FOUGHT us at Pearl Harbor. I believe it is the Bushido code, if someone is sure of which one then feel free to correct, that says you don't attack an unarmed man. You hand him your sword and then fight with your other one. If the man is asleep you wake him give him a sword and fight. They were very honorable about their fighting style. Now imagine had things gone correctly. It may have totally changed how the attack was viewed. It would have been an agression and act of war, but not the same way.
Oh and their one admiral really did say that he fears they awoke a sleeping giant. That wasn't just Hollywood. He had serious misgivings from the start, espically when it turned out we weren't expecting it. He was overruled by the Emporer thought and nothing he could do about it.
2006-08-02 11:04:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course it was an extremely idiodic move for Japan. It also called America into a war that it had no intnetion on becomming involved in. Japan was the reason America got inot that war. Had that not happened, America wouldn't have touched it with a 10 foot pole
2006-08-02 11:12:37 · answer #3 · answered by profile image 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The real mistake Japan made was not Pearl harbor, but not being prepared or executing an invasion of the west coast of the United States. With the Pacific Fleet gone and America not ready, Japan really could have had half the country before we knew it. We would have had no west coast ports to launch counter attacks from and we would have had fighting on our own soil which would have drained resources. Again, the big mistake was was not finishing the job and waiting for us to come to them while the grabbed territory around them.
2006-08-02 11:01:20 · answer #4 · answered by Thomas 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not really.
The US was prepping for war anyway. We were hanging low, but sending the brits all kinds of supplies. We had to wait until the nazis were spread thin. Once that began, it was a matter of time before we went after Japan. Japan and Germany had defense pacts. If we went to war in Europe,than wewould go to war in the Pacific
Knowing this, the Japs hit us first. They had no chanch in the long run without Pearl Harbor.
BP
2006-08-02 10:59:48 · answer #5 · answered by billyandgaby 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tactically it was a very good move. They crippled our abilities to wage sea warfare for a period of time.
Ethically, it was a lousey move, but of course that whole Axis thing had no ethics.
You're supposed to declare war first so that the other side can know you're coming. Not declare it a few hours before a sneak attack.
Our bombing of Hiroshima was also tactically sound and we gave them fair notice we could do it and then refused to beleive it.
Saddam did the same think in Kuwait. He gave no advanced notice. He just invaded.
When we came over this last time, he had pleanty of advance notice. He could watch CNN and see our mobilization!
He didn't give the Kuwait people that same chance and neither did the Japanse give us that same chance!
2006-08-02 11:01:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Japan had no clue how much they were going to piss-off the US when they bombed Pearl Harbor! Surely, had they realized what could possibly happen to them, they never would have done it. Or perhaps they would have, it seemed they had some real idiots back then not caring what effect their actions would have on the Japanese people.
Whatever they thought going into it, I guess when it came down to it, we showed them they made a big mistake!
2006-08-02 15:43:10 · answer #7 · answered by Naples_6 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to the movie, they thought it was an unwise move themselves. Something like "we have unwakened a sleeping giant" after they initaiated the attack on Pearl Harbor. However that was a movie. They might have thought it was the best idea ever...
2006-08-02 11:00:52 · answer #8 · answered by Belle Noir 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Japan does after watching the fireworks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
2006-08-02 10:58:30 · answer #9 · answered by JDINFLA 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, learn to spell "idiotic" correctly.
Second, Japan laid waste to the fleet at Pearl Harbor in that successful surprise attack, so how idiotic could they have been?
2006-08-02 10:58:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋