Did Germany know of Japans intent to bomb Pearl Harbor?

Question

I read elsewhere that Japan had anticipated that if they attacked Pearl Harbor they would buy thierselves 3 years in which time Germany would have conquered Britain and that the US would have no choice but to concede to a deal to end the war.

But I find this hard to believe being that Hitler had opened up the eastern battle front and invaded Russia just 6 months prior to Pearl Harbor.

Also my understaning is that Japan had given up in its battle with Russia earlier becuase of substantial losses due to the fact that other than thier air and sea capabilities the soldiers had poor weapons and less capabilities as other forces. With that being said, did Japan really think that German soldiers were supperior to thier own so much that they bought into the idea that if Germany "kicked down the door the whole rotten structure would collapse"?

Hard to swallow.

So why was bombing Pearl Harbor believed to be a good idea by Japan and Germany if they knew?

Answer 1

Nope, them Japs are tricky

Answer 2

I don't believe Germany knew. I read "Combined Fleet Decoded" by John Prados, which gives the reader a very detailed description of American and Japanese intelligence work during WWII. There is simply no way the Japanese could have held Pearl Harbor as such a close secret if they had let the Nazis in on it.

I'd have to look into it, but I believe I read somewhere that the Germans were REALLY upset about what the Japanese did because they knew it would bring the military and economic power of America into the war against them.

Answer 3

Window of opportunity. Closing fast. Hitler was in Russia and at the time kicking the tar out of them. The other European Allied power's were beat, Great Britain on the defensive. Russia seemingly being steamrolled by Germany. Only the USA was standing up to them. Denying them oil and steel, other raw material's, over their aggression in China. I doubt Hitler knew what they were planning. If only for security reason's, but anyway he would not have tried to stop them or warn us. After Pearl Harbor the Axis had roughly a year and a quarter they might possibly have won. After that the sheer weight of resource's against them meant they would lose. They had roughly another year they could have caused so much damage all around to get a chance at a negotiated peace. They bet it all, not only in the Pacific, but Europe, specifically Eastern Europe, they lost it all with not enough chip's.

Answer 4

Japan initially bombed Pearl Harbor for two reasons. The U.S. had levied embargoes on Japan for it's invasion of China that began in !931. (The U.S. was allied with China then.) The embargoes cut Japan's incoming supplies of nickel, aluminum, steel, and oil. All the things needed for war materials in the China invasion. Also, Japan feared that the U.S. air bases in the Philippines were too close for comfort. Many Japanese military leaders thought the attacks on Pearl Harbor, and the Philippines would only bloody the nose of America, and cause the U.S. to refrain from further interference in the China campaign. Germany was not part of any of this, but Japan and Germany did have good relations. The Japanese military didn't think the U.S. would have the stomach for war. They were wrong then, but would be correct now.

Answer 5

Yes. I know they did... and did not want Japan to do so. But, Japan is the most racist nation on Earth. At that time they really believed that their Emperor was God. They also believed that it was divine will for them to lead what is now known as the Pacific Rim as a fiefdom.This would include Alaska,Hawaii, and California as well as Baja Mexico. So themy would accept the inferior white Germans as allies, but would not allow them to have any input into their war planning.

Answer 6

Enigma was already compromised, had there been encrypted messages sent via Radio Teletype it is likely the Brits would have intercepted it.
While Hitler was most certainly insane I think even he would have preferred we remain out of the war.

The Japanese turned us into the most deadly military power by guessing wrong thinking we would wimp out.

Answer 7

I doubt the Germans knew of the Japanese plans. They were allies of convenience.

The Japanese realized that the US Naval fleet was the biggest threat to its efforts to dominate the Pacific. Their plan was to eliminate that threat so they could go unopposed in their imperialism.

Answer 8

It was only known by some of the Japanese - not even the whole country was in on the secret, I don't think.

Answer 9

I've never read anywhere that they did. And both countries already had secret plans to attack each other was already in the works.

Answer 10

Overestimation of capabilities is always a killer of the best laid plans, irregardless of who know what.

Answer 11

Hitler was very pissed off when he learned of the bombing he did not want us in the war.