From some of the research I have done it, was obvious that the Japanese were expecting much greater losses than that they actually received, but aircraft losses were acceptable and expected, the lost of any of their carriers was not acceptable, thus the early withdrawal when it was discovered the US carriers were not in Pearl Harbour. 15th Dec 2011 15:40
The Japanese had a number of intelligence agents working in Hawaii\Pearl harbour, they knew exactly what ships were in port, there locations etc. Hence the instant internment of those Japanese that were resident on the islands.
We have to remember that America and Great Britain still believed the battleship was king. The battleship until that attack was still considered the capital ship of any major Navy. We all now know with hind sight that the real clout was and I guess still is the aircraft carrier.
Originally Posted by His dudey ness
i think the Japanese never thought they could win against the US, but dictate a peace agreement which would have given them the opportunity to have their Empire in the Pacific.
I understand what you are saying and agree with you, but their logic was in my eyes 'illogical! What leader would broker a peace treaty with a nation that in cold blood launches an unprovoked attack on its sovereign soil, sinks a number of capital ships from its prestigious Pacific fleet and also kills thousands of US citizens. Did Japan seriously think that the USA would say, 'We forgive you!'
This is a historical event and we do have to be careful what we are talking about but suffice it to say that the way the Japanese fought and treated their prisoners of war made a brokered deal impossible for any leader to accept.
My thoughts are that America tried desperately to keep Great Britain on the peripherals because they felt so aggrieved?? (One of my uncles was in the Chindits but just like my father he would never talk about this period of his life and sadly I will now never know the exact details of what he did)