Lesson 16WW II: America Enters the War

Lesson Objectives

•  Understand the Japanese and American strategies for the war in the Pacific and Asia.

•  Analyze the impact of the military revolution during the interwar years on the war in the Pacific theater.

•  Become familiar with the timeline of events in the Pacific war.

•  Understand the significance of the Battle of Midway and the role of signals intelligence in the outcome.

Why did Japan go to war with the U.S.?

Japanese Situation

1936: Army began to gain upper hand in government of Japan

Ref: Morton: Japans Decision for War Return to Japan’s Decision

Goal: Make Japan preeminent in Asia

Objectives:

• Conquer China

• Expand into SE Asia for bases & raw materials

• Strengthen military

• Build war industry

• Improve air & sea transportation

Japanese Situation

Driving Concern: Strategic Resources

Morton: Japans Decision for War

US, Britain, Netherlands controlled Japan’s oil

(particularly oil)

Problem:

Sam Houston State University

Japanese Options

Move North: Attack Soviet Union

Move South: Invade East Indies

Reach Accommodation with US

Morton: Japans Decision for War

Japan’s Decision for War

"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013

( 9:10 – 19:30 )

Events

December 7, 1941 US Pacific Fleet attacked at Pearl Harbor

Japanese Decision to War

Calculated risk?

Risky calculation?

or

Japanese Decision to War

"One can search military history in vain for an operation more fatal to the aggressor."

Samuel Eliot Morison, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. III, The Rising Sun in the Pacific

Timeline

1910

1921

1931

1932

1936: Nov 25

1937: Jul 7

Nov 6

Dec 12

Japan colonizes Korea

League of Nations awards Japan control of former German possessions in Micronesia

Japan invades Manchuria

Japan establishes a puppet state, Manchukuo, in Manchuria

Japan & Germany sign Anti-Comintern Pact

Japan provokes incident with China, declares war

Italy joins Germany, Japan in Anti-Comintern Pact

Japanese planes sink gunboat USS Panay inYangtze River

Ken Polsson: Chronology of World War II

(Review)

Attack on USS PanayDecember 12, 1937

Source: U San DiegoLocal

Timeline

1937: Dec 14 Ludlow Amendment introduced in Congress

Video

• Proposed Constitutional amendment to require popular referendum prior to entry into war

Rep. Louis L. Ludlow(D-Indiana)

Timeline

1937: Dec 14 Ludlow Amendment introduced in Congress

Ken Polsson: Chronology of World War II

1938: May 17 US Naval Expansion Act

• Proposed Constitutional amendment to require popular referendum prior to entry into war

Japanese cabinet increases military presence

• Goal: Full-strength two-ocean navy in 10 years

May 28

Dec 22 Japan: New Order in East Asia replaces Open Door

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity SphereHistory

Open Door Policy

• Discouraged Japan & European powers from carving up China

• U.S.-sponsored initiative to open China to all imperial powers

New Order in East Asia (Dec 1938)

• Idealistic initiative to free just Northeast Asia from colonialism

• Usurped by nationalist & militarists as tool for war resources

(1899)

• Proposed by liberal prime minister Fumimaro Konoe

Timeline

1937: Dec 14 Ludlow Amendment introduced in Congress

Ken Polsson: Chronology of World War II

1938: May 17 US Naval Expansion Act

• Proposed Constitutional amendment to require popular referendum prior to entry into war

Japanese cabinet increases military presence

• Goal: Full-strength two-ocean navy in 10 years

May 28

Sep

Nov 18

Aug

Japan: New Order in East Asia replaces Open Door

1939: Jul 26 US: Will not renew 1911 trade pact with Japan

Japanese forces defeated by Soviets at Khalkin Gol (Manchuria)

War in Europe begins

Timeline

1940: Jun 29

Ken Polsson: Chronology of World War II

Great East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere proclaimed by Foreign Minister Hachirō Arita

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity SphereHistory

Open Door Policy

• Discouraged Japan & European powers from carving up China

• U.S.-sponsored initiative to open China to all imperial powers

New Order in East Asia

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

(Nov 1938)

• Idealistic initiative to free just Northeast Asia from colonialism

• Usurped by nationalist & militarists as tool for war resources

(1899)

• Proposed by liberal prime minister Fumimaro Konoe

a.k.a Japanese Imperialism

Jun 1940

Timeline

1940: Jun 29

New Japanese government discusses ways to exploit weakness of European powers in Asia

Ken Polsson: Chronology of World War II

Jul 25

Aug

Roosevelt announces restrictions on shipment of petroleum & scrap iron to Japan

Japan occupies northern French IndochinaSep

US embargoes shipment of av gas, scrap iron, steel to Japan

Sep 26

US analysts begin to crack Japanese codes

Jul

Great East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere proclaimed by Foreign Minister Hachirō Arita

Embargo On Trade

Japanese propaganda posterDepicts US embargo of Japanese

trade from bases in Philippines

Timeline

1940: Jul

Jul 25

Aug

Sep

Sep 26

New Japanese government discusses ways to exploit weakness of European powers in Asia

Roosevelt announces restrictions on shipment of petroleum & scrap iron to Japan

US analysts crack Japanese codes

Japan occupies northern French Indochina

US embargoes shipment of av gas, scrap iron, steel to Japan

Ken Polsson: Chronology of World War II

Sep 27

Nov 11

Japan, Germany, Italy sign Tripartite Pact

Royal Navy aircraft attack Italian fleet at Taranto, Italy

Attack on TarantoNovember 11, 1940

Source

• Italian fleet at Taranto threaten British supply routes in Med

Problem: How to neutralize fleet?

• battleships?

• bombers?

• carrier-based air?

Attack on TarantoNovember 11, 1940

HMS Illustrious

Fairey Swordfish

Solution: night carrier-based air attack

Attack on TarantoNovember 11, 1940

The Swordfish Attack At TarantoRobert Taylor

Military-art.com Fleet Air Arm Archive

Video Link(First 1:45)

Attack on TarantoNovember 11, 1940

Consequences

RN Conte di Cavour

• Three battleships sunk (one for duration)

• One heavy cruiser damaged

• Two Swordfish lost (crew: 2 dead, 2 POW)

ANPA

• Action studied closely by Japanese naval attaché

• Served as prototype for Pearl Harbor attack

British Attack on Italian Fleet(Taranto, November 11, 1940)

"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013

( 0:16 – 1:46 )

Japan’s Decision for War

Japan’s Objective:

Shortage of oil was the key to Japan's Grand Strategy

Major consideration in preparing for war

Key reason for going to war

, yet

“Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere”

Preeminence in Asia

Japan’s Decision for War

Japan saw a move to the south as its only option

Realized this might force confrontation with US

Would need to occupy, exploit Southeast Asia and East Indies

By 1940,

War in China had been dragging on for three years

Growing size of Japanese military was draining scare resources

Defeat at Khalkin Gol (1939) had discourage expansion into Siberia

Planning for war with western powers began Summer 1940

Fall of Netherlands, France in May-June 1940 provided opportunity

Japan’s Decision for War

Considered possibility of not going to war with US

Initially believed:

Finally convinced themselves US would go to war if they went south

• War in Europe favored Japan’s position

• Germany would never invade England

• US would not focus on Japan with European war in doubt

, and

Japan’s Decision for War

Japanese Strategy

• Neutralize US Pacific fleet and threats from the Philippines

Felt US would be unwilling to pay cost of overcoming these defenses

Felt US would compromise, allow Japan the dominant position in Asia

• Establish defensive perimeter

• Use new resources to build capability to defend indefinitely

Japan’s Decision for War

Decision:

• Did not seek total defeat of US

• Had no intention of invading

• Planned to fight a war of limited objectives

Having secured objectives, Japan would set up a defense in depth

(Slide 4)

Based on expectation that US would rather negotiate than fight

Felt US would negotiate rather than fight a long, costly war

Decisive preemptive attack on US Pacific fleet

Japan’s Decision for War

Japanese Rationale

Calculated Risk or Risky Calculation?

Convinced by trade embargoes US was dedicated to thwarting Japan

Felt Japan had no future without preeminence in Asia (PM Tojo et al)

• Preeminence required going to war for resources

• Japan needed to go to war while it still had the power

• Believed defeat would be better than “humiliation and submission”

(oil)

Decision to go to war made July 2, 1941 by an Imperial Conference

Japan’s Decision for War

Japanese Miscalculations

Calculated Risk or Risky Calculation?

One man’s limited war may be another man’s total war

Did not anticipate US reaction to Pearl Harbor attack

Assumed US would accept Japan’s limited war objectives

Assumed they could keep the war limited

Japan’s Road to War

Japan and the Quest for OilAlternate Video

9:09 – 19:38

Pearl Harbor

October 1941

Planning for attack began in January 1941 under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

Story Behind the Movie

Timeline

1941: Jul 24

Jul 26

Oct 17

Nov 20

Japan occupies all of French Indochina

US freezes all Japanese assets in US *

General Hideki Tojo becomes Japanese Premier

Sec State Hull, Japanese Ambassador Nomora begin talks: nations exchange final positions

Ken Polsson: Chronology of World War II

* Key turning point

Hull – Nomora Negotiations1941: Nov 20 Japanese Proposal

The US and the Coming of World War II

1. Japan to withdraw troops from South Indo-China into North Indo-China.

2. The United States to:

3. Upon establishment of peace in the Orient, Japan to remove all troops from Indo-China and agree not to make any armed advances into Southeast Asia or the South Pacific.

a. refrain from measures that would prevent a Japanese victory over China in their war.

b. resume full trade relations with Japan.

c. lift the orders freezing Japanese assets in the United States

d. supply Japan with a quantity of petroleum sufficient to meet most Japanese needs, either from its own stores or, through diplomatic pressure on the Netherlands, from the Dutch East Indies.

e. cease American naval expansion in the Western Pacific.

Hull – Nomora Negotiations1941: Nov 26 US Response

The US and the Coming of World War II

1. The United States to:

2. Japan to:

a. withdraw all troops from Indochina

b. withdraw all troops from China

c. support the Chinese government of Chiang Kai-Shek.

d. sign a multilateral pact with the United States and other nations with Pacific interests guaranteeing the future territorial integrity and security of all East Asian nations.

a. free frozen Japanese assets

b. resume treaty-based commercial relations with Japan

c. work with other nations toward the abolition of extra-territoriality in China.

d. co-operate in stabilizing the rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen.

Timeline

1941: Nov 25

Japanese naval task force sails for Hawaii

Click for larger virew

Timeline

1941: Nov 25

Nov 27

Dec 1

Dec 1

Dec 4

Dec 7

Japanese naval task force sails for Hawaii

US Pacific commanders warned to expect war at any time with attack likely in Philippines of SE Asia

Japan rejects US counter but asks to continue talks

Japanese naval task force directed to proceed with attack on Pearl Harbor, subject to recall

US intercepts coded Japanese message indicating attack on US assets imminent

0755: Attack on US forces on Oahu begins

The US and the Coming of World War II

Timeline

1941: Dec 7 0755: Attack on US forces on Oahu begins

The US and the Coming of World War II

Attack on Pearl Harbor

Japanese Attack Force: 6 carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 441 planes, 5 midget submarines

Attack on Pearl Harbor

US Forces: 8 battleships, 6 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~390 planes

USS Arizona

USS Nevada Gets Underway

1-3, 6-8 USS Nevada 4-5 USS Neosho (tanker)

10 USS St. Louis (cruiser)

USS Nevada Beached

Beached at Hospital Point, Pear Harbor

Attack on Pearl Harbor

US Losses: 2,403 killed; 5 battleships sunk, 3 damaged; 3 cruisers sunk; 3 destroyers sunk; 188 planes destroyed, 155 damaged

Wikipedia

Propaganda

Movie: Hawai Mare oki kaisen - 1942

(The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malay)

Video Source

Propaganda

From stock footage made for propaganda movie (March-April 1942)

Taken on carrier Akagi (sunk at Midway, 4 June 1942)

Attack on Pearl Harbor

U.S. VideoJapanese Video

Attack on Pearl Harbor(Japanese propaganda film)

"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013

Attack on Pearl Harbor

Breaks in our favor:

Two aircraft carriers at sea

Submarines, fuel stores not attacked

Repair facilities intact

American Reaction

FDR Addresses CongressDecember 8, 1941

"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013

Japanese Empire 1942

The History Place

Japanese Strategy

US Strategy

Isolate Japan

Roll back defensive perimeter

• Southwestern Pacific

• Central Pacific

Destroy industrial capability, will to fight

Invade home islands

Maps.com

US Strategy

Roll back defensive perimeterRoll back defensive perimeter

Isolate JapanIsolate Japan

Destroy industrial power, willDestroy industrial power, willInvadeInvade

Up From the Mud

WW II – Society At War: The Home Fronts

Lesson 17

WW II -- Combined Bomber Offensive

Next:

Lesson Objectives

• Become familiar with the origin of strategic bombing

• Describe the differences between the airpower doctrine of the RAF and USAAF and that of the Luftwaffe

•  Describe and analyze cost to the Allies and the impact on Germany of strategic bombing campaign in Europe.

•  Discuss the legal, moral and ethical issues of the strategic bombing campaign as conducted against Germany.

End

Video Title

"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013