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pacific blunder

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panzers:
Guys, this is my first log in. I love discussing ww11, But let me know what you think about the biggest pacific blunder there was.
My vote is a vote that was the single biggest blunder in the whole war, and that was a combination of american brilliance along with japanese lack of american know how in the overall happennings at Midway. Also never let it be underestimated, the major importance of German bombers going after London instead of devastating the british radars and airfields in 1940. At the very least that should be part of the equasion. I guess, maybe, you could add that in with the Dunkirk scenario, but I wouldn't think so. Two separate blunders.

bushido:
The biggest pacific blunder was not launching a third attack at Pearl to cripple Hawaii as a base for the U.S.  Without a real knock-out blow, japan didn't have much of a chance.

Mark:
It probably would have been benefiial for the Japanese to go after the shipyards and oil infrastrucutre in a third wave have to agree.

I mean, I guess one could argue Pearl Harbor itself was the biggest Japanese blunder in the Pacific - but, for arguments sake - lets assume Pearl Harbor is a done deal  - what were the biggest mistakes after that?

I gotta think not protecting and exploiting the resources they were able to obtain in 41 had to contribute - Japan did not get much of the oil out of the East Indies - one of the drivers for them to go to war in the first place.

Horrible inter-service cooperation between the army and navy - no single leadership and war direction.

What else?

bushido:
Their whole attitude led to a strategy of defeat. The Banzai principles, not portecting  the merchant fleet from submarines, never going after the logistical systems--Pearl, and using subs to attack warships instead of merchant ships, to name 2.

Japan just did not how to fight a mid-twentieth century war.

Uncle Joe:
Interesting. . .

If Japan would have done a few (albeit major) things differently like protect their merchant fleet, establish army-navy cooperation, organize their war economy and equip their soldiers with modern weapons, realized their intelligence communications were compromised - could the Pacific War have ended differently?  Could the Japanese have fought the US to accepting some sort of negotiated peace?

I think it is possible - I mean after two atom bombs Japan still did not agree to an unconditional surrender (they kept the emperor). . .

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