71 Years Ago-Pearl Harbor

[bobabode]

Seventy one years ago on this date the empire of Japan bombed and strafed Pearl Harbor and other military installations on Oahu.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor

[wgrr]

"A date that will live in infamy." Japan certainly woke up a sleeping giant that day.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by wgrr

"A date that will live in infamy." Japan certainly woke up a sleeping giant that day.

Just as Admiral Yamamoto predicted.

John

[Bigerik]

Amazing what a different country America was then. If the manufacturing base then was what it is now, America would have lost the war.

[icenine]

Originally Posted by Bigerik

Amazing what a different country America was then. If the manufacturing base then was what it is now, America would have lost the war.

Maybe initially we would have been behind but as Bob Dylan says we are a Slow Train Coming. You have to remember in 1941 we were a much more rural nation than we are now. And our industry was forced to change and undergo a massive readjustment to win the war, said readjustment providing the base for the boom in middle class prosperity a decade later in the 50s. I always bet on America.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by icenine

Maybe initially we would have been behind but as Bob Dylan says we are a Slow Train Coming. You have to remember in 1941 we were a much more rural nation than we are now. And our industry was forced to change and undergo a massive readjustment to win the war, said readjustment providing the base for the boom in middle class prosperity a decade later in the 50s. I always bet on America.

Yep. Anyone who thinks that we would have sued for peace with Tojo after the sneak attack on Pearl is not a good student of history. Maybe there is something to some of the conspiracy that we had some advance notice. Our flattops weren't in the barn at the time so I can understand that but no one has been able to find any evidence, so it will remain a mystery. We may have been just lucky.
I disagree with Erik's rash asessment that we would not have won that war with our present industrial base. It ignores the human factor in this country, IMO. We would put aside our differences and pulled down double hours to make it work. Would it take extra time? Of course. Would we negotiate after something like the Pearl Harbor attack, fuck no- period. It isn't just bravado, it's fact. People were thinking we were no big thing during the thirties with the Great Depresion kicking our asses but when somebody sucker punches us? We get mean. Just ask that f**ker Bin Laden.

As I recall from what I've read so do you guys uphill of the 49th - you pantywaist Canadian. Can't forget those Aussie's and Kiwi's, either...

[icenine]

Most Def Bro!!!!

[Dondilion]

No way could the Japanese overcome the industrial superiority of the US. I guess their military had bought into the David/Goliath mystique in view of their unexpected mauling of the Chinese (1894) and Russians (1905).

Moreover probably they had still not gotten over Commodore Perry.

[whell]

If you ever have the chance to go to Hawaii, visit the USS Arizona Memorial. Very, very moving experience. The thought of standing on the watery grave of hundreds of young sailors, most of whom woke up that morning and had no idea that they had woken up for the last time, brought me to tears.

[CarlV]

Originally Posted by Bigerik

Amazing what a different country America was then. If the manufacturing base then was what it is now, America would have lost the war.

Yes but a world war today on that scale would be a nuclear one of which we are indeed prepared for.


Carl