The Japanese simply had no choice. After their aggressive expansion in quest for raw materials, they knew they would eventually have to confront the USN. Adm. Yamamoto knew early on that he couldn't win, to a decisive victory for Nippon, the Pacific Theatre, so he did what he could.

What I find ironic is that the one raw resource the Japanese needed above anything else... was oil.

[EDIT] tater beat me to it...

FDR' acutal pearl harbor address on audio.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/spee...earlharbor.htm

RIP to all those on eternal patrol.


RDP

remember
 

even we canadians remember Dec 7 1941 . a salute to your armmed forces.

Perfectly said, along with Ducimus' musing about whether we would have entered the war. You've hit on a partial answer, the Japanese HAD to hit the Dutch colonies for their oil production. Hitting that close to Australia, how would they be able to convince the British that they would not attack Australia? I believe it would have taken awhile, but cannot see any way for the US to avoid a war in which its allies from the European war were embroiled. We couldn't say "You're our allies in Europe but we're neutral in the Pacific. Have a nice war."

However, by forestalling US entry for awhile and killing the US fleet at sea, the Japanese would have achieved a much better position, and possibly even knocked us out of the war until the Eurpean conflict was resolved. We would not have developed our submarine strategy, we would not have passed go, we would not have collected $200.

Salute to all veterans of all allied nations who put their lives on the line for freedom!!

Ironically, the war was good for Japan, also. The forcing of the people in power to admit defeat and step down was a great step toward them becoming a peaceful nation. Who would have thought 66 years ago that they would be one of our allies now.

Chuck

A bit OT: It's also interesting to note that at the end of '42, Japanese oil imports were just over 1,000,000 barrels/mo, more that enough to keep all Japanese vessels in full fuel tankage. By the end of May '44, this number was reduced to around 600,000 barrels/mo. The decimation of Japans Maritime tanker fleet was devastating to both IJN and Maritime operations. US Subs accounted for most, but not all, of this destruction. :up:

On this day in 1941, my father was an able seaman aboard the SS Lena Luckenback about 600 miles east-north-east of Oahu on the run out from San Francisco. About 300 miles to the nor-nor-east of them was the SS Cynthia Olson. My father told me of hearing her distress calls a few hours before the attack began.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4013/colsonui1.jpg

This SUP ship was the first sunk by a Japanese submarine on December 7, 1941. The attack occurred a few hours before Pearl Harbor was bombed, so the shock of the doomed sailors could not have been greater. She went down with all hands. The sinking of the Cynthia Olson symbolically represents the final intersection of two eras. Like steam replacing sail many years earlier, the onset of World War II began the replacement of many of the aging coastwise “steam schooners,” a trade that had grown with the SUP since its inception.

He pulled in to Pearl on 12/9 with bodies still floating in the water. SUP stands for Sailors Union Of The Pacific. Here's a link to their website history page. It has a photo gallery with some pics of Andrew Ferusuth, founder of the Union, who signed my grandfather's union card.

http://www.sailors.org/history.html

Aloha from Pearl Harbor
 

The ceremony is over, the Vets linger - starring out into the water now marked with white markers where a proud battle fleet once stood. Boats transiting to and from the ARIZONA, the mighty Battleship MISSOURI standing watch behind the ARIZONA truly Alpha and Omega. It is rainy here today, been like that since Monday, seems more like the Gods are crying. The memorial is marked by an over flight from the HICKAM AFB - 4 CHINHOOK Helicopters flyby in the Missing Man followed by a B-2 Bomber, The USS LAKE ERIE CG-70 passes by with her rails manned rendering honors. A rain shower starts again, echo - taps is being rendered. Today the USS OKLAHOMA Memorial is dedicated. It is somber as somber can be. Today onboard Naval Station Pearl Harbor the national anthems of the US, Australia and that of Japan where played. We are hosting ships from those nations - allies now. The JSDMF KONGO a DDG is one of those visiting. Ironic isn't it.
One other small fact - those who have visited here or are planning on it and also planning on visiting the ARIZONA Memorial should note that the number of those interned onboard changes yearly - those Sailors and Marines who died are joined by a number of there shipmates who survived them - they ask to come back and to have there urns placed back onboard the ship and to rejoin those they left behind. That plaque continues to fill up - sadly.
Mahalo to the thread and to those who remember the sacrifice.

Thanks to all Veterans that are still alive and those that gave their lives so that we can enjoy what liberties we still have.

Also thanks to all the men and women from all countries that supported us in defeating Japan!

:up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up: :up:

Joe

A sad note:


A Veteran friend of mine mentioned that on "Veteran's Day" that not one article appeared in the newspapers. He asked me "Don't they care anymore, don't they remember?".

I said that I would "never forget' what the Veterans did for our country.

He had just turned 84 and died shortly after that. (how sad) :oops:


Joe

SALUTE!

Thank You to all who serve and have served as well as those who gave their lives.
Remember Pearl Harbor is as important a battle cry today as it was in 1941.
To be complacent or unprepared is to dishonor their memory.

Respectfully Submitted,
CDR Resser

A big salute to those who died that day.

"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve"

Admiral Yamamoto right after the attack on Pearl Harbor