For the question why Hitler declared war on the US:
- convoys were escorted by US-DEs and DDs
- large deliveries of weapons and other goods to the Sowjets (i read a statement of one German general after war. He believed that only the US deliveries held the Germans troops from getting Moscow in '42) and the Brits (ships)
- new happy hunting grounds (Oil of the West Indies) without the risk of a diplomatic war with the US
- being a total nuthead
The largest mistake by the Japanese (after the one with the PR) in the attacks on PH and Midway was their limited trust in their submarine force.
By placing a sub cordon at the endrances to PH they would have suffered loses, but also would have gotten some straglers.
By scouting Midway, they might have gotten some useful intel on the shore defences and by using their submarine force to the fullest, they could have had some inclination about the approach of the US carriers.
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