Some interesting reading a search question.

[Bothersome]

Ahoy matey,

First, let me ask a question for any of you history buffs that might know the answer. I need to ask it first before you get interested in the "All Hands Reading Folder" below.

Many years ago when I first got into Silent Hunter 4 I stumbled upon a web page with a video made back in World War 2 about an admiral (Nimitz? Halsey?) explaining about 8 blunders that were done in a ship to ship battle with the IJN. It was about how the use of radar at night in the fog of war allowed the USN to prevail over the Japanese forces. It had him showing film clips and animation of the analysis of the battle and what the mistakes were. I sure would like to find that video again. If you have or know of it please post it here. Thanks.

And for your reading pleasure, I have found some more interesting information (light reading) that you WW2 Navel fans might like...

http://www.vectorsite.net/ttwiz.html <- very interesting stuff about the development of radar in WW2.

http://www.valoratsea.com/destroyer.htm <- some good reading about tactics used by tin cans to find the subs.

Have a nice day and try not to work too hard.

[WernherVonTrapp]

I just stumbled upon this post after a busy few days of hurricane detail. Thanks for the resource Bothersome, especially the one on WWII electronic warfare. It happens to be my current state of interest and it's always good to have another source to glean information from, especially some of the smaller details that might be absent from another sounce.

I've been able to use various sources to extrapolate some basic standards about Japanese capabilities, not to mention that which they were clearly capable or incapable of. I've also come to appreciate my reservations about the post-war interrogations of Japanese military personnel. In retrospect, it was not possible at that time for the interrogators to understand the sacred "death before shame or dishonor" credo that so deeply permeated the Japanese people. Put that together with their "bushido" tendency to overexaggerate their accomplishments/exploits and you could see how easy it would be for their defeated personnel to lie or embellish upon interrogation. They lied to themselves throughout the war, so why should they be any different toward their captors?

Great find. Thanks again.

[razark]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

...you could see how easy it would be for their defeated personnel to lie or embellish upon interrogation. They lied to themselves throughout the war, so why should they be any different toward their captors?

I remember reading somewhere (but I don't remember where) that the captured Japanese tended to be talkative and truthful. Two explanations were given. Their superiors expected them to fight to the death, and never prepared them for how to act if captured. Either that, or the cultural stigma of surrender was enough to break them to the point that it never occurred to them to either not talk, or to give false answers.

As I said, I don't remember where I saw it, so take it for what it's worth.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by razark

I remember reading somewhere (but I don't remember where) that the captured Japanese tended to be talkative and truthful. Two explanations were given. Their superiors expected them to fight to the death, and never prepared them for how to act if captured. Either that, or the cultural stigma of surrender was enough to break them to the point that it never occurred to them to either not talk, or to give false answers.

As I said, I don't remember where I saw it, so take it for what it's worth.

Yes, I certainly didn't mean to imply that they were all liars. Thanks for clarifying that. There were many (I'm sure) who were honest and sincere in their replies. I just meant to point out why I have reservations regarding those interrogations, and that it's hard to distinguish who was truthful and who was not, in retrospect. Obviously, time has shed some light on those who were truthful. Still, information is yet coming to light regarding those who answered (either erroneously or evasively) contrary to facts. One such example I've only recently learned of by reading "Shattered Sword: The True Story of the Battle of Midway" and it specifically addresses one area of questioning in these post-war interrogations regarding the presence of radar on IJN ships prior to Midway.

Obviously, the interrogations were affected by the abilities/inabilities of the interrogator. A lot has been learned since then about the effectiveness of interrogation techniques. I watched one such interrogation (old war documentary) with complete astonishment as a U.S. Army captain questioned a Japanese POW. The Army captain (Intelligence Officer) lead this POW to a specific few answers, instead of letting the POW answer completely for himself.

[Daniel Prates]

The links are good findings indeed. Actually we were just discussing radar stations a few weeks ago.