Japanese Supersub???!!!

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by TheSatyr

I dunno...a bombing raid with biological weapons on a West Coast city would have shocked the US nearly as much as Pearl Harbor did. Even if only 3 planes were involved.

Never underestimate the psychological and political effects of WMDs. Would it have won the war? Of course not. But,it might have caused problems politically for Truman.

The Japanese tried the bombings but using balloons. I believe some of these balloons did make landfall on the west coast of the US.

[Weiss Pinguin]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

The Japanese tried the bombings but using balloons. I believe some of these balloons did make landfall on the west coast of the US.

Japanese Fire balloons (as told by wikipedia)

Japan released the first of these bomb-bearing balloons on November 3, 1944. They were found in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Michigan and Iowa, as well as Mexico and Canada.

General Kusaba's men launched over 9,000 balloons throughout the course of the project. The Japanese expected 10% (around 900) of them to reach America, which is also what is currently believed by researchers. About 300 balloon bombs were found or observed in America. It remains likely that more balloon bombs lie unexploded in the forests, deserts, lakes and mountains of North America.

And the only known casualties caused by the fire balloons:

On May 5, 1945, a pregnant woman and five children were killed when they discovered a balloon bomb that had landed in the forest of Gearhart Mountain in southern Oregon. Pastor Archie Mitchell and his pregnant wife Elsye drove up to Gearhart Mountain with five of their Sunday school students (aged 11-14)to have a picnic, and Elsye and the children got out of the car while Archie drove on to find a parking spot. As Elsye and the children looked for a good picnic spot, they saw a strange balloon lying on the ground. As the group approached the balloon, a bomb attached to it exploded and Elsye and all five children were killed. Archie witnessed the explosion and immediately ran to the scene and used his hands to extinguish the fire on his wife's and the children's clothing, but he could not save them. [7] They are the only known deaths on the continental U.S. as the result of enemy action during WWII. They are also the only known deaths caused by the balloon bombs.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

Someone may have already mentioned this: bombing the Panama canal locks would have been a BIG mistake for the Japanese, as it would have delayed much needed aid they required to feed their people and rebuild their country (after they lost the war, of course).

[krashkart]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

The Japanese tried the bombings but using balloons. I believe some of these balloons did make landfall on the west coast of the US.

Yes, but most landed in sparsely populated areas. There was one that made headlines when it killed someone in Washington state or Oregon(?). I remember reading about the story back in grade school but the details are fuzzy. Looking for it right now.


EDIT:

Here, a website dedicated to the subject:

http://www.japaneseballoonbombs.com/


EDIT 2:

It was in Oregon. I was close. http://www.japaneseballoonbombs.com/...ombdeaths.html

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by krashkart

Yes, but most landed in sparsely populated areas. There was one that made headlines when it killed someone in Washington state or Oregon(?). I remember reading about the story back in grade school but the details are fuzzy. Looking for it right now.


EDIT:

Here, a website dedicated to the subject:

http://www.japaneseballoonbombs.com/


EDIT 2:

It was in Oregon. I was close. http://www.japaneseballoonbombs.com/...ombdeaths.html

you are correct, I have a short book on the attack on the West Coast.

[tater]

There is an exhibit on this at the International Balloon Museum here in Albuquerque, actually. Includes some actual bomb-balloon parts.

[krashkart]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

We found our sacrifical lamb to watch it.

Glad I came back to this thread... I almost forgot to change channels.


EDIT:

Well, that was a disappointment.

[Sledgehammer427]

well, that was a disappointment.

the lamb has spoken!!
:P

[fred8615]

I found that while the promos played up the "war changing" aspect, the show itself didn't push that theme too much. Other than the biological attack scenario, it seemed to say these subs were intended more for their psychological effect than any real attempt at winning the war.

I did yell at my TV though when they called a B-25 a B-29!