I think the problem guys are having with the Japanese planes can be summed up in two words... Pearl Harbor! That GD sneak attack which took place over 70 years ago still doesn't sit well with a lot of people. And I happen to be one of them. Case in point, last night my wife dragged me to a Sushi restaurant to celebrate her sister's 40th birthday. To avoid an argument I agreed to go, but not once during the evening did I stop looking over my shoulder to see if the chef was sneaking up behind me with a sushi knife nor did I stop eyeing the waiter as he came at us full bore with a dessert tray. Some people just can't let things go.
I appreciate your feelings I lost a 3 family members in the Pacific War. You must realise one thing though, countries don't go to War for little reason. The United States was more powerful in everyway to Japan. The USA military, and USA's ability to produce WAR materials dwarfed the Japanese's mostly agrarian economy. The Japanese attacking the USA was like a NFL quaterback starting a fight with a defensive lineman, a hopeless battle from the start.
So why did they attack the USA?
In every argument and dispute in life there are two sides to the story. The Japanese were not this bunch fiendish characters with coke bottle glass that Hollywood movies portrays. They did not attack USA, and Britian just to kill or make misery. They were NOT attempting to take over the world either. The Japanese wished to the be the dominant power in Asia. They viewed the presence of USA and Britian as western interference in a area of the world where the Japanese felt they should be in charge. Their ambitions were no worse the our's. The USA wanted to be in charge as well, so you can see this would be a major friction point.
USA politicians made things far worse and pushed the Japanese to War by imposing crushing economic sanctions, tariffs, embargo's on the Japanese. Japan felt that she had little choice but to fight. The Congress, The Senate and the President of the USA are very much to blame for the War starting. The policies they enacted convinced the Japanese Government that they were being driven towards extinction. Even a good dog if backed in a corrnor, and poked with a stick long enough will bite. Think of the scene in the Movie "The Christmas Story" where the kid Ralphie is being teased by the big bully. At one point Ralphie goes nuts and attacks the bully. This is kind of what happened to the Japanese ...they had just had enough
The Japanese never even dreamed of invading the USA. Yamamoto's plan was push the US and Britian out of Asia ...then sue for piece. The Japanese were well aware that they lacked the resources to conquer the world. The attack on Pearl was never intended to be a surprise attack, much like the USA politicians failed the American people by pushing the Japanese into War, the Japanese politicians failed their people by not giving timely notice to the USA prior to hostilities commencing.
Please do not misunderstand me, DURING the war the Japanese did many many horrible things to captured people. Their conduct during the War was awful. Nothing excuses this, but the reasons that the war started in the first place has little to do with their conduct during the war, or their surprise attacks. The fact that their attacks were a surprise was a blunder not a plan.
Remember it takes 2 people to argue and have a fight. Each side has their reasons. I hope you find this information helpful.
Helm ...out
