I'd also say the reason this interests me is that the Japanese, regardless of how you can rationalize the reasons as to why it happened, surprised the USA at the beginning of the war. That's the definition of surprise, getting hit without your guard up, and that describes Pearl very accurately IMO.
Now, in recent times, if you discount 9/11 which was a terrorist attack and not an attack by a national military force, the USA has always had surprise, or time, on its side. What I mean is the US military had time to design plans, gather intel, run test exercises, and all of that, prior to the Gulf War, the 2n Iraq invasion, Afghanistan, what have you.
I have a strong belief that the next war, the US won't have that time, and will have to react to widespread area attacks by a well equipped and trained enemy, or even an alliance of enemies. That is going to suck, big time. Anyone else think along these lines? Having days and weeks to pour over maps, look at advanced sat and ISR asset information, use it to create detailed plans of attack and defense...none of that will be possible if another surprise attack comes just like it did in 1941.
Imagine tomorrow, boom, China hits Japan, Vietnam, and Taiwan, whoever else it has been sparring with, with a series of wide spread attacks. Then launches an invasion of Taiwan. Sounds crazy, but wth else can they be planning considering current actions?
What kind of shape is the West in to react to that instantly, without the benefit of weeks and months of planning. Of course, I realize there are "war plans" in drawers for all contingencies, but these always need to be shored up with current information. Ask any war planner if he would want to have to instantly react with plans to stop attacks such as China could launch based on previously created war plans. The enemy always does things you couldn't have had predicted in previous plans, and friendly war planners always are on the defensive when a surprise attack happens.
Given the current cuts to the military, I wonder of the US and the rest of the West even COULD react to such a Chinese attack, without completely crippling the economies. China must know this, and is proceeding accordingly IMO. I don't think that they are confident they would get away with such attacks, and that the US wouldn't wipe the floor with a lot of their force - yet, but I believe that's the direction they are moving towards. Increases military capability, while the US and West's are decreasing, due to budget and money problems mostly.