Damn the Torpedoes

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: spence

Frankly, there are too many things that are tied to the historical outcome BUT Japan spent 4 years invading China and managed only a situation stalemate yet the primary Japanese strategy seems to be "Declare war on the rest of the world(LOL) and everything else will turn out OK". Japan may have had something to do with acv "War in the Pacific" in 1943 (or 1944 before the fall of Saipan) but they only had after that was whether or bot 6here would be a Japanese people to rule over personal suicide...their military wanted them to commit seppuku (extremely (unrealistic).

You do not take into account how important "face" and "honour" were to the Japanese and other Asian peoples. To fail in your duty to the Emperor was automatically a shame that could only be atoned by seppuku. Once the warrior men were gone, the women and children would be expected to follow the same line of thought.

Suicidal death was preferable to conquest and enslavement by evil foreigners. Just ask the Israelis about Masada (isolated plateau next to the Dead Sea) and the Essenes (radical religious sect).

[Yaab]

ORIGINAL: spence

Frankly, there are too many things that are tied to the historical outcome BUT Japan spent 4 years invading China and managed only a situation stalemate yet the primary Japanese strategy seems to be "Declare war on the rest of the world(LOL) and everything else will turn out OK". Japan may have had something to do with acv "War in the Pacific" in 1943 (or 1944 before the fall of Saipan) but they only had after that was whether or bot 6here would be a Japanese people to rule over personal suicide...their military wanted them to commit seppuku (extremely (unrealistic).

This reminds me how Solano Lopez and Paraguay fought Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay at the same time during the Paraguayan War. Just attack all your neighbors and everything should be hunky-dory.

[Dili]

Actually the Japanese offensive in China 1944 was successful, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ichi-Go

[fcooke]

Thanks Ian - it was Christie I was referring to.....I might have to go read about sub ops in the Pacific again. I seem to recall the Oz based boats suffering from higher sinkings (of the subs themselves) than the Pearl boats.

Thanks Gridley - that was the scenario I was referring to. I do think that Japan was using the whalers as tankers at the time (sad attempt at trying to be 'right', hangs head in shame). And without looking it up the Tonans were monsters - something around 20k tons? If empty I have no idea how many torps it would take to sink. Of course if the torps don't explode that point is a bit moot.

Happy day all.