Examples of Japanese Military Strategy

Operation Hawaii:

Yamamoto had plans on neutralizing and sinking the U.S. Fleet in Hawaii Waters, this would allow japan the time to consolidate its empire. The war would begin with a massive blow against the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Americans were unaware of the plan and they see the Japanese to be inferior to them and unsuited as soldiers and aviators.

On November 26, 1941, 6:00 am, the task force sailed to pearl harbor, staying undetected. There was no sun, moon nor stars so the weather was in their favor until the morning they launched their attack, which made navigation difficult. On December 2, they received the message, giving them authorization to attack their prey. By that time the Japanese government was convinced that war was necessary. On December 7, they reached their launch position. At 5:30 a, nagumo launched two scout planes. One to overfly pearl itself and the other to fly over the Lahaina anchorage. The Americans actually tracked the planes but assumed they were friendlies. A little before 6 am, Nagumo turned his carriers into the wind and began to launch the first wave. Then fired a second wave. Nagumo now had 351 aircraft spending toward Pearl, about 90 minutes due south. The Submarines and other crafts arrived in Hawaiian waters some days before. At 6:45 am destroyer ward had opened fired at the Japanese midgets.

The Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal

For the next year, the United States engaged Japan in a protracted struggle for theSolomon Islands, which lay near vital Allied shipping routes. Between August 1942 and February 1943, Allied forces carried out an invasion on the island of Guadalcanal—the beginning of a long series of Allied offensives that would eventually force the Japanese out of the Solomons and t...

... middle of paper ...

...were proud American citizens. Thus, it was psychologically and politically important.

The Marianas were essential to the maintenance of the Japanese Empire for the same strategic military reasons that the Americans desired them. The Japanese initiated Operation A – go in an effort to deal a blow to the American Navy but the battle have come sooner than he had anticipated because of the arrival of the American Task force off the island of Saipan.

On June 11, 1944, Mitcher’s fast carrier task force had begun neutralizing the island’s defenses. The Japanese garrison numbered 30,000 men – two full divisions, in effect. Saito contested the islands water line, as the second and fourth divisions discovered when they landed. Resistance was more than they bargained for. Nagumo lived long enough to witness the sinking of ships by the work of his aviators at Pearl Harbor.