Some say to Japan war with the United States had become inevitable in order to defend its status as a major world power, and since the odds were stacked against them their only chance was the element of surprise.
Curtiss-Wright P-40 Warhawk.
In 1941 a secret team of pilots known as the Flying Tigers crossed the Pacific Ocean on Dutch vessels posing as farmers, mechanics, and missionaries. Along with them was a shipment of 100 Curtiss-Wright P-40 Warhawks transported discreetly aboard third-country freighters. What few knew at the time was that these were American pilots with American planes, on what was supposed to be a very quiet mission with the Republic of China Air Force.
Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor however everything changed, and the Flying Tigers would become a beacon of hope amid the grim developments in the Pacific. Over six months, the 99 American pilots (one had been denied a passport) would reportedly destroy 297 Japanese aircraft with only 14 losses of their own. Video: The Secret American Air Force in China - The Flying Tigers. So lets not forget US pilots under the flag of The "Flying Tigers" had been conducting air ops against Japanese forces on the Chinese mainland ​under the tutelage of
Brigadier General Claire Lee Chennault, since well before Pearl Harbor in any case .. that means the Japs did have a reason to attack no matter what, just that we say it didn't happen.
[ + ] carnold03
[ - ] carnold03 1 point 5 monthsDec 7, 2023 07:01:07 ago (+1/-0)
To say nothing of the fact that by sheer coincidence the entire aircraft carrier component of the pacific fleet was absent from Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked.
It appears to me that Pearl Harbor was an inside job and the navies of western countries seem to do that an awful lot.
[ + ] bonghits4jeebus
[ - ] bonghits4jeebus 0 points 5 monthsDec 7, 2023 03:44:58 ago (+0/-0)