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If you're going to do a segment of history about certain country, you really should find someone so you don't mispronounce their names. "Chiang" is actually pronounced Jiang based on some stupid British transliteration by 2 professors Wade and Giles. But the Brits have done this forever: Italia is Italy, Paree is Paris, Guangdong is Canton, and Beijing is Peiking. No one except the Brits and Japan call it Peiking anymore, and those few too uneducated to learn to use the modern pronunciations.
Thanks for telling a complex story in a concise and understandable way. This presenter's style helps keep things factual yet interesting. Thanks again.
Jesse is my favorite communicator (there are so many other wonderful descriptors for him too) out of any history, or even educational content in general that i’ve ever watched or currently watch. I only wish he could cover all the other topics i’m interested in, however i’m sure he dedicates an immense amount of time to his craft already, as he’s consistently demonstrated. Thanks again for the excellent content!
China was weak, but when Britain and French surrendered to the imperial Japanese army in Indo China with minimum fights, the republic of China still holds the line. The sacrifices Chinese made during this bloody war is immense and should not be underestimated.
Unlike the British and French, the Chinese were fighting to save their homeland. I don’t think anyone underestimates their sacrifice, at least not anyone who has paid attention to the history. The Americans also sacrificed many planes and pilots sending supplies to the Chinese to help them hold off the Japanese. Wars are horrible for everyone, and everyone sacrifices due to the egos of corrupt and arrogant leaders.
but if America doesn't succeed in defeating most of the japanese fleet, maybe china will retreat to the western tip of china or maybe to the soviet union
@@tomaslampu1002 Japan's full-scale invasion began in July 1937. By the end of 1937, Japan's rapid advance had already been halted, and by mid-1938, the front lines had reached a stalemate that lasted until the Pearl Harbor incident three years later, with little change. At this time, Japan had occupied at most one-third of Chinese territory, primarily limited to the eastern urban areas and transportation hubs, while the vast rural regions were dominated by the Communist Party‘s force.
I’d love to see a video on the Burma campaign fought by Britain’s forgotten army. It’s crazy that it’s considered one of the greatest military actions conducted by Britain but so little people know about it.
I think it will get partial coverage alongside with the Second Sino Japanese War in this miniseries. That said, if you want more indepth coverage, the World War 2 channel covered the Battle of Imphal and Kohima earlier this year from March until June in their own Week-by-Week series.
The World War 2 channel is, to my knowledge, the only one that has also covered the entirety of Operation Ichi-Go as well (including strategies, sieges, and the chaotic breakdown between American and Chinese relations in October 1944).
@@e.l.b6435 Oh, I know they absolutely will, but yeah, I was referring to free content on TH-cam. That said, man I was absolutely distraught when they chose to put it behind a paywall. I so was looking forward to their coverage of Operation Cartwheel, the landings at Hollandia, the battles of Imphal and Kohima and Operation Ichi-Go on their channel.
@@extrahistory8956 Maybe they upload it as a Long documentary Like they did with the Guadacanal campaign or with the period beetween Pearl Harbour and Midway
In fact, they were indeed welcomed by the locals at first (Burma, India, etc.), but it soon became apparent that the Japanese were more brutal than the Europeans.
I'm from one of the north eastern states of India, bordering Burma now Myanmar. I had relatives or I know friends who had relatives who fought for either side ie the axis (Japan+ Indian National Army led by SC Bose) and the allies (British India). Some thought the Japanese would help us get rid of the British and India while others thought that the Japanese were cruel to the locals here and also we didn't want to be governed by either party. Anyways after the British left India, some NE states still fought for independence. In 1968, the govt of India bombed the fk out of Mizoram, it started the beginning of the end of their freedom struggle.
In fact, there were many terrorist attacks and massacres targeting Japanese people in China at that time. For example, just before the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, about 250 Japanese civilians and Korean civilians living in Beijing were massacred by Chinese vigilantes. Other massacres such as Hankou Incident(1927), Jinan incident(1928), Nakamura Incident(1931), Ōyama Incident(1937), and Tongzhou mutiny(1937) also occurred. Then in 1937, during the battle of Shanghai, ROC Armed Forces surrounded a Japanese residential area and were about to massacre Japanese civilians, so Japanese troops were deployed to fight back. It seems to me that the Japanese special military operation made more sense than the Russian one.
@@asdfghjjhgf The ROC government and it's people launching terrorist attacks against the Japanese is because one of the reasons is the Japanese launched a false flag event as a pretext for the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria.
@@asdfghjjhgf You forgot to mention all those incidents occurred in Chinese territory annexed by Japan. Wonder why the people would be pissed. Japan also killed thousands more civilians and POWs than China did. Stop spewing Imperial Japanese Propaganda.
@@asdfghjjhgf Are you Japanese? Where did you learn history? You just listed the Japanese war crimes and that's really not funny en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinan_incident
I'm visiting Japan in March. On the way back to California I'm going to island hop to Siapan, Guam, and Pelelui. My wife thinks they are delightful Pacific islands but I'll be touring the battlefields😅
@Crying-Croc I'll be taking 3 weeks off of work. One week on Japan and two weeks hopping around the islands. The Solomons would add another week and I can't take a month off. Those little islands are in the middle of the Pacific and it is expensive to fly there even the flights in between the islands are expensive. One day I'll do the Solomons. It was hard enough talking my wife into going she has no idea what's she's in for especially on Peleliu 😄
As the video started the question made me think of a rts I currently play. Sometimes you have an army and you send it to hurt an enemy, not kill but maybe make em quit or slow their progress. Problem is they know who attacked and send their army to wipe you out now that you used up your available army. Just something that crossed my mind.
Very well done video, albeit this is the phase of the Second Sino-Japanese War is the one that pretty much everyone knows, so I'm excited to see the 1942-1945 section of that war (including Operation Ichi-Go) get more coverage in the next video on this miniseries.
Well, perhaps, in that the declaration of war led Hitler to make his own declaration of war on the US. If he hadn't declared war on the US, we probably would not have gotten directly involved in the European war when we did. That was Churchill's fear, that we would war just on the Japanese and not join in the war against Germany. That Hitler chose to declare war on us, thereby taking on a third country which had greater resources by itself than Germany did, and adding that country to 2 others already at war with him, both with greater resources than Germany, shows that his uncanny instincts, which served him so well up till September 1939, were declining with increasing pace.
@@theBaron0530 Germany declared war on the US because the US was an indirect enemy anyway, supporting Britain and attacking German submarines. The Kriegsmarine had been urging Hitler to be allowed to retaliate, but he held them back.
No. American leadership, is recorded saying multiple times that they wanted to help Europe. The American public however, absolutely did not want to join the war. America would have joined one way or another. Besides, Germany and Italy signed their death warrants the moment they declared war on anyone. It was a war that couldn’t possibly be won. And it was only initiated because of how blindly stupid and racist their respective leaders were.
The US was already supplying China with weapons and the Flying Tigers was formed in April 1941. The US started the war. Similar to how US fund and gives weapons to Ukraine.
I just recently found out my great grandfather was one of the Japanese soldiers involved in the attack and I had some anxiety thinking about it when I found out. I’m 33 years old and just learned an about this given that I’m a Soldier in the U.S. Army, my dad was actually adopted from Japan, so it was his biological grandfather that was a Japanese soldier involved in the attack, so that’s why this information is so new to me. I literally almost wanted to get out of the Army ashamed that I am part of a bloodline responsible for the damage and lives lost at Pearl Harbor. With a few therapy sessions and doing research I started understanding more and more about what my great grandfather had to go through. I realize he was a soldier just like I was and his job is to take orders given to him just like me, and we have no choice but to carry out orders given to us. Only difference between us I chose to be a soldier and he probably didn’t. So with the new information and knowledge I learned, I learned to accept my biological great grandfather as a family member and just accept that is all in the past now.
@@andredeketeleastutecomplex No, because Japan wanted to expand and started the war, so all of that wouldn't have happened if they didn't start anything. Use your brain.
The most annoying misconception is that "Japan had no idea what they were getting into". Japan understood exactly who they were up against from day one, Japanese officers calculated their own chances of victory at around 1/10. Why still go to war then? Because they felt backed into a corner and that they had no alternative. The Japanese military, economy, and society were completely dependent on foreign oil, so when the embargo hit, they were quite literally counting down the days until their oil bunkers dried up. They were put in situation where they could allow themselves to be starved into submission and international irrelevance, or they could give fight and maybe come out on top. Moreover the Japanese were very critical of what they saw as Western hypocrisy. The US, UK, Dutch, etc. were free to build vast colonial empires on the backs of other peoples, but when Japan attempted to do the same, she was condemned internationally and embargoed. This is why when Cordell Hull & the FDR administration refused to offer Imperial Japan a modus vivendi, they opted to try their hand at open conflict as opposed to going down quietly.
You are rationalizing the single most airheaded military decision in human history. No competent society enters into a war with only a 1 out of 10 chance of victory. That is actually more ridiculous than making a mistake. The Japanese could have found oil in the Dutch East Indies or Siberia. They could have also done like the Germans and refined coal into oil. Attacking the U.S. was the single worst decision they could have possibly made, given the circumstances.
@@WillieFungo He didn't say it wasn't a mistake. He is saying it was a calculated one. We have the benefit of perfect hindsight AND information. The Japanese (or anyone) did not. The Japanese had a historical precedent for success in "Iaijutsu" against seemingly overwhelming odds. Lately defeating the Russians, but also stretching back into ancient history. They had a rational right to believe it could have been successful.
@@obsidianjane4413 What he actually said was quote "Japanese officers calculated their own chances of victory at around 1/10 ". In other words, they knew the Pearl Harbor attack was a stupid decision, but made it anyways. Odds like that don't rise to the level of a calculated mistake. They are blatant incompetence, and it doesn't take perfect hindsight to see it. You seem to be idealizing the Japanese and playing into their mysticism. But this was a supposedly modern and industrialized country that should have been capable of making sound military decisions. Maybe they should have asked themselves why "Iaijutsu" and Bushido didn't help them beat the Chinese (who fought them to a stalemate) before attacking a country literally 30 times stronger.
@@WillieFungo I'm not "rationalizing" anything, simply explaining their thinking and why they made the decisions they did. Japan has little coal or indeed any natural resources, certainly nowhere near enough to sustain themselves industrially. And the Japanese *were* looking for oil in the east indies, it's what the Pacific War was fought over. They attacked the US because it repeatedly stated it would go to war with Japan if it made any moves to seize British or Dutch territories in the region. Thus the need to neutralize US military capabilities at Pearl Harbor. Call it "stupid" all you want, but to the Japanese, 10% chance of success was preferable to the 100% chance of defeat if they did nothing.
Could you do a video on the battle of Alaska in World War Two? It was the Japanese invasion launched alongside the battle of Midway. It’s a hugely overlooked part of the pacific war. The American and Canadian forces were outgunned and under supplied, facing a vastly superior Japanese force while equipped with only ww1 gear and ships. If the Japanese succeeded they could have stopped lend lease to the soviets and raided the west coast of the US.
It’s overlooked because with hindsight we know it wasn’t a real invasion. It was a diversionary tactic meant to trick America into sending part of its fleet and army. It didn’t work at all. And when American troops did arrive, the territory was basically empty of the enemy.
This was always very confusing to me because they had been invading China for years and they started another war before the war with China had finished
The US was promoting political isolation after WWI and Roosevelt had his hands tied against German aggression except for providing defensive material to England. Japan felt the US was too weak to be a threat while they collaborated with Hitler to split influence in the world of their conquest. America slept while the world was being carved by these two powerful nations. When awakened with resolve America responded with determination using their greater production capability and inspired military to even the odds. The A-bomb would have been used on Germany if developed 6 months sooner.
I believe say the sanctions were both a response to expansion and a provocation to Japan. The sanctions were definitely a response to Japan’s invasion and Japan thought the terms to end them were unacceptable and they felt backed into a corner. In regards to what inspired Japan to expand, they referenced Americas manifest destiny and even called it that to try and get US approval. They also looked at the European powers / empires and looked to imitate them in order to get guaranteed access to natural resources.
And on top of gaining access to natural resources, they also wanted to defeat China and kick the European powers out of east Asia thus removing potential security threats and becoming a regional hegemon. They likely would have had their own monroe doctrine if they were successful.
Yeah, the United States, Britain, France, and other powers have colonized the world in the past. Japan started the Mukden Incident and made Manchuria a puppet state, but those countries reacted violently and isolated Japan from the international community. I guess Japan felt it was unfair and racist to be subjected to such a measure when all it did was imitate their imperialism.
That was a stupid mistake by the Japanese cause they could have done what they eventually did and invade South East Asia with the exception of the Philippines and gotten all of the oil and tin they needed without bombing Pearl Harbor. People today really underestimate how strong the anti war movement and isolationist movement in the United States was. Roosevelt couldn't get the American people to get into the war even if he paid them to. The American people were absolutely resolutely not interested in any shape or form in getting into a war with either Germany or Japan They could have done what the Germans begged them to do which was open a second front on the USSR through Siberia as German forces were 40 km from Moscow and gotten all the natural resources they needed from the USSR and split the USSR in half with Germany. The they could há é build up a massive military 4x to 6x stronger than what they had and together with Germany after the defeat of the USSR then take on the United States There was so many things the Japanese could have done without Bombing Pearl Harbor. Out of all the things they could have done they went and did the most stupid thing. Not open a second front on the USSR and bomb Pearl Harbor and bring on the United States into the war. The Germans were incredibly stupid as well for declaring war on the United States without finishing the USSR and the UK.
Seeing the way the us government is today and assuming it has always done everything for its own benefit and control, this makes sense. And the powers to be at the time absolutely did not want Japan to expand and we’re quite concerned with that prospect.
The colleague "hypercriticalhistory" dismantled the claim, Japan ever tried to invade Australia. There were never enough (land) forces available to implement such a plan. Even to meet Japan's own estimates.
It was the only viable option left to Japan from their perspective. This is what happens when nations (the US) fail to offer a modus vivendi or an "off-ramp" to nations it is in conflict with. Moreover Japan was in no mood to be lectured by Western powers that had already built their colonial empires, while Japan struggled to assert hers.
@@_ArsNovaI'm not sure that's at all different than saying Putin's only choice is to continue pursuing the war of aggression in Ukraine. Sure, realistically, that's what happens, but if they give up the megalomaniac goals they can just stop the war of aggression and go back to the previous strategy that had actually been very successful before all the corruption and grandstanding started.
Completely disagree. They could have left China, or at least Indochina. This was entirely an ego thing. Unless the "circumstance" you mean is that they had to feed their ego, in which case, sure.
@@DrVictorVasconcelos Not true, at least mostly. There were very real geopolitical factors that drove their decision making. In order to be competitive with other major states, they needed foreign resources and a buffer zone of territory and "allied" (puppet) states. Beyond that, Japan saw China as a potential threat because of its instability, coupled with its huge resources and population. If either the communists or nationalists came out on top and unified the country they would resume being Japan's primary threat. Japan stuck when China was weak and if they withdrew, when China did get its stuff together, they would have a grudge to settle. You don't get to just say "just kidding" after you invade someone.
@artisaorimus : The main reason that the Japanese army attacked the U S army stationed in Pearl Hatbout was the U S military unit in the harbour completely block the oil-tankers passing through the bay. It was a deliberate attempt on the part of the U S to pull Japan into WW II.😢😢.
@@antxaveace Roosevelt was in a tough situation. He was supporting Britain by sending convoys of military equipment thru the lend lease act. The US couldn't tolerate Japanese aggression in China and the US was the number one oil supplier to Japan. He knew it was a matter of time before the US joined the war, but he needed complete support in Congress and citizens at home. You sound like you're excusing Japan , but they caused all of this to happen. Japan made the decision to attack, but they wanted the ultimatum delivered just before in Washington. Toto never wanted a diplomatic solution. Once the fleet was in place they attacked.
Ang pagkabahala at pagnanais itanggol ang sarili ay nalagay sa maling disesyon kaya ngayon labis kitang hinahangaan hindi dahil magaling ka kondi dahil tahimik mong ibinabahagi ang kapayaan na nasa loob nating lahat na marurunong
This video ignores the time before 1930s. Even since US began to build its naval baces in Hawai island, Japan was very worried about those bases. They represented US power in Pacific ocean and could be turned against Japan. Not to mention the naval treaties after WW1 between Japan, US and UK made sure that Japan would have less ships than US or UK, which were seen in Japan as unequal treaties.
Under the understanding at the time of naval strategy, unless the US and British Empire acted together, something that wasn't going to happen before 1941, the Japanese had sufficient naval power to dominate the Western Pacific, such that the US Army and Navy, up until MacArthur convinced them otherwise, wrote off the Philippines and by the mid-1930s expected it to take three years to even approach them with naval and ground forces. Isoroku Yamamoto and the other "Treaty" officers were right. From 1922-1940, the US never built up to the treaty authorized strength. In 1940, the ratio was more like 71% rather than 66% of US strength. Hawaii and Singapore, like Port Arthur and the Japanese homeland, were outside the restrictions of the Four Power Treaty, which kept the US from modernizing its military and naval bases in Guam and the Philippines.
Excellent summary. There are two points which I believe were important but not mentioned. When discussing junior Japanese officers the murder Japanese government officials strengthened Japan''s Army power. On the other hand, Christian missionaries in China pressured America to support China They had political power in America.
"Christian missionaries in China pressured America to support China" You mean like Father Wendelin Dunker, who wrote on the Japanese in China: “They killed anybody and everybody for no reason at all[...]Every town they enter is another Nanking on a small scale.”
finally a history channel that doesn't use embarrassing cartoons
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Very nice Video. It is interesting how important China was for Japan the time, when that theater of war is largely overlooked by western historiagrophy. And it is a shame that a top Video like this only has less then 30k views.
Although the Japanese Army leaders grossly underestimated the US capacity, they were correct about their willingness to fight the war. But in the long run, even their fighting spirit got crushed.
Isoroku Yamamoto was originally against war with America. They knew that they could win in a short-term decisive battle, but in a long-term battle, Japan, which lacked resources, had no chance of winning. He had studied abroad at Harvard University and knew about the USA. I have heard that Japan's army was running out of control and could not be stopped. Manchuria is a specific example.
My father was in the first draft in January 1941. It was for a year. On December 6th he was on a ship heading out into the pacific. The ship returned the next day. I often wonder where he was headed and if he would have survived if Pearl Harbor was attacked the following year. He spent two years in Iceland and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
I see a picture of a statue of a pair of creature, which looks quite similar to the emblem in Kangla Fort in Kangleipak, once a princely kingdom (present day Manipur, now a northeast state India) bordering Burma (Myanmar).The Japanese came to Manipur during when it was under the British regime and moreover the time when the Allied Forces were in high aggression over Europe and Asia against the Exist Forces during the end of the world War II. Please explore and make a documentary on Manipur, once called Kangleipak, a small but dynamic kingdom, now becomes a state in far-east India (known as northeast). I wanna what is that picture and where it is located. Love and enjoy this channel very fondly. From Manipur, India.
Japan's full-scale invasion began in July 1937. By the end of 1937, Japan's rapid advance had already been halted, and by mid-1938, the front lines had reached a stalemate that lasted until the Pearl Harbor incident three years later, with little change. At this time, Japan had occupied at most one-third of Chinese territory, primarily limited to the eastern urban areas and transportation hubs, while the vast rural regions were dominated by the Communist Party‘s force
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and several other places, to protect their flank while advancing southward. (The attacks were simultaneous, which is not apparent because of time zone and date line differences.)
While the Japanese thought attacking Pearl Harbor might have seem like a brilliant way to start a war with USA, by eliminating the bulk of Americas Pacific fleet in one bold stroke. The fact that our carriers were out of port that day, doomed it to failure from the get-go. But even if they had been in port, Japen would have never been able to out-manufacture America. So ultimately, Pearl Harbor was an epic blunder for Japan.
all of you dont know that Japan claimed themselves as The Light of Asia, The Leader of Asia? Yes, they declared it. so they decided to rule whole Asia, started from China. I am glad allied defeated it, before Japan invaded my country longer and destroyed the nation, my grandpa was one of local teen who was forced to board their ship and worked as labour in Singapore base.
I once read that the Japanese were more concerned with the Chi-Coms (understandably) What I can't figure out is WHY didn't Japan make some sort of deal with Chiang Kai-Shek and the Nationalists ??
Any further information on the initial conflict between the nationalists and communists would give better insight to the situation present in the region today, I would think? Thx. for the info. 👍
Initially both were supported by Soviet Union to counter against Japan’s influence over China. But nationalist and Chiang wanted to developed a more independent way to avoid Soviet’s influence, so they were abandoned by Soviet and lost mainland China. OTOH, though communist showed very much of their loyalty to Soviet after PRC established, Stalin didn’t buy in all and raised Korean war thus enforced PRC’s involvement. I doubt he must knew Taiwan would be separated from China before he started Korean war. On China matters during that time, U.S. was mostly a passively engaged, defensive player. Maybe because China is far away from U.S. and didn’t care much about China’s destiny. The main strategy of U.S. is to prevent the emerge of a super power which threatens U.S. overseas interests.
The Russo-Japanese war ending in 1905 doesn't get a mention, but it's the false analogy that in my opinion made the attack on Pearl Harbor (echoing the Japanese attack on Port Arthur) seem reasonable to some Japanese. That St. Petersburg gave up made the idea that Washington DC would as well seem plausible to them. (Also, it wasn't the junior Army officers, but Admiral Yamamoto, who pushed for the attack on Pearl Harbor.)
Japan had a deep seeded resentment over the Perry Expedition, which threatened Japan to open their borders for the world, since Japan was an isolstionist country. Yet Vice Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, who was taught at Harvard, knew the industrial might of the United States, and never thought they could win against America in a war. Ted Nomura, writer, and artist for Antarctic Press, who had made the 1946 Histories Of Altered Wars, touches upon this in his comics, as well. However, there are far more issues because of why Japan went to war with the United States. Now to do the honourable thing, and subscribe! Take care, and all the best.
America,despite the wishes of FDR,was probably still an isolationist country so, if Japan hadn't attacked Pearl Harbour or invaded the Philippines would the US have declared war?Could Japan have got away with invading Malasia,the Dutch East Indies,Burma and then India?Still,if you can't conquer China it doesn't make much sense to look for another enemy.
Considering Japan was opened, forcefully by the US just 80 years earlier, who then started and continued to profit from Japan's modernisation and expansion programmes, it doesn't seem accurate to describe the US as "isolationist".
@@michaelebbage9166yeah if you really think about it pearl harbor was our fault for getting involved with their affairs in the 1880-90s and then getting involved with the sino-Japanese war. Not saying the Japanese government didnt do anything wrong as they did commit war crimes but something tells me we should’ve stayed out of it
During World War II, China was still an agricultural country with no industrial foundation and could not produce even a bullet. However, Japan completed Western industrial civilization earlier than China. China was an agricultural country at that time, and it was already very powerful in being able to withstand the crazy attacks of the Japanese war machine in World War II.
You know what you don't hear here? How much of x did peacetime Japan require? And who in Japan required it? Let's take oil. Everyone mentions it. First and foremost the US was not the world's largest _exporter_ in the 1930s. It was the largest producer. And it was also the largest consumer. Venezuela was the largest exporter. By a lot. In 1928, Venezuela surpassed the United States as the world’s largest oil exporter, and by 1936, it was exporting almost as much oil as the next seven exporters combined-the US, Peru, Iran, Romania, the Dutch East Indies, Iraq, and the Soviet Union (43.05 million tons versus 44.39 million tons). Oil was cheap too. In the late 1930's US crude was about $1 _a barrel_ - $21.82 in today's money. Venezuelan crude was cheaper. So cheap in fact that the US imposed tariffs on it 1932. The US has been buying 99% of Venezuela's output before the tariffs. Why was the US buying so much if it had plentiful oil? Business logic. Cheaper oil defeats expensive oil in the marketplace until the gov't stacks the deck. Venezuela simply shifted exports to Europe. Yet Japan never seriously explored buying oil from either Venezuela or Mexico (that had been a major producer in the 1920s). Japan had 0.5% of the motor vehicles the US had in 1940. And in 1938 it imposed rationing on civilian use of petroleum products. At war's start in 1941 only civilian trucks could buy fuel, and these were restricted to 1/3 the amount in 1936. Japanese rail ran on coal and electricity - Japan had plenty of coal. Japan was one of the most electrified counties in the world, and depending of the season 75% to 80% of electricity was generated by hydroelectric dams. It could have been more had Japan built larger reservoirs. The remainder was thermal - coal. Keep in mind that most Japanese had very few electrical appliances. The electric iron was ubiquitous. Yet in 1940 only half of households had a radio. For most of them it was couple of lightbulbs. Farmers had electrical rice husking and polishing machines, and the irrigation system had been converted from fuel to electricity. Those farmers involved in sericulture used electricity as well. Industry relied on electricity and coal (as well as coal gas). This should not surprise you. Coal was king in the US at the same time as well, and the US consumed much more oil than anyone else. Peace time Japan (pre-'37 invasion of China) consumed about 25 million barrels of oil per annum. About $28 million dollars (or 98 million yen at the exchange rate of 3.5 yen = $1 in December '36 and oil was $1.12 per barrel). To put this in perspective, Japan's import of US raw cotton to manufacture cotton textiles and rayon was $88.3 million in '36 - much of this would be exported to earn dollars. Japan's import of US oil in '38 was about $49.7 million in 1938, and this was due to the war with China. Imports of US cotton dropped to $52.8 million; Japan had shifted to the war mobilisation economy and dollar earning exports decreased. In 1940, Japan sought to diversity its oil imports from the US to the Dutch East Indies. On 12 Sep '40, a delegation led by Ichizo Kobayashi, Minister of Commerce and Industry, started negotiations in Batavia (later Jakarta) for the purchase of DEI oil and the acquisition of oil fields and exploration rights in the East Indies. Tokyo wanted 50% of the islands' production (61.6 million barrels in 1939 but Japan was dealing with earlier production figures that were a bit less.), which would have required much more Dutch oil tanker shipping at the expense of Britain's cause. At the time the East Indies supplied about 10% of Japan's crude. Ten days later Japanese troops entered neutral French Indochina - this surely rattled the Dutch. On 27 September, Tokyo joined the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, and because the Netherlands was at war with and occupied by the Germans, the stance of the Dutch East Indies colonial government stiffened. Perhaps Tokyo wagered these moves would sufficiently strike fear in Governor-General Van Mook and he would cave. He didn't. By October 1940, negotiations had reached a deadlock. The Japanese were told that the Dutch government was not an oil merchant; Japan would have to negotiate with the oil companies. Japan demanded to pay in yen. The Dutch replied only guilders and dollars were accepted. Japan then demanded 3.5 million tons of crude and aviation fuel. (Depending on the specific gravity a ton of oil is between 6.8 and 7.6 barrels, so 3.5 million tons is about 25.5 million barrels.) The Dutch replied that most of its production was already contracted with others. Japan's demand the Dutch accept payment in yen, which was not an international currency, reveals a lot. Japan wanted to bring DEI into its yen bloc. In the end, Japan got about one-third its demand and no aviation fuel. Japan was trying to 1) conserve its dollars and gold, 2) expand the yen bloc from Formosa, Korea, Manchuria, and Northern China to DEI, 3) remove European and American competitors from the markets Japan wanted to take over, and 4) prevent the emergence of an economic rival in Asia. Why? The Japanese military was keen to attain economic autarky, though Japan's move to autarky began years earlier in 1907 when it nationalised most of the railroads and required the now state-owned rail company to buy Japanese-made locomotives and wagons exclusively. These moves towards autarky would continue. Further, in the 1920s Manchuria began to rapidly develop (state finance, electrification of Manchurian cities, railway construction, import of 5 million Chinese settlers to address labour shortfall, and military industries) under the rule of Zhang Zuolin with some Japanese assistance - he used these resources and wealth in the attempt to conquer China, which Tokyo supported. After his death - the Kwantung Army assassinated him on 4 June 1928 for not following their instructions to hold off the Chinese nationalists - his son, Zhang Xueliang, attained leadership and pivoted. He had no desire to wage war on the Kuomintang (KMT). Under the banner of the New Manchuria Pioneer, Zhang the younger laid out his industrial policy, featuring retooling the military industry to produce for the civilian machines and tools market, supporting consumer products manufacturing that could break Japanese monopolies, encouraging the formation of industrial associations in a number sectors with government auspices or endorsement, welcoming foreign investments (especially by overseas Chinese) that don’t infringe Chinese sovereign rights, and last but not least fighting for mining rights with the Japanese. He began to build railways to rival Japan's. He supported KMT import tariffs levied on Japanese-mined Manchurian coal. In 1931 Manchuria began commercial manufacture of its own trucks. Suddenly the Kwantung Army-run (really IJA) South Manchurian Railway Company, which was an industrial conglomerate and not just a rail line, saw the emergence of a rival that could spoil its plans. This led to Japan's take over of Manchuria in '31 by deposing Zhang the younger. Seven point three per cent (7.3%) of Japan's pre-'37 war energy requirements were fulfilled by petroleum - everything else was coal, hydroelectric, charcoal (used for home heating and cooking). This was gov't, military, civilian, and business consumption combined. Keep in mind at the time Japan had the world's third largest navy, and a navy consumes a lot of oil. We know Japan had few motor vehicles and rail was mostly coal and electric. Civilian aviation was miniscule. Who else in Japan consumed a lot oil? The merchant fleet, which was also the world's third largest. This was a mix of coal-fueled steamships and bunker-fueled motorships. And the fishing fleet, the world's largest. The fishing fleet was almost entirely smaller vessels of less than 500 tons grt and they were motorships - no room to store coal. Japan's national budget increased 435% from 1931 to 1939, and the military was up to 75% of gov't spending in the late 1930s. Yet, few in the IJA and the IJN cared about the economy other than it was to serve their goals. The last fella to think sanely about the economy was Admiral Kato Tomosaburo who in 1922 realised that an arms race with the UK and the US would be economically ruinous for Japan. He decided to accept the 5:5:3 capital ship ratio. Peace was cheaper than an arms race. This outraged the hotheads in the IJN, and after Kato died in '23 most of his adherents in the IJN were sidelined. Over time there was less and less civilian control of the military, and after a few assassinations of military critics the military was in charge by the 1930s. BTW, Japan was sitting atop 16 billion barrels of oil at Daqing, Manchuria and didn't realise it. The answer to its oil problem was under its feet. But it wanted autarky so it endeavoured to limit/reduce foreign participation in its territories. If only it had allowed in foreign geologists skilled in oil exploration.
The US supported Japanese by selling oil , steel and even weapons to Japan. After Japan started taking the Philippines ,US stopped the oil and steel supply.
They got tired of killing Chinese non-combatants, and wanted to up their game....but they almost upped themselves off the face of the earth....luckily, for them,, they heeded Truman's warning about what would happen if they didn't surrender...
they needed the oil and resources in phillipines, indonesia, and australia----they knew that the us would oppose so they thought knocking navy out at pearl harbor then wed be down for the count and didnt think well of US military or US resolve.......failed to realized that they being sneaky and attacking Pearl Harbor with no declaration---sealed their fate......and within a year they had lost and only matter of time after that.
Because of Philippines, Philippines is under usa ,Japan need to expand to Malaysia and Indonesia for oil but they need to conquer the Philippines first , because Philippines is in middle of south East Asia and Asia Pacific , Philippines have air and sea defense, after japan attacked pearl harbor, minutes ago they also attack the Philippines and conquer
To help Russia, who they had a peace treaty with until 2 weeks before the war ended. Germany declared war on America as soon as America declared war on Japan.
I always wondered if Japan wanted support from other Asian countries and these particular countries want independence from Europe why did they treat them so badly they treat them so badly that the Europeans didn't look so bad I never understood why
Because the story was warped due to the lost of the war. The Japanese helped to build the infrastructures in S.E. Asian countries, Korea and China too.
the emperor backs down For the first time he wants to move forward with Diplomacy Impossible step backs are required just to negotiate A "deadlock" situation occurs Yeah sure, America was definitely just a defensive force. You see someone running wild in your "backyard", you let them hit you when you could have stopped them. Then you destroy them for "self-defense".
The map at 18:25 is ridiculous. Japan had nowhere close to the military capability to stretch the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere that far and the Japanese leaders knew it at the time.
Idea of Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere is only a little different then moden China's Belt & Road Intiiative. Just another form of empire building. China-Russia-Iran-North Korea pact is just another Axis Pact.
The US had been already sneakily attacking the Japanese with its US air force Flying Tigers and Chiang Kai-shek troops years before Pearl Harbor without declaring any war against Japan. That's the dirty way of FDR, FDR couldn't open war officially since he promised he wouldn't join the war. He is the big bullshit fooling you.
It was not because of China that the US and Japan traded more and more each year from 1931 to 1941. It was the US that supported Japan's long war in China until the Japanese invaded Indochina, which was a European and American colony
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You're missing the secret pact between the US and Britain via Ireland. Tell the thruth
@11
If you're going to do a segment of history about certain country, you really should find someone so you don't mispronounce their names. "Chiang" is actually pronounced Jiang based on some stupid British transliteration by 2 professors Wade and Giles. But the Brits have done this forever: Italia is Italy, Paree is Paris, Guangdong is Canton, and Beijing is Peiking. No one except the Brits and Japan call it Peiking anymore, and those few too uneducated to learn to use the modern pronunciations.
excellent overview of this complicated situation
Thanks for telling a complex story in a concise and understandable way. This presenter's style helps keep things factual yet interesting. Thanks again.
The entertainment value of this channel's content is a cut above everyone else. It's just so much more watchable than similar programs.
Thanks!
Top notch. A numbr un2
Agreed 👍
Jesse is my favorite communicator (there are so many other wonderful descriptors for him too) out of any history, or even educational content in general that i’ve ever watched or currently watch. I only wish he could cover all the other topics i’m interested in, however i’m sure he dedicates an immense amount of time to his craft already, as he’s consistently demonstrated. Thanks again for the excellent content!
Thanks a lot for the kind words.
China was weak, but when Britain and French surrendered to the imperial Japanese army in Indo China with minimum fights, the republic of China still holds the line. The sacrifices Chinese made during this bloody war is immense and should not be underestimated.
Also the Communists based in Yenan were actively fighting Guerrilla war and even larger battles like 100 regiment offensive
Unlike the British and French, the Chinese were fighting to save their homeland. I don’t think anyone underestimates their sacrifice, at least not anyone who has paid attention to the history. The Americans also sacrificed many planes and pilots sending supplies to the Chinese to help them hold off the Japanese. Wars are horrible for everyone, and everyone sacrifices due to the egos of corrupt and arrogant leaders.
but if America doesn't succeed in defeating most of the japanese fleet, maybe china will retreat to the western tip of china or maybe to the soviet union
@@tomaslampu1002 Japan's full-scale invasion began in July 1937. By the end of 1937, Japan's rapid advance had already been halted, and by mid-1938, the front lines had reached a stalemate that lasted until the Pearl Harbor incident three years later, with little change. At this time, Japan had occupied at most one-third of Chinese territory, primarily limited to the eastern urban areas and transportation hubs, while the vast rural regions were dominated by the Communist Party‘s force.
I’d love to see a video on the Burma campaign fought by Britain’s forgotten army. It’s crazy that it’s considered one of the greatest military actions conducted by Britain but so little people know about it.
I think it will get partial coverage alongside with the Second Sino Japanese War in this miniseries. That said, if you want more indepth coverage, the World War 2 channel covered the Battle of Imphal and Kohima earlier this year from March until June in their own Week-by-Week series.
The World War 2 channel is, to my knowledge, the only one that has also covered the entirety of Operation Ichi-Go as well (including strategies, sieges, and the chaotic breakdown between American and Chinese relations in October 1944).
@@extrahistory8956I think the Kings And Generals Channel will also mention This in their Pacific war Series, sadly its behind a paywall this days
@@e.l.b6435 Oh, I know they absolutely will, but yeah, I was referring to free content on TH-cam. That said, man I was absolutely distraught when they chose to put it behind a paywall. I so was looking forward to their coverage of Operation Cartwheel, the landings at Hollandia, the battles of Imphal and Kohima and Operation Ichi-Go on their channel.
@@extrahistory8956 Maybe they upload it as a Long documentary Like they did with the Guadacanal campaign or with the period beetween Pearl Harbour and Midway
For the algorithm great video thanks
The Japanese thought Asians would rise up to support imperial Japan? Wow that’s gotta be some of the craziest thinking
In fact, they were indeed welcomed by the locals at first (Burma, India, etc.), but it soon became apparent that the Japanese were more brutal than the Europeans.
I'm from one of the north eastern states of India, bordering Burma now Myanmar. I had relatives or I know friends who had relatives who fought for either side ie the axis (Japan+ Indian National Army led by SC Bose) and the allies (British India). Some thought the Japanese would help us get rid of the British and India while others thought that the Japanese were cruel to the locals here and also we didn't want to be governed by either party.
Anyways after the British left India, some NE states still fought for independence. In 1968, the govt of India bombed the fk out of Mizoram, it started the beginning of the end of their freedom struggle.
@@SlimJim3082mizoram is peaceful because it's in india or else it would have been a failed country like myanmar
@noahpeng1689
Which, given what the Europeans DID to those nations & their people...yeah that says ALOT about the cruelty of the Japanese Empire
Very informative. Thank you, RTH!
This reminded me of Ukraine because Japan did actually used the context similar to "Special Military Operation" as an excuse to invade China in 1937.
In fact, there were many terrorist attacks and massacres targeting Japanese people in China at that time. For example, just before the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, about 250 Japanese civilians and Korean civilians living in Beijing were massacred by Chinese vigilantes. Other massacres such as Hankou Incident(1927), Jinan incident(1928), Nakamura Incident(1931), Ōyama Incident(1937), and Tongzhou mutiny(1937) also occurred. Then in 1937, during the battle of Shanghai, ROC Armed Forces surrounded a Japanese residential area and were about to massacre Japanese civilians, so Japanese troops were deployed to fight back. It seems to me that the Japanese special military operation made more sense than the Russian one.
@@asdfghjjhgf The ROC government and it's people launching terrorist attacks against the Japanese is because one of the reasons is the Japanese launched a false flag event as a pretext for the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria.
@@asdfghjjhgf You forgot to mention all those incidents occurred in Chinese territory annexed by Japan. Wonder why the people would be pissed. Japan also killed thousands more civilians and POWs than China did. Stop spewing Imperial Japanese Propaganda.
🤣u funny
@@asdfghjjhgf Are you Japanese? Where did you learn history? You just listed the Japanese war crimes and that's really not funny
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinan_incident
Siempre agradeceré a este
gran canal
I'm visiting Japan in March. On the way back to California I'm going to island hop to Siapan, Guam, and Pelelui. My wife thinks they are delightful Pacific islands but I'll be touring the battlefields😅
@Crying-Croc I'll be taking 3 weeks off of work. One week on Japan and two weeks hopping around the islands. The Solomons would add another week and I can't take a month off. Those little islands are in the middle of the Pacific and it is expensive to fly there even the flights in between the islands are expensive. One day I'll do the Solomons. It was hard enough talking my wife into going she has no idea what's she's in for especially on Peleliu 😄
As the video started the question made me think of a rts I currently play. Sometimes you have an army and you send it to hurt an enemy, not kill but maybe make em quit or slow their progress. Problem is they know who attacked and send their army to wipe you out now that you used up your available army. Just something that crossed my mind.
Very well done video, albeit this is the phase of the Second Sino-Japanese War is the one that pretty much everyone knows, so I'm excited to see the 1942-1945 section of that war (including Operation Ichi-Go) get more coverage in the next video on this miniseries.
so you like to hear the lies of the synagogue of satan over the actual truth?
@@pilotamurorei What in God's green earth are you talking about?!
This is one of the best channels on TH-cam
Japan didn't just initiate their own demise by attacking the US, Japan's action also ultimately resulted in Germany's and Italy's defeat.
Well, perhaps, in that the declaration of war led Hitler to make his own declaration of war on the US. If he hadn't declared war on the US, we probably would not have gotten directly involved in the European war when we did. That was Churchill's fear, that we would war just on the Japanese and not join in the war against Germany.
That Hitler chose to declare war on us, thereby taking on a third country which had greater resources by itself than Germany did, and adding that country to 2 others already at war with him, both with greater resources than Germany, shows that his uncanny instincts, which served him so well up till September 1939, were declining with increasing pace.
@@theBaron0530 Germany declared war on the US because the US was an indirect enemy anyway, supporting Britain and attacking German submarines. The Kriegsmarine had been urging Hitler to be allowed to retaliate, but he held them back.
But Japan did eventually end all European occupation in Asia.
The hypocrisy was exposed.
No. American leadership, is recorded saying multiple times that they wanted to help Europe. The American public however, absolutely did not want to join the war. America would have joined one way or another. Besides, Germany and Italy signed their death warrants the moment they declared war on anyone. It was a war that couldn’t possibly be won. And it was only initiated because of how blindly stupid and racist their respective leaders were.
I don’t think that’s true. The US was entering the war one way or another.
What's amazing for me is all the footage from the time, it makes me think 'who thought of getting a camera to that kind of places?'
The cameraman never dies!
That's what happens if you believe your own ideology ;-(
Japan attacked because the US cut off its supply of steel. Japan also needed SE Asia for oil and rubber and didn't want the US to intervene.
So there is no steel industry in Manchuria ? & the Korean Peninsula ?
US cut off japans supply of steel because US wants the steel for themselves and was just pretending to intervene.
The US was already supplying China with weapons and the Flying Tigers was formed in April 1941.
The US started the war. Similar to how US fund and gives weapons to Ukraine.
@@f430ferrari5yup, and us works for small hats
Thank you for your superb channel
Currently reading John Toland's "The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire." Amazing, engrossing stuff.
I just recently found out my great grandfather was one of the Japanese soldiers involved in the attack and I had some anxiety thinking about it when I found out. I’m 33 years old and just learned an about this given that I’m a Soldier in the U.S. Army, my dad was actually adopted from Japan, so it was his biological grandfather that was a Japanese soldier involved in the attack, so that’s why this information is so new to me. I literally almost wanted to get out of the Army ashamed that I am part of a bloodline responsible for the damage and lives lost at Pearl Harbor. With a few therapy sessions and doing research I started understanding more and more about what my great grandfather had to go through. I realize he was a soldier just like I was and his job is to take orders given to him just like me, and we have no choice but to carry out orders given to us. Only difference between us I chose to be a soldier and he probably didn’t. So with the new information and knowledge I learned, I learned to accept my biological great grandfather as a family member and just accept that is all in the past now.
Another great , highly informative video . Thank you , sir .
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor because of Japan.
No, because of the murhican embargo on Japan. Educate yourself.
@@andredeketeleastutecomplex No, because Japan wanted to expand and started the war, so all of that wouldn't have happened if they didn't start anything. Use your brain.
Love the content from this channel. Its very informative and well made! Ive been watching this channel for about a year now.
Thanks!
Let's just say that was not a smart move at all...
The most annoying misconception is that "Japan had no idea what they were getting into". Japan understood exactly who they were up against from day one, Japanese officers calculated their own chances of victory at around 1/10. Why still go to war then? Because they felt backed into a corner and that they had no alternative. The Japanese military, economy, and society were completely dependent on foreign oil, so when the embargo hit, they were quite literally counting down the days until their oil bunkers dried up. They were put in situation where they could allow themselves to be starved into submission and international irrelevance, or they could give fight and maybe come out on top. Moreover the Japanese were very critical of what they saw as Western hypocrisy. The US, UK, Dutch, etc. were free to build vast colonial empires on the backs of other peoples, but when Japan attempted to do the same, she was condemned internationally and embargoed.
This is why when Cordell Hull & the FDR administration refused to offer Imperial Japan a modus vivendi, they opted to try their hand at open conflict as opposed to going down quietly.
They needed a casus belli to get the American people and Congress to get behind joining the war and Japan obliged in spectacular fashion.
You are rationalizing the single most airheaded military decision in human history. No competent society enters into a war with only a 1 out of 10 chance of victory. That is actually more ridiculous than making a mistake. The Japanese could have found oil in the Dutch East Indies or Siberia. They could have also done like the Germans and refined coal into oil. Attacking the U.S. was the single worst decision they could have possibly made, given the circumstances.
@@WillieFungo He didn't say it wasn't a mistake. He is saying it was a calculated one.
We have the benefit of perfect hindsight AND information. The Japanese (or anyone) did not.
The Japanese had a historical precedent for success in "Iaijutsu" against seemingly overwhelming odds. Lately defeating the Russians, but also stretching back into ancient history. They had a rational right to believe it could have been successful.
@@obsidianjane4413 What he actually said was quote "Japanese officers calculated their own chances of victory at around 1/10 ". In other words, they knew the Pearl Harbor attack was a stupid decision, but made it anyways. Odds like that don't rise to the level of a calculated mistake. They are blatant incompetence, and it doesn't take perfect hindsight to see it.
You seem to be idealizing the Japanese and playing into their mysticism. But this was a supposedly modern and industrialized country that should have been capable of making sound military decisions. Maybe they should have asked themselves why "Iaijutsu" and Bushido didn't help them beat the Chinese (who fought them to a stalemate) before attacking a country literally 30 times stronger.
@@WillieFungo I'm not "rationalizing" anything, simply explaining their thinking and why they made the decisions they did. Japan has little coal or indeed any natural resources, certainly nowhere near enough to sustain themselves industrially. And the Japanese *were* looking for oil in the east indies, it's what the Pacific War was fought over. They attacked the US because it repeatedly stated it would go to war with Japan if it made any moves to seize British or Dutch territories in the region. Thus the need to neutralize US military capabilities at Pearl Harbor. Call it "stupid" all you want, but to the Japanese, 10% chance of success was preferable to the 100% chance of defeat if they did nothing.
Could you do a video on the battle of Alaska in World War Two? It was the Japanese invasion launched alongside the battle of Midway. It’s a hugely overlooked part of the pacific war. The American and Canadian forces were outgunned and under supplied, facing a vastly superior Japanese force while equipped with only ww1 gear and ships. If the Japanese succeeded they could have stopped lend lease to the soviets and raided the west coast of the US.
Battle of Suriname and Battle of Madagascar
It’s overlooked because with hindsight we know it wasn’t a real invasion. It was a diversionary tactic meant to trick America into sending part of its fleet and army. It didn’t work at all. And when American troops did arrive, the territory was basically empty of the enemy.
It's a Japanese practice to describe an event where they behave abominably as "an incident".
Kind of like the US bringing freedom to the countries with oil
Just like everybody else
great video!
This was always very confusing to me because they had been invading China for years and they started another war before the war with China had finished
@@kenyup7936 why?
@@Drehirth same reason like travis
@@kenyup7936 their comment sounds like they were criticizing japan but your comment seems like you were criticizing the maker of this video
@@Drehirth nope, I tried to criticize Japan as well
18:29 The image quality here is so high that it almost looks like modern film that has been edited in black and white.
The US was promoting political isolation after WWI and Roosevelt had his hands tied against German aggression except for providing defensive material to England. Japan felt the US was too weak to be a threat while they collaborated with Hitler to split influence in the world of their conquest. America slept while the world was being carved by these two powerful nations. When awakened with resolve America responded with determination using their greater production capability and inspired military to even the odds. The A-bomb would have been used on Germany if developed 6 months sooner.
I believe say the sanctions were both a response to expansion and a provocation to Japan. The sanctions were definitely a response to Japan’s invasion and Japan thought the terms to end them were unacceptable and they felt backed into a corner. In regards to what inspired Japan to expand, they referenced Americas manifest destiny and even called it that to try and get US approval. They also looked at the European powers / empires and looked to imitate them in order to get guaranteed access to natural resources.
And on top of gaining access to natural resources, they also wanted to defeat China and kick the European powers out of east Asia thus removing potential security threats and becoming a regional hegemon. They likely would have had their own monroe doctrine if they were successful.
Yeah, the United States, Britain, France, and other powers have colonized the world in the past.
Japan started the Mukden Incident and made Manchuria a puppet state, but those countries reacted violently and isolated Japan from the international community.
I guess Japan felt it was unfair and racist to be subjected to such a measure when all it did was imitate their imperialism.
That was a stupid mistake by the Japanese cause they could have done what they eventually did and invade South East Asia with the exception of the Philippines and gotten all of the oil and tin they needed without bombing Pearl Harbor.
People today really underestimate how strong the anti war movement and isolationist movement in the United States was.
Roosevelt couldn't get the American people to get into the war even if he paid them to.
The American people were absolutely resolutely not interested in any shape or form in getting into a war with either Germany or Japan
They could have done what the Germans begged them to do which was open a second front on the USSR through Siberia as German forces were 40 km from Moscow and gotten all the natural resources they needed from the USSR and split the USSR in half with Germany.
The they could há é build up a massive military 4x to 6x stronger than what they had and together with Germany after the defeat of the USSR then take on the United States
There was so many things the Japanese could have done without Bombing Pearl Harbor.
Out of all the things they could have done they went and did the most stupid thing.
Not open a second front on the USSR and bomb Pearl Harbor and bring on the United States into the war.
The Germans were incredibly stupid as well for declaring war on the United States without finishing the USSR and the UK.
The Europeans had their own interests and assets in China so they did have some issues with Japan taking over in the region.
The Japanese were in over their heads in China. So, as with many another losing gambler, they rolled a desperate crapshoot at Pearl Harbor.
Seeing the way the us government is today and assuming it has always done everything for its own benefit and control, this makes sense. And the powers to be at the time absolutely did not want Japan to expand and we’re quite concerned with that prospect.
The colleague "hypercriticalhistory" dismantled the claim, Japan ever tried to invade Australia. There were never enough (land) forces available to implement such a plan. Even to meet Japan's own estimates.
it was a huge mistake and yet paradoxically the decision that made the most sense under the circustances
It was the only viable option left to Japan from their perspective. This is what happens when nations (the US) fail to offer a modus vivendi or an "off-ramp" to nations it is in conflict with. Moreover Japan was in no mood to be lectured by Western powers that had already built their colonial empires, while Japan struggled to assert hers.
@@_ArsNovaI'm not sure that's at all different than saying Putin's only choice is to continue pursuing the war of aggression in Ukraine. Sure, realistically, that's what happens, but if they give up the megalomaniac goals they can just stop the war of aggression and go back to the previous strategy that had actually been very successful before all the corruption and grandstanding started.
Completely disagree. They could have left China, or at least Indochina. This was entirely an ego thing. Unless the "circumstance" you mean is that they had to feed their ego, in which case, sure.
@@DrVictorVasconcelos Not true, at least mostly. There were very real geopolitical factors that drove their decision making. In order to be competitive with other major states, they needed foreign resources and a buffer zone of territory and "allied" (puppet) states.
Beyond that, Japan saw China as a potential threat because of its instability, coupled with its huge resources and population. If either the communists or nationalists came out on top and unified the country they would resume being Japan's primary threat. Japan stuck when China was weak and if they withdrew, when China did get its stuff together, they would have a grudge to settle.
You don't get to just say "just kidding" after you invade someone.
@@DrVictorVasconcelos Well is he wrong? US staged a coup in 2014 and hoped Russia wouldn't respond...
Ive pleased someone has provided an accurate explanation of the events leading up to the Pearl Harbor attack.
@artisaorimus :
The main reason that the Japanese army attacked the U S army stationed in Pearl Hatbout was the U S military unit in the harbour completely block the oil-tankers passing through the bay. It was a deliberate attempt on the part of the U S to pull Japan into WW II.😢😢.
@@antxaveace Roosevelt was in a tough situation. He was supporting Britain by sending convoys of military equipment thru the lend lease act. The US couldn't tolerate Japanese aggression in China and the US was the number one oil supplier to Japan. He knew it was a matter of time before the US joined the war, but he needed complete support in Congress and citizens at home. You sound like you're excusing Japan , but they caused all of this to happen. Japan made the decision to attack, but they wanted the ultimatum delivered just before in Washington. Toto never wanted a diplomatic solution. Once the fleet was in place they attacked.
His description of what happened at Pearl Harbor isn't even close to reality. Go read the Intel reports for the deception that was employed...
Ang pagkabahala at pagnanais itanggol ang sarili ay nalagay sa maling disesyon kaya ngayon labis kitang hinahangaan hindi dahil magaling ka kondi dahil tahimik mong ibinabahagi ang kapayaan na nasa loob nating lahat na marurunong
I would like to see a video detailing the Japanese campaign in the south Pacific
This video ignores the time before 1930s. Even since US began to build its naval baces in Hawai island, Japan was very worried about those bases. They represented US power in Pacific ocean and could be turned against Japan. Not to mention the naval treaties after WW1 between Japan, US and UK made sure that Japan would have less ships than US or UK, which were seen in Japan as unequal treaties.
Under the understanding at the time of naval strategy, unless the US and British Empire acted together, something that wasn't going to happen before 1941, the Japanese had sufficient naval power to dominate the Western Pacific, such that the US Army and Navy, up until MacArthur convinced them otherwise, wrote off the Philippines and by the mid-1930s expected it to take three years to even approach them with naval and ground forces.
Isoroku Yamamoto and the other "Treaty" officers were right. From 1922-1940, the US never built up to the treaty authorized strength. In 1940, the ratio was more like 71% rather than 66% of US strength. Hawaii and Singapore, like Port Arthur and the Japanese homeland, were outside the restrictions of the Four Power Treaty, which kept the US from modernizing its military and naval bases in Guam and the Philippines.
17h marathon conference to have the navy on board
To wake the sleeping giant
Because they couldn’t defeat China fast enough, Japan was going to lose especially without oil which was cut off from the US
Excellent summary. There are two points which I believe were important but not mentioned. When discussing junior Japanese officers the murder Japanese government officials strengthened Japan''s Army power. On the other hand, Christian missionaries in China pressured America to support China They had political power in America.
"Christian missionaries in China pressured America to support China" You mean like Father Wendelin Dunker, who wrote on the Japanese in China: “They killed anybody and everybody for no reason at all[...]Every town they enter is another Nanking on a small scale.”
finally a history channel that doesn't use embarrassing cartoons
Very nice Video. It is interesting how important China was for Japan the time, when that theater of war is largely overlooked by western historiagrophy.
And it is a shame that a top Video like this only has less then 30k views.
Although the Japanese Army leaders grossly underestimated the US capacity, they were correct about their willingness to fight the war. But in the long run, even their fighting spirit got crushed.
they also grossly underestimated the Allied will to fight, courage and determination.
They thought they could conquer China within 3 months when they invaded China...
Well the nukes were only used in Japan so U.S got a huge payback
Isoroku Yamamoto was originally against war with America. They knew that they could win in a short-term decisive battle, but in a long-term battle, Japan, which lacked resources, had no chance of winning. He had studied abroad at Harvard University and knew about the USA. I have heard that Japan's army was running out of control and could not be stopped. Manchuria is a specific example.
ドイツの強さを過大評価していたとも言えます。ドイツがヨーロッパで戦争している間は、欧米の国はドイツと戦う必要があるため、日本にたくさんの軍事力を送ることができません。しかし、ドイツは負けてしまったので…
My father was in the first draft in January 1941. It was for a year. On December 6th he was on a ship heading out into the pacific. The ship returned the next day. I often wonder where he was headed and if he would have survived if Pearl Harbor was attacked the following year. He spent two years in Iceland and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
We fought too in the battles. Not for the faint of heart man,
I see a picture of a statue of a pair of creature, which looks quite similar to the emblem in Kangla Fort in Kangleipak, once a princely kingdom (present day Manipur, now a northeast state India) bordering Burma (Myanmar).The Japanese came to Manipur during when it was under the British regime and moreover the time when the Allied Forces were in high aggression over Europe and Asia against the Exist Forces during the end of the world War II. Please explore and make a documentary on Manipur, once called Kangleipak, a small but dynamic kingdom, now becomes a state in far-east India (known as northeast). I wanna what is that picture and where it is located.
Love and enjoy this channel very fondly.
From Manipur, India.
Considering how ungood Soviet doctrine was, to lose should have been a warning to Japan about its own army doctrine.
Japan's full-scale invasion began in July 1937. By the end of 1937, Japan's rapid advance had already been halted, and by mid-1938, the front lines had reached a stalemate that lasted until the Pearl Harbor incident three years later, with little change. At this time, Japan had occupied at most one-third of Chinese territory, primarily limited to the eastern urban areas and transportation hubs, while the vast rural regions were dominated by the Communist Party‘s force
Bold strategy, Cotton.
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and several other places, to protect their flank while advancing southward. (The attacks were simultaneous, which is not apparent because of time zone and date line differences.)
While the Japanese thought attacking Pearl Harbor might have seem like a brilliant way to start a war with USA, by eliminating the bulk of Americas Pacific fleet in one bold stroke. The fact that our carriers were out of port that day, doomed it to failure from the get-go. But even if they had been in port, Japen would have never been able to out-manufacture America. So ultimately, Pearl Harbor was an epic blunder for Japan.
*YES*
all of you dont know that Japan claimed themselves as The Light of Asia, The Leader of Asia?
Yes, they declared it. so they decided to rule whole Asia, started from China. I am glad allied defeated it, before Japan invaded my country longer and destroyed the nation, my grandpa was one of local teen who was forced to board their ship and worked as labour in Singapore base.
no
They also claim china teritory without permision during ww1.
I once read that the Japanese were more concerned with the Chi-Coms (understandably) What I can't figure out is WHY didn't Japan make some sort of deal with Chiang Kai-Shek and the Nationalists ??
Because of the oil embargo left them with 6 months of oil reserves for their navy.
They also don't acknowledge what they did to Korea and their people. It's completed deleted from their history.
Awesome, but this ending...
Please don't go that way
Any further information on the initial conflict between the nationalists and communists would give better insight to the situation present in the region today, I would think? Thx. for the info. 👍
Initially both were supported by Soviet Union to counter against Japan’s influence over China. But nationalist and Chiang wanted to developed a more independent way to avoid Soviet’s influence, so they were abandoned by Soviet and lost mainland China. OTOH, though communist showed very much of their loyalty to Soviet after PRC established, Stalin didn’t buy in all and raised Korean war thus enforced PRC’s involvement. I doubt he must knew Taiwan would be separated from China before he started Korean war. On China matters during that time, U.S. was mostly a passively engaged, defensive player. Maybe because China is far away from U.S. and didn’t care much about China’s destiny. The main strategy of U.S. is to prevent the emerge of a super power which threatens U.S. overseas interests.
This happened way before the world learned about FAFO.
The Russo-Japanese war ending in 1905 doesn't get a mention, but it's the false analogy that in my opinion made the attack on Pearl Harbor (echoing the Japanese attack on Port Arthur) seem reasonable to some Japanese. That St. Petersburg gave up made the idea that Washington DC would as well seem plausible to them. (Also, it wasn't the junior Army officers, but Admiral Yamamoto, who pushed for the attack on Pearl Harbor.)
Japan had a deep seeded resentment over the Perry Expedition, which threatened Japan to open their borders for the world, since Japan was an isolstionist country.
Yet Vice Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, who was taught at Harvard, knew the industrial might of the United States, and never thought they could win against America in a war.
Ted Nomura, writer, and artist for Antarctic Press, who had made the 1946 Histories Of Altered Wars, touches upon this in his comics, as well.
However, there are far more issues because of why Japan went to war with the United States.
Now to do the honourable thing, and subscribe!
Take care, and all the best.
America,despite the wishes of FDR,was probably still an isolationist country so, if Japan hadn't attacked Pearl Harbour or invaded the Philippines would the US have declared war?Could Japan have got away with invading Malasia,the Dutch East Indies,Burma and then India?Still,if you can't conquer China it doesn't make much sense to look for another enemy.
Considering Japan was opened, forcefully by the US just 80 years earlier, who then started and continued to profit from Japan's modernisation and expansion programmes, it doesn't seem accurate to describe the US as "isolationist".
@@michaelebbage9166 That's a point but doesn't imply that the US in general favoured getting involved in a war either in Asia or Europe.
@@michaelebbage9166yeah if you really think about it pearl harbor was our fault for getting involved with their affairs in the 1880-90s and then getting involved with the sino-Japanese war. Not saying the Japanese government didnt do anything wrong as they did commit war crimes but something tells me we should’ve stayed out of it
Better than kings and Generals.
They were suffering the shortages of supplies imports ..
During World War II, China was still an agricultural country with no industrial foundation and could not produce even a bullet. However, Japan completed Western industrial civilization earlier than China. China was an agricultural country at that time, and it was already very powerful in being able to withstand the crazy attacks of the Japanese war machine in World War II.
能生产子弹，甚至一些不太好的火炮，问题是质量非常差，标准也不统一，而且中国几个少数拥有工业的城市都很快被日本占领了
Because of oil.
You know what you don't hear here? How much of x did peacetime Japan require? And who in Japan required it?
Let's take oil. Everyone mentions it.
First and foremost the US was not the world's largest _exporter_ in the 1930s. It was the largest producer. And it was also the largest consumer. Venezuela was the largest exporter. By a lot.
In 1928, Venezuela surpassed the United States as the world’s largest oil exporter,
and by 1936, it was exporting almost as much oil as the next seven exporters
combined-the US, Peru, Iran, Romania, the Dutch East Indies, Iraq,
and the Soviet Union (43.05 million tons versus 44.39 million tons).
Oil was cheap too. In the late 1930's US crude was about $1 _a barrel_ - $21.82 in today's money. Venezuelan crude was cheaper. So cheap in fact that the US imposed tariffs on it 1932. The US has been buying 99% of Venezuela's output before the tariffs. Why was the US buying so much if it had plentiful oil? Business logic. Cheaper oil defeats expensive oil in the marketplace until the gov't stacks the deck. Venezuela simply shifted exports to Europe. Yet Japan never seriously explored buying oil from either Venezuela or Mexico (that had been a major producer in the 1920s).
Japan had 0.5% of the motor vehicles the US had in 1940. And in 1938 it imposed rationing on civilian use of petroleum products. At war's start in 1941 only civilian trucks could buy fuel, and these were restricted to 1/3 the amount in 1936. Japanese rail ran on coal and electricity - Japan had plenty of coal. Japan was one of the most electrified counties in the world, and depending of the season 75% to 80% of electricity was generated by hydroelectric dams. It could have been more had Japan built larger reservoirs. The remainder was thermal - coal. Keep in mind that most Japanese had very few electrical appliances. The electric iron was ubiquitous. Yet in 1940 only half of households had a radio. For most of them it was couple of lightbulbs. Farmers had electrical rice husking and polishing machines, and the irrigation system had been converted from fuel to electricity. Those farmers involved in sericulture used electricity as well. Industry relied on electricity and coal (as well as coal gas). This should not surprise you. Coal was king in the US at the same time as well, and the US consumed much more oil than anyone else.
Peace time Japan (pre-'37 invasion of China) consumed about 25 million barrels of oil per annum. About $28 million dollars (or 98 million yen at the exchange rate of 3.5 yen = $1 in December '36 and oil was $1.12 per barrel). To put this in perspective, Japan's import of US raw cotton to manufacture cotton textiles and rayon was $88.3 million in '36 - much of this would be exported to earn dollars. Japan's import of US oil in '38 was about $49.7 million in 1938, and this was due to the war with China. Imports of US cotton dropped to $52.8 million; Japan had shifted to the war mobilisation economy and dollar earning exports decreased.
In 1940, Japan sought to diversity its oil imports from the US to the Dutch East Indies. On 12 Sep '40, a delegation led by Ichizo Kobayashi, Minister of Commerce and Industry, started negotiations in Batavia (later Jakarta) for the purchase of DEI oil and the acquisition of oil fields and exploration rights in the East Indies. Tokyo wanted 50% of the islands' production (61.6 million barrels in 1939 but Japan was dealing with earlier production figures that were a bit less.), which would have required much more Dutch oil tanker shipping at the expense of Britain's cause. At the time the East Indies supplied about 10% of Japan's crude. Ten days later Japanese troops entered neutral French Indochina - this surely rattled the Dutch. On 27 September, Tokyo joined the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, and because the Netherlands was at war with and occupied by the Germans, the stance of the Dutch East Indies colonial government stiffened. Perhaps Tokyo wagered these moves would sufficiently strike fear in Governor-General Van Mook and he would cave. He didn't. By October 1940, negotiations had reached a deadlock.
The Japanese were told that the Dutch government was not an oil merchant; Japan would have to negotiate with the oil companies. Japan demanded to pay in yen. The Dutch replied only guilders and dollars were accepted. Japan then demanded 3.5 million tons of crude and aviation fuel. (Depending on the specific gravity a ton of oil is between 6.8 and 7.6 barrels, so 3.5 million tons is about 25.5 million barrels.) The Dutch replied that most of its production was already contracted with others. Japan's demand the Dutch accept payment in yen, which was not an international currency, reveals a lot. Japan wanted to bring DEI into its yen bloc. In the end, Japan got about one-third its demand and no aviation fuel.
Japan was trying to 1) conserve its dollars and gold, 2) expand the yen bloc from Formosa, Korea, Manchuria, and Northern China to DEI, 3) remove European and American competitors from the markets Japan wanted to take over, and 4) prevent the emergence of an economic rival in Asia.
Why? The Japanese military was keen to attain economic autarky, though Japan's move to autarky began years earlier in 1907 when it nationalised most of the railroads and required the now state-owned rail company to buy Japanese-made locomotives and wagons exclusively. These moves towards autarky would continue. Further, in the 1920s Manchuria began to rapidly develop (state finance, electrification of Manchurian cities, railway construction, import of 5 million Chinese settlers to address labour shortfall, and military industries) under the rule of Zhang Zuolin with some Japanese assistance - he used these resources and wealth in the attempt to conquer China, which Tokyo supported. After his death - the Kwantung Army assassinated him on 4 June
1928 for not following their instructions to hold off the Chinese nationalists - his son, Zhang Xueliang, attained leadership and pivoted. He had no desire to wage war on the Kuomintang (KMT). Under the banner of the New Manchuria Pioneer, Zhang the younger laid out his industrial policy,
featuring retooling the military industry to produce for the civilian machines and tools market,
supporting consumer products manufacturing that could break Japanese monopolies, encouraging
the formation of industrial associations in a number sectors with government auspices or
endorsement, welcoming foreign investments (especially by overseas Chinese) that don’t infringe Chinese sovereign rights, and
last but not least fighting for mining rights with the Japanese. He began to build railways to rival Japan's. He supported KMT import tariffs levied on Japanese-mined Manchurian coal. In 1931 Manchuria began commercial manufacture of its own trucks. Suddenly the Kwantung Army-run (really IJA) South Manchurian Railway Company, which was an industrial conglomerate and not just a rail line, saw the emergence of a rival that could spoil its plans. This led to Japan's take over of Manchuria in '31 by deposing Zhang the younger.
Seven point three per cent (7.3%) of Japan's pre-'37 war energy requirements were fulfilled by petroleum - everything else was coal, hydroelectric, charcoal (used for home heating and cooking). This was gov't, military, civilian, and business consumption combined. Keep in mind at the time Japan had the world's third largest navy, and a navy consumes a lot of oil. We know Japan had few motor vehicles and rail was mostly coal and electric. Civilian aviation was miniscule. Who else in Japan consumed a lot oil? The merchant fleet, which was also the world's third largest. This was a mix of coal-fueled steamships and bunker-fueled motorships. And the fishing fleet, the world's largest. The fishing fleet was almost entirely smaller vessels of less than 500 tons grt and they were motorships - no room to store coal.
Japan's national budget increased 435% from 1931 to 1939, and the military was up to 75% of gov't spending in the late 1930s. Yet, few in the IJA and the IJN cared about the economy other than it was to serve their goals. The last fella to think sanely about the economy was Admiral Kato Tomosaburo who in 1922 realised that an arms race with the UK and the US would be economically ruinous for Japan. He decided to accept the 5:5:3 capital ship ratio. Peace was cheaper than an arms race. This outraged the hotheads in the IJN, and after Kato died in '23 most of his adherents in the IJN were sidelined. Over time there was less and less civilian control of the military, and after a few assassinations of military critics the military was in charge by the 1930s.
BTW, Japan was sitting atop 16 billion barrels of oil at Daqing, Manchuria and didn't realise it. The answer to its oil problem was under its feet. But it wanted autarky so it endeavoured to limit/reduce foreign participation in its territories. If only it had allowed in foreign geologists skilled in oil exploration.
你太棒了，兄弟
@@三十而立立不立 謝謝
Because we were already sending weapons to Russia. Next Question!
37 leauge of nation embargo walk out
The US supported Japanese by selling oil , steel and even weapons to Japan. After Japan started taking the Philippines ,US stopped the oil and steel supply.
Japanese was defected in battle of Nomonhan by Russia, then turned to Pearl Harbor.
Ultimately the Japanese just hated tall people and saw them as a threat to ladders and stools.
They got tired of killing Chinese non-combatants, and wanted to up their game....but they almost upped themselves off the face of the earth....luckily, for them,, they heeded Truman's warning about what would happen if they didn't surrender...
The Japanese could have helped Hitler by attacking USSR from Siberia…
Massil energy from peral shell
they needed the oil and resources in phillipines, indonesia, and australia----they knew that the us would oppose so they thought knocking navy out at pearl harbor then wed be down for the count and didnt think well of US military or US resolve.......failed to realized that they being sneaky and attacking Pearl Harbor with no declaration---sealed their fate......and within a year they had lost and only matter of time after that.
Japan attacks the US battleships with naval air power thus proving that battleships were not key to modern naval power.
Because of Philippines, Philippines is under usa ,Japan need to expand to Malaysia and Indonesia for oil but they need to conquer the Philippines first , because Philippines is in middle of south East Asia and Asia Pacific , Philippines have air and sea defense, after japan attacked pearl harbor, minutes ago they also attack the Philippines and conquer
To help Russia, who they had a peace treaty with until 2 weeks before the war ended. Germany declared war on America as soon as America declared war on Japan.
they thought it was filled with pearls
I always wondered if Japan wanted support from other Asian countries and these particular countries want independence from Europe why did they treat them so badly they treat them so badly that the Europeans didn't look so bad I never understood why
Because it was not "Asia to the Asians", it was "Asia to the Japanese".
Because the story was warped due to the lost of the war. The Japanese helped to build the infrastructures in S.E. Asian countries, Korea and China too.
@@maedamaxxx "The Japanese helped to build the infrastructures" And Hitler build the Autobahn.
the emperor backs down
For the first time he wants to move forward with Diplomacy
Impossible step backs are required just to negotiate
A "deadlock" situation occurs
Yeah sure, America was definitely just a defensive force. You see someone running wild in your "backyard", you let them hit you when you could have stopped them. Then you destroy them for "self-defense".
The map at 18:25 is ridiculous. Japan had nowhere close to the military capability to stretch the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere that far and the Japanese leaders knew it at the time.
If I was an advisor of Imperial Japan, I will bluntly tell them. Attacking USA is the dumbest thing you will ever do.
Idea of Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere is only a little different then moden China's Belt & Road Intiiative. Just another form of empire building. China-Russia-Iran-North Korea pact is just another Axis Pact.
We put an embargo on Japan because of China and then Japan attacked us because of the embargo.
So sort of but not directly
The US had been already sneakily attacking the Japanese with its US air force Flying Tigers and Chiang Kai-shek troops years before Pearl Harbor without declaring any war against Japan. That's the dirty way of FDR, FDR couldn't open war officially since he promised he wouldn't join the war. He is the big bullshit fooling you.
It was not because of China that the US and Japan traded more and more each year from 1931 to 1941. It was the US that supported Japan's long war in China until the Japanese invaded Indochina, which was a European and American colony
This feels like a propaganda
The US promised a lot, but Chiang’s corrupt government ate up most of that “support”.
80% of Japan's oil came from the US! That's a shocking number.
Why not mention that they were bombing the Philippines first but left that alone since they didn't want to invite the Philippines as a state
Please restate your comment more coherently, please.
The internal conflicts within Japanese government are interesting. Military doing what it wants independent of civilian government.
Seems that japan could've defeated the US but was still bogged down and greatly weakened militarily and economically by its war in China.