need historical context

cpileri

Sirs and Ma'ams,Anyone know the details of the context in which the US and JApan were conferencing approx 15 years after VJ day and discussing why the Japanese didn't head for the West coast after Pearl Harbor?The Japanese said something to the effect of "we would not enter that quicksand", referring to the fact that every other home in the US had a firearm in it. And that they certainly weren't interested in fighting the Army AND the militia (i.e the whole body of the people).Any help, references, etc. would be great.In order to use this info, I need a better command of the facts: where, what date, who said what, etc.Hope you guys can help!e-mail me at:cnvpileri@outdrs.netthanks 1,000,000Carl

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Der Gebirgsjager

From all of the military history I've read I believe that the Japanese were already spread thin fighting in the South Pacific and China and holding what they had already conquered. They did not invade the U.S. mainland due to logistics. Too far to go, to big an effort in materiel and troops; a supply line so long that it would have been impossible to defend.

Patrick Odle

CpileriThe Mitsubishi Bomber could not make the round trip without air to air refueling which was non-existant at that time. the only other option deemed not practical at the time would have been a massive naval exercise to land troops on the west coastand that would have been some doing due to our navel presense in the Pacific, plus whenthe aforementioned force got close enough to the mainland the would have caught hell from our dive bombers and torpedo planes.

Andrew Adams

My understanding of this situation was that Japan did not have the resources to undertake an amphibious assault on the West Coast. Additionally, Japan had no bombers who were capable of of making the trip without carriers in the region. Due to the fact that our carriers were out of port during the attack at Pearl, it was considered too risky to try to get one of their carriers close enough to the US coast to make an air assault. Additionally, even if they had succeeded in dropping some bombs, that did not make much differnce with regard to their being able to actually attack with ground troops and conquer territory. Obviously, at that point in history, no one had ever heard of an air war being an entire war.

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When you want to dial long distance...AT&T, .223, or Jeremiah 33.3?Member:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets

john carr

Carl, I would refer you to the book "At DAwn We Slept" by Gordon W. Prange, who was acknowleged as knowing more about the Pearl Harbor attack than ano other person. I finished this book about two months ago, all 850 pages, and Prange makes it clear that Japan never ever considered invading the left coast. They had the cream of their navy a long distance from home, in enemy waters and the only thought in their mind was to do all the damage they could and get out with as little injury to themselves as possible.

Xracer

All of the above, plus, in order to invade, they'd have to bring their fleet within range of land-based air.....an absolute no-no in those days.

turbo

I believe this was a quote from one of the Japanese Admirals,when asked this question.And as I recall it was, while being interviewed at the end of the war by and during military trials.

idsman75

A quote was pasted into a General Discussion thread within the last few months quoting a Japanese General who stated, in effect, that the Japanese did not invade the mainland primarily due to the fact that there were too many American civilians that owned military grade firearms and even held competitions with them to prove and hone their shooting skills. I know what you are driving at and I'd like to find the source myself.