Originally Posted by tikilal

Now if the Fleet had not been there, would Japan have tried to attack the Philippines? I and 50/50 on this one, part of me says they would still need to, but the other part recalls the adage “let a sleeping dog lay.” Most of the men in the Imperial Japanese Army/Navy new that Japan would loose a war against the US. Would the US have declared war because of further Japanese aggression. Remember that it took Pearl Harbor, to override the large isolationist sentiment.

The Panama Canal would have been a far stretch and as pointed out a tough egg to crack. I personally think that had the Japanese wanted to eliminate this passage way at the out set that it would provide a brilliant first blow. Imagine this four or five cargo ships loaded up with explosives, sail in together and would fill up at least two locks if not more, once a group gets to the center lock, all the ships ram the nearest gate and blow themselves up. Kamikaze attacks. Now this would have destroyed the affected lock if no the entire canal all together with the resulting flood. What do you think?

Originally Posted by Carl W Schwamberger

The Japanese Army suggested Hawaii be invaded. A examination of the logistical problems caused the idea to be dropped. As it was the IJN considered the raid a high risk operation and went through with it on the basis of absolute suprise. The IJN leaders calculated the transport & other logisitcs requirements for a sustained campaign in Hawaiian waters would cripple the more important attacks in Indonesia (oil), the Phillpines (secure the sea route to the oil), and Singapore (searoutes agan).

In any case it was expected the US would wussy out after being slapped about for month or two. So, invading Hawaii would be unecessary.