Pearl Harbor

If the Japanese had planned an invation of Oahu after the bombing raid, do you think they could have pulled it off? I mean, there was nothing really stopping them, and it would have eliminated the Hawaiian islands as a threat. Plus, it would have given the Japanese use of it.

 

Except the two infantry divisions, a Marine regiment, a dozen or so independent artillery battalions, engineers, etc along with at least 1 Marine defense battalion (scheduled to go to Johnson atoll), not to mention heavy coastal defenses with guns up to 16" in size and, of course, the surviving nearly 200 aircraft (see Morison et al) and, most of the Pacific Fleet (yes, the battleships went down but not the cruisers, destroyers, submarines etc).
As the largest amphibious operation of the war the Japanese launched consisted of just over two divisions it is unlikely they could have managed much more for an Hawaii operation. Given the defenses on Oahu and the other islands it is very unlikely they would have been successful. But, had they managed to take one or two islands (other than the heavily defended Oahu) they would have been in absolutely no position to hold it long term.

 

Besides, there were three aircraft carriers some where which could suddenly re-appear and cause some severe damage…

T.A.'s right. But I have to add that an invasion of the Hawaiian isles was also not possible because the difference of thinking between the Japanese Navy and Army High Command. The Army wanted to turn into China and finish actions there. The Navy realised that the US had to be isolated and put against the wall before attempting anything.

There were plans to invade Hawaii, but there was no co-operation between Army and Navy and as T.A. states, Hawaii was heavily defended.

 

Not my cup of tea really but I suppose the Japs were after oil, weren´t they? So they would be making their first move in that direction. I think one of the places was Dutch.. something.

Dutch East Indies?

http://www.geocities.com/dutcheastindies/

 

When the Japanese found out that the three American carriers weren't in Pearl, should they have turned around and waited until they were, or would that have been too costly and risky?

 

They couldn't do that for several reasons. First, their strike fleet was close to its limits on endurance. Fuelling at sea would have been a very risky and lengthy process. The Japanese were not as adept at this as modern navies often are. The equipment simply wasn't available to make it the fairly rapid evolution it is today.
Second, the Japanese really had no way of knowing when the carriers might return or where they were. Their mid-Pacific and Western Pacific intelligence was limited to submarine sightings and the occasional long range patrol aircraft.
Last, the longer they waited to launch their strike the greater the chance they could be discovered. The Japanese only had sketchy information on US patrol aircraft operations and couldn't rely on what they knew to ensure they were not in a routine patrol pattern. They also risked the possibility of a US Naval vessel or a commercial vessel blundering into their fleet.
Thus, once they were committed to the final leg of the strike they had to launch as planned and hope for the best.

 

The Japs as well, I think, thought that the strike was a success and cancelled the third strike wave. Of course they were afraid as well that they might get caught but they sure thought that they had done their worst.Or what do you think T.A.?

 

Would Admiral Nugumo have to wait from Japan to change the plan[wait for the carriers]? As for invading Oahu ,it was,nt in their interest I thought.They only wanted to knock the US fleet out as so they would'nt interfere with their other conquests' and the embargo. Could be wrong though.

 

There were several factors that resulted in Nagumo cancelling the third strike:
* First, pilots returning from the first two strikes were estatic with the destruction they wrought. As was typical with Japanese pilots throughout the war they exaggerated their claims and their superiors bought those claims. Thus, Nagumo was presented a picture of Pearl Harbor being virtually destroyed.
* Second, by the time a thrid strike could have been spotted and launched it would be quite late in the day before they returned. This could have presented problems.
* Last, the escort destroyers were running low on fuel. If a thrid strike was to be launched the destroyers would have to be detached. The task force would then have to retire without their cover. With no knowledge of where the US carriers were this could have been a real problem for defense against a US air strike.

 

That's true, they just wanted to conquer asia, and the only thing standing in their way was the American Navy. I just thought they might have been able to easily take the island right after the air raid. But you're right, this was not in their best interest, and it would have diverted supplies and troops away from their primary objectives anyway.

 

And for informational purposes, US Army ground units on Oahu as of 7 December 1941:

HQ Harbor Defenses of Honolulu
HQ Hawaiian Separate Coast Artillery Brigade
HQ 24th Infantry Division
HQ 25th Infantry Division
HQ 53d Coast Artillery Brigade (Antiaircraft)
15th Coast Artillery Regiment (Harbor Defense)
16th Coast Artillery Regiment (Harbor Defense)
64th Coast Artillery Regiment (Antiaircraft, Semi-mobile)
97th Coast Artillery Regiment (Antiaircraft, Semi-mobile)
98th Coast Artillery Regiment (Antiaircraft, Semi-mobile)
251st Coast Artillery Regiment (Antiaircraft, Semi-mobile), California National Guard
804th Engineer Aviation Battalion
34th Engineer Combat Regiment
3d Engineer Combat Battalion
65th Engineer Combat Battalion
8th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer, Tractor Drawn)
11th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer, Tractor Drawn)
13th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer, Tractor Drawn)
52d Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer, Tractor Drawn)
63d Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer, Tractor Drawn)
64th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer, Tractor Drawn)
89th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer, Tractor Drawn)
90th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer, Tractor Drawn)
19th Infantry Regiment
21st Infantry Regiment
27th Infantry Regiment
35th Infantry Regiment
298th Infantry Regiment, Hawaii National Guard
299th Infantry Regiment, Hawaii National Guard
1st Chemical Mortar Battalion, Co A

Aircraft available for operations after Japanese attack:

USAAF
2 North American AT-6
5 Douglas A-20A
1 Douglas A-12A
4 Boeing B-17D
11 Douglas B-18
1 Martin B-12A
5 North American O-47B
1 Stinson O-49
1 Grumman OA-9
1 Sikorsky OA-8
25 Curtiss P-40B
2 Curtiss P-40C
16 Curtiss P-36A
2 Boeing P-26A
2 Boeing P-26B

USN
6 Grumman J2F
4 Beech JRB
2 Douglas BT-1s
1 Grumman JRF
1 Grumman J2F

USMC
2 Grumman F4F-3
13 SBD-1, SBD-2
1 J2F-4


Rich

 

And a list of the fixed coastal defenses there:

web page

 

However, in summer 1942 admiral Yamamoto had realised the problem American carriers meant. Therefore, destroying them at Midway, followed by an invasion of the island would have provided air based for the bombing of Hawaii and posibly, a base for further invasion.

 

What was the reasoning of the invasion of Aleutians? Diversion or air-base?

 

Midway was intended to draw out and finish the US carrier fleet. Yamamoto however, figured on only two US carriers. He thought the Yorktown would be out of commission far longer than it was (this is a sin of thinking your enemy does things the way you do....US shipyards were far more efficient than Japanese ones so the Yorktown was available). The Saratoga just missed being available too. She had been hit by a torpedo and was undergoing a major overhaul to remedy problems that sank the Lexington like replacing all the cast iron in the firemain system.
But, a successful invasion of Midway bought the Japanese little. They couldn't effectively bomb Hawaii from there. The US in return could have just reached Midway with B-17 and B-24 bombers which unlike their Japanese counterparts some of which, like the G3M could reach Hawaii from Midway, would not require escorts to successfully attack. Second, supplying their forces there would be very difficult. Midway has a very small and difficult to negotiate harbor. There is no fresh water on the island. Japanese forces there would be pretty much on their own without hope of reinforcement if the US attempted to reinvade.
The Aleutians operation was primarily a diversion and the forces landed were mostly withdrawn prior to the US retaking those islands. It was really just a waste of time and resources for Japan. But, the US did get a all-weather highway to Alaska out of it....

 

I agree completely and thus the Japanese Army made the same mistake Hitler made in Europe..over-extension.

Just as Hitler should have finished off the UK before turning on Russia so should the Japanese have finished the Chinese.

It seems as though when you look through history many of the dictators in this world have always seemingly overextended themselves.

Greed and impatience I suppose.

 

Actually, the Japanese 'Blitzkrieg' in the Pacific was precisely meant for that. The breaking of the stalemate in China recquired much more logistical, technological and military power, and the cutting off of American help to China.

However, Japan didn't have the oil, rubber, iron, coal nor almost anything for doing an adequate build-up for the definite war-winning blow on China. Japanese strategy in winter 1941-1942 was to rapidly seize the territories rich in natural resources and raw materials —the East Dutch Indies for oil, Indochine for rubber, etc.— to expand its industrial base and isolate the United States, gaining enough time to decisively defeating China and then, from a stronger position, reach a stalemate with the US and maybe, peace terms.

At least they were closer and better at doing it than was Hitler in Europe.

 

Considering how many aircraft got destroyed on the ground I guess we were fortunate to have that much left.

For some reason I was thinking that we had less afterwards.

 

Now, another what-if.

What if admiral Kimmel's forces would have been put to sea on December 7th's morning or even the previous night after the enemy force was discovered by some mean?

The Pacific war starts with a full-sclae fleet vs. fleet battle.

What do you think?

 

I think that had the Battle Fleet and Admiral Pye known that the Japanese were going to attack using a large carrier air strike he would have put to sea to avoid detection heading, most likely, south east away from Hawaii.
It was far more important for the fleet to remain intact than attempt to engage the Japanese immediately. If surface engagement was sought, it would have been the Scouting Force and carriers that would likely have been used.
Instead, the likely outcome would be a Japanese strike on a virtually empty Pearl Harbor followed by a US carrier ambush on their return voyage to Japan. After all, all three available US carriers were already at sea and at least two were capable of steaming to an intercept point.
As a historical note to this, at the time of Midway almost exactly 6 months after Pearl Harbor the Battle Fleet with 9 battleships was held in Hawaiian waters and not allowed to engage the Japanese in that battle. This is very indicative of what was likely at Pearl Harbor given 24 hours warning would have resulted in.