S W Module 4 Argumentative Essay
The United States Naval War College
College of Distance Learning
Strategy and War Course
Module Four: (War in the Pacific) Formal Essay
What were the major differences in Japan’s planning and conduct for the War in the Pacific against the US in 1941 as opposed to their war against Russia in 1904?
“Gen. MacArthur (at microphone) looks on as Japanese Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu signs the surrender document.1
On midnight on February 9th, 1904, Admiral Togo Heihachiro ordered an attack on the Russian “Arthur” squadron anchored in port.2 “At Port Arthur ten small Japanese destroyers, using a new weapon, the Whitehead torpedo, played havoc with the equally unprepared Russian fleet.”3 The Empire of Japan then declared formal war against Russia on February 10th. The first “Pearl Harbor” sneak attack was underway. History has a habit of repeating itself and thirty-seven years later another Japanese surprise attack occurred (ironically once again before a formal declaration of war was announced) but this time it was against the sleeping American armed forces stationed at Pearl Harbor. Surprise was the enabling factor once again but instead of naval gunfire from ships it occurred from naval aviators of the Rising Sun. “Commander Fuchida Mitsuo, who led the Japanese attack on the unready American fleet, was amazed to see the perfect target waiting below. “Had these Americans never heard of Port Arthur?”4 Declaring war against the United States and the British Empire on December 8, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Armed Forces (IAF) sought to duplicate their success against Russia in 1904. However, there were major differences in Japan’s planning and conduct of the War in the Pacific in 1941 as opposed to their war against Russia in 1904. Specifically, Japan’s land mass battle space was larger and more complex than its regional focus against Russia in 1904, Japan’s IAF were not superior to America’s war producing machine and carrier effectiveness, and Japan
College of Distance Learning
Strategy and War Course
Module Four: (War in the Pacific) Formal Essay
What were the major differences in Japan’s planning and conduct for the War in the Pacific against the US in 1941 as opposed to their war against Russia in 1904?
“Gen. MacArthur (at microphone) looks on as Japanese Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu signs the surrender document.1
On midnight on February 9th, 1904, Admiral Togo Heihachiro ordered an attack on the Russian “Arthur” squadron anchored in port.2 “At Port Arthur ten small Japanese destroyers, using a new weapon, the Whitehead torpedo, played havoc with the equally unprepared Russian fleet.”3 The Empire of Japan then declared formal war against Russia on February 10th. The first “Pearl Harbor” sneak attack was underway. History has a habit of repeating itself and thirty-seven years later another Japanese surprise attack occurred (ironically once again before a formal declaration of war was announced) but this time it was against the sleeping American armed forces stationed at Pearl Harbor. Surprise was the enabling factor once again but instead of naval gunfire from ships it occurred from naval aviators of the Rising Sun. “Commander Fuchida Mitsuo, who led the Japanese attack on the unready American fleet, was amazed to see the perfect target waiting below. “Had these Americans never heard of Port Arthur?”4 Declaring war against the United States and the British Empire on December 8, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Armed Forces (IAF) sought to duplicate their success against Russia in 1904. However, there were major differences in Japan’s planning and conduct of the War in the Pacific in 1941 as opposed to their war against Russia in 1904. Specifically, Japan’s land mass battle space was larger and more complex than its regional focus against Russia in 1904, Japan’s IAF were not superior to America’s war producing machine and carrier effectiveness, and Japan