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Most improbable event in WWII, in your opinion?

Discussion in 'WWII General' started by OpanaPointer, Jul 9, 2016.

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  1. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Candidates solicited. I'll hold mine back for a bit, to give the usual suspects a shot at it.
     
    OpanaPointer, Jul 9, 2016
    #1
  2. gtblackwell

    gtblackwell Member Emeritus

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    The Channel Dash in daylight or catching and sinking Bismark without her scoring a single hit on one British ship.or plane.

    Gaines
     
    gtblackwell, Jul 9, 2016
    #2
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  3. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Good one.
     
    OpanaPointer, Jul 9, 2016
    #3
  4. Otto

    Otto Spambot Nemesis Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Although he wasn't the only one, Tsutomu Yamaguchi surviving the A-Bombing of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
     
    Otto, Jul 9, 2016
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  5. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

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    US Marines and Civilian Contractors holding off a Japanese invasion force
     
    formerjughead, Jul 10, 2016
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  6. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    Skipper, Jul 10, 2016
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  7. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    OpanaPointer, Jul 10, 2016
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  8. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    The baseline for "sucks to be you"?
     
    OpanaPointer, Jul 10, 2016
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  9. ColHessler

    ColHessler Member

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    The Battle of Samar, when Kurita turned back right at the cusp of victory.
     
    ColHessler, Jul 10, 2016
    #9
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  10. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Nobody's got mine yet.
     
    OpanaPointer, Jul 10, 2016
    #10
  11. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    The improbable part being that the union rep didn't object?
     
    KodiakBeer, Jul 10, 2016
    #11
  12. formerjughead

    formerjughead The Cooler King

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    It's a reference to Wake Island
     
    formerjughead, Jul 10, 2016
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  13. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    Yes, I know. I was making a joke.
     
    KodiakBeer, Jul 10, 2016
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  14. Skipper

    Skipper Kommodore

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    Here you go.

    https://books.google.fr/books?id=_VY7AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT191&lpg=PT191&dq=Barry+Douetil&source=bl&ots=XO-gnBN5G1&sig=iSQ1kMNg-937kryA-R74WnQ1LxM&hl=fr&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiD8pLduunNAhXI1xoKHRKmCGAQ6AEIazAO#v=onepage&q=Barry%20Douetil&f=false


    https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/surviving-wwii-pilot-nearly-died-freefall.html

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/471272/Wartime-bomber-tells-story-of-narrow-escape-on-Antiques-Roadshow
     
    Skipper, Jul 10, 2016
    #14
  15. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Okay, that works. Daily Fail gives me the colly-wobbles.
     
    OpanaPointer, Jul 10, 2016
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  16. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Most improbable event in WWII: The Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor.

    The man who planned it had every reason to believe it wouldn't work.

    The raid used six carriers, about four more than had been used in any attack to date.

    The Japanese weren't thought capable of at-sea refueling of large forces over long distances.

    The commanders on the ground violated a laundry list of rules in the months before Dec. 7th.

    The Japanese spies working out of their embassy had free run of the island, including the areas around Pearl Harbor.

    The Public Works officer on Oahu refused to release the newly constructed Air Information Center to the Airedales in time for them to work up the procedures. There was a former Eagle Squadron commander on loan from the USN who could have trained them up nicely if given the time.
     
    OpanaPointer, Jul 10, 2016
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  17. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Did I suck all the air out of the room?
     
    OpanaPointer, Jul 11, 2016
    #17
  18. belasar

    belasar Court Jester

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    Not sure I would call that the most improbable event of the War.

    First the US wargamed it 'live' I believe before the war., and Japan had a history of executing sneak attacks on ships in port as a opening act in a war.
     
    belasar, Jul 11, 2016
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  19. OpanaPointer

    OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    The '39 Fleet exercises was an attack on Pearl, but it was gamed as an attack on an enemy harbor, not on Hawaii specifically.

    And, yes, Japan had a habit of attacking before a declaration, which is why I left that off the list.
     
    OpanaPointer, Jul 11, 2016
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  20. belasar

    belasar Court Jester

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    No question that for US command/leadership the strike on Pearl Harbor was a surprise, but is that enough to make it the most improbable event of WWII? Germany moving large mobile forces through the Ardennes in 1940 and later in 1944 was a surprise to Allied command/leadership, granted for different reasons. Is surprise alone enough?

    The failures of American leadership can be summed up to 4 very commonplace human failings

    Arrogance, Complacency, Bureaucracy and a unwillingness to yield the American ideals even in the face of real danger.

    All could be said of 9/11. Tom Clancy wrote Debt of Honor in 1994 which culminated with a airliner being crashed into the Capitol building, The FBI had reports of Arab foreign nations learning to fly large aircraft, yet showing little interest in learning how to land them and the US loses track of several of the hijackers after their visa expired, despite a stated goal of Al Qaeda to do something spectacular on US soil.

    I would nominate Doolittle's raid as more improbable. Successfully launching 16 twin engine medium bombers from a WWII era carrier under combat conditions in the face of a aroused enemy and actually hitting most of their targets and without losing any aircraft to enemy action.
     
    belasar, Jul 11, 2016
    #20
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