Japan takes a different course

Does anyone have any information on this? Did the military staff have a belief that the Pearl Harbor anchorage was safe from torpedo attack? Was this a general knowledge that would have been available?

 

Yes, because of the shallow water of Pearl Harbor they thought they were safe from submarines and conventional torpedo attacks. Indeed they were, but the Japanese had developed shallow water torpedoes for situations like Pearl or other shallow water areas in the Pacific, and the USN was unaware of just how succesful Japan was.

 

The US Navy may have been ready for war but not the other branches. I believe FDR was looking to get the US into the war but not against Japan. But the american people were not interested in getting involved. Germany seemed to be the major threat so FDR may have been content to not interfere as long as Japan expanded Westward. Perhaps send the fleet to it's bases in the Phillipines to let the Japanese know they are not the only big kid on the block.

 

PzJgr, I think I agree with your assessment of the concerns of the American people. If they had left us alone we would not have cared how many Chinese or Koreans were abused by the Japanese. Just would want to make sure they didn't think they could do anything that would threaten OUR national interests.