*** war and social upheaval: World War II Japan strengths and weaknesses








World War II: Japan--Strengths and Weaknesses

World War II Japanese industry
Figure 1.--Japan on the Home Islands lacked almost all the natural resources or the food production needed to wage a major war. They gained some in Korea and Mnchuri, but not what they needed to fight the United States. Ans as the War progressed, the Unted States cut off almost all imports by destroying the maru fleet. Japanese war industres began to grind t a halt without raw materials and the population began to go hungary. School children were put to work. Here children are no longer going to school and are being used to work on bamboo, one material that was available. The children may have been some of the evacuees from the cities. We think they are making bamboo mats. This appears to come from 'The Yomiuri Shimbun', a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. Click on the image to see the Japanese caption.

A military historian assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Japan would be hard put to understand why the country would have ever launched a war against the United States. The further imponderable is that unlike their Axis partners where the decesion for war was made by the whims of an all-powerful dictator, the Japanese actually carefully studied the issue and the decision for war wa made a consesus of the country's militay leadership. The only factor that makes the decision for war somewhat understandable is that they were under the impression that the Germans had defeated the Soviet Red Army and the Soviet was about to collapse. Overall, the Jaanese, however, were next to Italy, the weakest of the major World War II beligerants. The Japanese has some real strengths. Japan was an industrial power, in fact the only industrial power in Asia. This gave them the ability to wage war in China, a much more populous country. Japan was better prepared for war having devoted a substantial part of its national income to build a powerful navy. Especially important was the First Air Fleet. This gave them the opportunity to win a short war with the United States which was not prepared. It had a technical capability to produce two important weapons, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero and the Long Lance Torpedo. The Japanese leadership had a compliant population and a fiercely devoted, determined military which supported the leadership at all levels without question. There were some competent military leaders, most prominently Adm. Yamamoto and Gen. Yamashita. And they had a powerful Axis ally--NAZI Germany. Many of Japan's strengths had offsetting weaknesses. While Japan was the only industrial power in Asia, its industrial caability was a fraction of that of the other belgerants and pailed in comarison to the huge industrial base. This meant that while Japan might win a short war, it has little chance of winning a long, drawn out war of attrition. This was especially the case of a naval war which relied heavily on industrial power. The limited industrial also mean that the Japanese soldier fought the War with the worse weaponry of any power. Japan also had only a fraction of the technological capability of America and Britain. A compliant population not asking questions was an advantage, at least as long as Japanese leaders made correct decisions. But of course the decisions they made were disasterous. Overall, Japan had perhaps the most incompetent military leadership of all the major belligerants. The most respected commander was Adm. Yamaoto. His Pearl Harbor plan worked well against the unprepared Americans. Yet it was the same Yamaoto who planned perhaps the most incoherent naval battle plan in history--Midway. Japanese Army commanders exhibited little tactical subtelty. They were prone to ordering Banzai attacks that proved suicidal against a modern military force. In major battles, Japanese casualties exceed American casualties by a ratio of 10 to 1. The large Japanese Army proved of little use in fighting anaval war and air war. And their German ally which they believed had defeated the Red Army proved to have failed disasterously. Japan's wood and paper cities were particularly vulnerable to stragegic bombing. But of all Japan's weaknesses, the most important was the almost total lack of critcal natural resorces. They obtained some resources in Korea and Manchuria, but not what they needed for war with America and no oil. And it was not just a matter that there was very little on the Home Islands, but having to import food, metals, oil, and other material made them vulnerable to a maritime interdiction campaign. Japan focused on naval war ships. Its maru fleet (merchant marine) was barely adequate in peace time, but was grossly inadequate for war. And this was before theamerican submarine force began to systemartically destroy the marus.

Strengths

The Japanese has some real strengths. Japan was an industrial power, in fact the only industrial power in Asia. This gave them the ability to wage war in China, a much more populous country. Japan was better prepared for warb than America, at least a short war. Japan's greatest assetgt was an intensly patriotic, fanatical military commited to obeying orders and fighting to the death. This was not just the commanders, it was a martial ethos extending to the ordinary bsoldiers. Soldiers that refuse to surrender do notv win wars, but they do pose a challenge to the forirces opposing them--leading to heavy casualties. But the Army and Navy, involved in a bitter inter-service rivalry, greatly diffeered in their use of their men. The Japanese Army after a decade of war in China had extensice experience. But they had learned virtually nothing from all that experienced. They had none of the tactical skill of the Germans. Amd much of their weaponry was of very poor quality. This would become apparent with their first real test with the Americans on Guadalcanal--Aligator Creek. Japan had ammased a powerful naval force. Japan devoted a substantial part of its national income to building a powerful navy during the 1920s and 3os. Especially important was the First Air Fleet a carrier force superior and more experienced than the American Pacific Fleet carriers. The Japanese recognized the imporance of massed carrier operations and were much more capable of fleet (mulyiple) carrier operationd tahn the U.S. Navy. And unlike the Army, the Imperial Navy achieved a level of competency that was actually superior to any navy in the world. This gave Japan the opportunity of winning a short war with the United States which was not prepared for a war. The War in Europe meant almost all of the British Royal Navy was deployed in Europen waters. Japan had a technical capability to produce two important weapons, the legendary Mitsubishi A6M Zero and the Long Lance Torpedo. The Japanese leadership had a compliant population and a fiercely devoted, determined military which supported the leadership at all levels without question. There were some competenta military leaders, most prominently Adm. Yamamoto and Gen. Yamashita. And they had a powerful Axis ally--NAZI Germany.

Weaknesses

Many of Japan's strengths had offsetting weaknesses. While Japan was the only industrial power in Asia, its industrial caability was a fraction of that of the other belgerants and pailed in comarison to the huge industrial base. This meant that while Japan might win a short war, it has little chance of winning a long, drawn out war of attrition. This was especially the case of a naval war which relied heavily on industrial power. The limited industrial also mean that the Japanese soldier fought the War with the worse weaponry of any power. Japan also had only a fraction of the technological capability of America and Britain. The Japanese might have done well if the War was fought with the same weapons that Japan and America brought to the table in December 1941. But it was not. The Japanese lagely did fight the War with the same weapons, but America did not. America with its massive industrial and technoloigical capability not only could replace losses, but could introduce many advancd weaons that the Japanese could not match. America with its massive industrial and technoloigical capability not only could replace losses, but could introduce many advanced weapons that the Japanese could not match. And Japan had not way at striking at the war making capity of the United States. They assumed that the United States also lacked the capability of striking at the Home Islands, becuse America did not have that capacity in 1941. A compliant population not asking questions was an advantage as long as Japanese leaders made correct decisions. But of course the decisions they made were disasterous. Overall, Japan had perhaps the most incompetent military leadership of all the major belligerants. The most respected commander was Adm. Yamaoto. His Pearl Harbor plan worked well against the unprepared Americans. Yet it was the same Yamaoto who planned perhaps the most incoherent naval battle plan in history--Midway. Japanese Army commanders exhibited little tactical subtelty. They were prone to ordering Banzai attacks that proved suicidal against a modern military force. In major battles, Japanese casualties exceed American casualties by a ratio of 10 to 1. The large Japanese Army proved of little use in fighting anaval war and air war. And their German ally which they believed had defeated the Red Army proved to have failed disasterously. Japan's wood and paper cities were particularly vulnerable to stragegic bombing. Not only was Japan's industry indequate to support war with major industrial powers, but the country was not self sufficent in food production. Japan's agricultural sector was not only inefficent, but the country simply did not have sufficent arable land to feed the workers in its growing industrial cities. For this, Japan had to import food. But of all Japan's weaknesses, the most important was the almost total lack of critcal natural resources. They obtained some resources in Korea and Manchuria, but not what they needed for war with America and no oil. And it was not just a matter that there was very little on the Home Islands, but having to import food, metals, oil, and other material made them vulnerable to a maritime interdiction campaign. Japan focused on naval war ships. Its maru fleet (merchant marine) was barely adequate in peace time, but was grossly inadequate for war. And this was before theamerican submarine force began to systemartically destroyed the marus.






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Created: 1:26 PM 3/15/2017
Last updated: 10:36 PM 9/16/2023