The Path to War – Japan in January 1921

The Path to War Began in the Ashes of the Aftermath of the World War In 1921, the world was still reeling from the war that had consumed so much of its young men and resources. The European landscape had changed from all of the brutal fighting and the League of Nations proposed by Wilson […]

When Coal Was King – Harsh Realities in 1941 for a Nation that Needed Expansion

Since the beginning of the industrialized era of mankind, one of the key elements that has both enhanced and limited progress is the humble material called coal. Coal played an important part in the growth of America and all of the industrialized nations. Coal also played a part in the eventual destruction of the Imperial […]

Low Cost Submarines

By 1939, the state of the US Navy’s readiness was in question. The treaties of the past twenty years and the economic conditions had stunted the growth of the force that was realizing the threat of a two ocean war. The war in Europe had not reached its peak yet but the shadows of the […]

The Tanaka Memorial – Real or Imagined? Part 2

Part Two: Admiral Taussig. Yes, Senator. Shall I proceed with my statement? The Chairman. Proceed. Admiral Taussig. In spite of our desires to remain aloof from international problems, we cannot do so. The world has shrunk too much. Can we look on a development in the Far East such as out lined above with detached interest, as a matter of no immediate concern to us as […]

The Tanaka Memorial – Real or Imagined?

This story will be done in two parts. In 1940, Rear Admiral Joseph Taussig was called to testify to Congress about the ship building program and the perceived threats that were emerging in the Far East. This controversial testimony placed him at odds with an old nemesis – the former Assistant Secretary of the Navy […]

The Tripartite Pact of 1940 – Prelude to War

In September of 1940, the fate of world peace was sealed with the signing of the Tripartite Pact.. The Tripartite Pact was directed primarily at the United States. Its practical effects were limited since the Italo-German and Japanese operational theatres were on opposite sides of the world, and the high contracting powers had disparate strategic […]

The Circle Plans – Japan’s method to achieve Hakkō ichiu

Steel One year before December 7, 1941, the Japanese steel industry was coming to the realization that the enormous appetite from their military buildup was impossible to achieve. In the 1930’s, the United States was alarmed by the increase of Japan’s militant activity in Manchuria and elsewhere. After years of dormancy, the United States Navy […]

Two Cultures Collide and Heroes Emerge from the Sea

The United States in 1941 was tense and filled with anticipation about the war in Europe. But nothing could prepare the nation for the events that were about to transpire. The nation and the Japanese had long been on a collision course because of the nature of their two cultures. But the population at large had […]

By God’s Help and Teamwork – The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal November 1942

Thanksgiving Weekend 1942 – Washington DC The headlines on the front page of the Washington Evening Star on November 28th, 1942 were focused on the recent events in the Battle of Tunis in Northern Africa. Thanksgiving was just completed and the Navy football Team was lauded for a surprise win over Army in the annual […]

A Letter No Submariner’s Father Ever Wants – Lieut. Tsutoma Sakuma and Japanese Submarine No. 6

Submarines have always been dangerous. The early submarines were even more so because of the emerging technologies that had not yet evolved. The men who rode the early boats were a different breed. This story is about one of them who was a national hero in Japan and left a legacy that would have implications […]