Prewar Preparation for the Pacific War: Who Was Better Prepared?
Today, some observers question which country did a better job of prewar preparation for the Pacific War, the United States, Japan, or wonder whether both were unprepared. The historical record confirms that Japan was not only better prepared than the United States, its military leaders were practically twitching with eagerness to get started. Indeed, in many ways, Japan was already on war footing and its attack on Pearl Harbor was simply an extension of its expansionist ideology. For example, throughout the early 20th century, Japan fought and decisively won two major wars, the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, to gain power and territories such as Taiwan and Korea and expand their regional influence. These wars in particular set the stage for Japan greater expansionism later, including throughout the Pacific Theater. Thereafter, during the 1930s, Japan became increasingly aggressive by invading Manchuria, clashing militarily with Soviet forces, and eventually launching a full-scale invasion of China.
By very sharp contrast, the United States reduced its military forces significantly following the end of the misnamed, War to End All Wars. After WWI ended, the U.S. slashed defense spending, shrank the army and navy, and reduced focus on military aviation in the 1920s and 1930s as it returned to its isolationist policies. As tensions increased leading up to WWII, the U.S. began slowly trying to rebuild its military capacity, but its armed forces were still depleted and unprepared when Japan launched the surprise Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. This lack of preparations therefore contributed to Japans one-sided naval massacre at Pearl Harbor. It is important to note, though, that this same incident served to catalyze American public opinion and helped rebuild Americas military presence throughout the Pacific Theater, ultimately resulting in Americas victory over the Empire of Japan.
