Japan and the Early War Years Trivia Quiz

Answer: The domination and leadership of eastern Asia

In the 1930's, as Japan sought to assume the leadership and control of eastern Asia by starting with the conquest of China, it became increasingly obvious that not many people outside of Japan shared her view of her 'heaven sent' mandate.

Answer: German armour ruptured French positions overlooking the Meuse

On the outbreak of war, Japan had declared her neutrality. She had little to gain and much to lose from an Anglo-French victory, but this possibility was ended by the events of 15 May 1940. When German armour ruptured the French positions overlooking the Meuse, it made a breach that the Anglo-French armies were unable to seal. Within six weeks France and the British Expeditionary Force in France were hounded to decisive defeat. This created an entirely new situation in the Far East, which Japan immediately prepared to take advantage of.

Answer: Replacement of the Japanese Government

The two services joined together to force the resignation of the cautious government of Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai when it showed signs of being alarmed by the implications of their demands.

Answer: Prince Fumimaro Konoye

The services only allowed Konoye to take office if he agreed to an alliance with Germany and Italy, a strengthening of the armed forces, and a more aggressive strategy in Southeast Asia.

Answer: Late 1941 to early 1942

The key factor in this situation was time. The act would only produce ships from 1943 onward, and was not due for completion until the period of 1946-48. As Japan had entered the field of naval rearmament early, her 1937 and 1939 programs would allow her to stand at the peak of her strength relative to the Americans in late 1941 or early 1942. Thus certainly for a year, and maybe two, the Imperial Navy would either be superior or very close to American strength in the Pacific.

Answer: Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto

Yamamoto was a practical, realistic patriot. He shared Japanese ambitions in the Far East, but he knew from first hand experience, gained as a student at Harvard and later as a naval attache in Washington, of the awesome power and potential of American industry.

He was outspoken in his opposition to a war with the Americans because he had no confidence in the ultimate outcome of the conflict. He was trapped by the drift toward war, and he believed that war might be forced upon Japan if she was to retain her world position and self-respect.

Increasingly, he became convinced that if a war was inevitable than it was desirable that it be induced and not delayed.

Answer: It would be more psychologically devastating

Genda thought that this was nonsense. Either carriers were the decisive strike weapon at sea or they were not. If they were, then there could be no justification for using them against lesser weapons or secondary objectives. Genda firmly fixed attention on the main objective of the attack - the elimination of the American aircraft carriers.

Answer: Fitting wooden fins to the torpedo

Clearly there were problems as Pearl Harbor only drew eight fathoms and conventional torpedoes would run harmlessly into the bed of the harbor unless they were modified.It was not until September that tests were concluded and production started on torpedoes equipped with wooden fins which seemed capable of keeping the weapon shallow-running. Even then, only an 80 percent efficiency rating was given to these weapons.

Answer: Kagoshima Bay

The bomber crews exercised over Kagoshima Bay for weeks. The torpedo bombers, perhaps the most vulnerable of the attacking aircraft, were subjected to approach runs through the buildings of Kagoshima before a flight at 50 to 70 feet above the waters of the bay.

The dive bombers had their release points lowered from 2000 to 1500 feet to increase the prospect of a hit while the high level bombers were intensively trained. To offset the weakness of equipment the Japanese had to rely on experience and instinct on the part of the aircrew.

It is no exaggeration to assert that the Japanese carrier pilots committed to the raid on Pearl Harbor represented the best trained aircrews in the world at that time.

Answer: Hiei and Kirishima

In dense fog the carrier force slipped out of its desolate anchorage in the Kuriles on the 26th, the last of the carriers clearing Tankan Bay at about 0900 hours. The task force steamed eastward, following the 43rd parallel, into the stormy northern Pacific. On the 2 December the task force received the coded message "Niitaka yama nobore", which was the signal that Japan had finally decided upon war and that Nagano was to proceed with the operation as planned.