Comments by "" (@BobSmith-dk8nw) on "USS Barb - Guide 382" video.

  1. In the Atlantic - WWII started off with no one knowing what they were doing but the most competent part of the Kriegsmarine was the U Boats. So - there was a giant Flail Ex - for the first couple of years. The Germans became highly successful in sinking Allied ships - and - Britain felt it was in danger of starvation. So ... the Americans and the British both took ASW very seriously and began - with the Germans - to wage a High Tech War with both sides doing all they could to improve their technology and tactics. Because of this - the Allies in Spring 1943 - began making real progress against the Germans. The Japanese never knew what they were doing with their Submarines - trying to use them to sink warships. While they had so success at that - they were much less successful at doing what Submarines did best - which was attack enemy logistics. Meanwhile the British had most of their military in European Waters and the American Torpedoes were execrable. Thus the Japanese lacked being scared shit less the way the Allies were - and did not devote anything like the energy and resources to ASW that the Allies did in the Atlantic. The Americans then - having continued to build submarines as fast as they could - despite their failures - got their torpedoes sorted ... and the Japanese were in deep shit. Completely lacking the ship building capability to replace their losses and at a disadvantage technologically - it was far to late for them to try and counter the sudden devastating effectiveness of the American Submarine Arm. With almost all their oil coming in via sea ... their ability to even fuel their ships and aircraft became severely hampered and Japan did begin to starve. American Submarines in the Sea of Japan were sinking their fishing fleet. The Russians were not really a factor. The only amphibious capability they had - was from the ships the Americans had given them under Lend Lease. So what landings they did make - were after Japan had surrendered and were unopposed. They didn't so much defeat the Kwangtung Army in Manchuria - as it surrendered to them when Japan surrendered. Fortunately for all concerned - the the Americans dropped Atom Bombs on two Japanese Cities. Since the Shogunate - the Japanese Emperor - though worshiped as a Living God - Reigned - but did not Rule - much like the Royal Family in the UK today. However - he had IMMENSE Prestige. I cannot emphasize enough that to his people - he was A LIVING GOD that they devotedly worshiped and - he loved them. Shocked by the Bombs - Hirohito took the step of asking his nation - which was very much ready to all die for him - to stand down and an Invasion that could have been the most horrific in human history - was peaceful. Hirohito does not get enough credit for ending WWII. That man saved millions of lives on both sides. Compare him to Hitler - who felt that the German People had let HIM down - and deserved to die. .
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