Comments by "Stephen Jenkins" (@stephenjenkins7971) on "Day of Infamy - The Path to Pearl Harbor - WWII - Part 6 - Extra History" video.

@Justin Alicea OK, but the war did need to happen. Japan's imperialism meant that eventually it would target the US anyway; it didn't want to atm because of the US' relative strength. Not because of any humanist beliefs and distaste for war.
18
@riograndedosulball248 Near impossible. FDR wanted war, but he was convinced that it would not be possible with the US' isolationist stance. More importantly; US officials themselves would never agree with such a plan when it would thoroughly cripple US naval power at the start of the war. It's only in hindsight that the US had the means to come back from that; not at the time.
12
@idleishde6124 When it wants to be is the important bit. We have to be better than "sometimes"
4
No it couldn't. Japan's military had every intent to make war and it's government followed along.
3
Because just as often it is intentionally used by one power or another to advance a goal. In this case the Japanese government fully intended to use the confusion to get a sneak attack and cripple the US for the upcoming war.
1
Is this the part where you suggest licking boot instead of taking a stand today? Leaving future generations with an infinitely worse hand to soothe your ego?
1
@johnyricco1220 Prolly because Japan proved that your isolationist tendencies only allow for external powers to take advantage of the situation rather than actually take part in it. You may as well give everyone the initiative and then throw your children into the fire of war. You can argue against specific interventions, but the world is interconnected. Far more than in the 20th century. Sticking your head in the ground does nothing but help future enemies and abandon allies. As for how many millions killed? Idk, but billions have been saved because of it. So it's a good price to pay.
1
@theotherohlourdespadua1131 You realize that that's not uniquely Japanese, right? Every major nation prepares themselves for possible conflict with each other; feeling threatened isn't an excuse to literally start a war, otherwise the world would constantly be at war.
1
@theotherohlourdespadua1131 I never said that countries don't do that, just that it's a reprehensible excuse which doesn't fly anymore. Only unironic imperialists use that logic today. There was zero military buildup in the Philippines, which would've been an excellent staging ground for this "future conquest" that the Japanese were apparently terrified about. This was in sharp contrast to the Japanese who were teaching their populace about their right to conquest the Pacific and their invasions everywhere pointing to such future aggression. In short; no, the Japanese had zero right to fear American expansion while everyone else had every right to fear Japanese expansion. The Japanese, by every metric, was the one that everyone needed to prepare for. The US was effectively chilling.
1
@beeaggro2593 A braindead theory more like. Only Americans feel the need to make their own government into Satan for everything to the point that it absolves foreign dictators.
1