[ARC5] How the U.S. Cracked Japan's 'Purple Encryption"

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 6 Dec 2016 at 20:00, Joe Connor wrote:

> Yamamoto recognized from the start that Japan lacked the resources to stand 
> toe-to-toe with the U.S. in a long war. When the U.S. geared up its industrial 
> production, it would overwhelm Japan. Yamamoto realized Japan's only chance 
> was a quick knockout, and that was his plan.
> 
> First, he would cripple the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. He came close but luckily 
> for us, the carriers were at sea, and this was going to be a carrier war, not a 
> battleship war.

Japan's biggest screw up was missing the fuel dumps on Pearl. If they had destroyed those, 
we would have been pretty much dead in the water for many, many months.

I remember reading some time ago that during an interview by our military with the 
Japanese commanders after the war that when this was brought to their attention, their 
mouths dropped open and they appeared absolutely dumb-founded.
 
> Second, he planned to lure the remnants of the Pacific fleet out to sea, inflict a 
> decisive defeat on the fleet, and force the U.S. to sue for peace. That was 
> Midway. Without the code-break activities, his plan might have worked.

Maybe. Yes, we were more than lucky...

Ken W7EKB

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