In contrast, the American economy remained virtually undamaged during the war. The US mainland was never attacked or even seriously threatened. The US economic industry then began to soar in production levels, and begun to supply and support the needs of the American military efficiently and effectively. Unlike Japan, the war improved the US economy (and therefore society as a whole). It is believed that WWII virtually ended the Depression in America, as employment rose and export/imports began to rise. The cast difference in economic homefronts became a decisive factor in the Allies success in the war. Japan’s deteriorating condition simply could not compete with the US and became incapable of supplying their armed forces.
The Japanese division within the armed forces contributed to the failure of the Japanese to consolidate their position after 1942. The competition for materials and resources between the army and the navy created much rivalry within the forces. The Japanese armed forces lacked in cooperation and coordination of their infantry, artillery, and soldiers became ill-equipped and unsupported. Meirion Harries writes, “The Jap is an absolutely first-class infantryman, but he lacks the equipment, communications and perhaps the knowledge and desire to use all his arms as a coordinated whole.” The failure of the armed forces to co-ordinate as a whole led to their failure in the war.
The Japanese failure to bring the war against China to a quick conclusion back in the 1930’s also contributed to the Japanese loss in the Pacific war. The war against China remained an economic drain of Japan, as the Japanese economy and industry was continuously producing and supplying materials for those at the Chinese front, whilst also catering for the new and expanding fronts of South East Asia. Japan was also forced to compete against the production of western powers as China was being supplied by their South East Asian Colonies that border southern China. The Japanese expansion into China also sparked the US embargo on the export of strategic goods to Japan. This began the increase of US economic sanctions, which affected Japan dramatically, as she was completely reliant on the import of raw materials. The Chinese was contributed to the failure of the Japanese, as it continued to drain Japan of its materials, resources and manpower.
The so called Japanese ‘Six Months of Glory’ from December 1941 to May 1942, also added to the failure and loss in the war. Although radical and vast expansion into South East Asia, which including Hong Kong, Philippines, Dutch East Indies, Singapore, Malaya and Siam to name a few, increased the military and civilian morale, it became a detrimental factor and burden on Japan in the long run. The Japanese armed forces just did not have the ability to occupy, sustain and eliminate all opposition in their conquered lands. They had neither the materials, facilities nor man-power to sustain such an endeavour. To add to this, the Japanese armed forces alienated these conquered territories, which eliminated the opportunity for these countries to join the fight along side the axis. This expansion only increased their number of enemies and increased the pressure on their economy, industry and civilians at home.
The Allied retaliation from 1942 to 1945 led to the Japanese failure in the batter at sea, in the air and in the area of intelligence, which all contributed to the Japanese loss in the Pacific War. The Battle of Midway was the first of many battles, which severely damaged the Japanese navy and their operations, as 4 major carriers were sunk. The Allied success at the Battle of Guadalcanal, not only allowed the liberation of the Solomon Islands, but also marked the beginning of the US tactic ‘island hopping’ which became increasingly successful. The Battle of the Philippine Sea was also critical, not only for the navy but also for their aircraft, as three Japanese carriers were sunk and 300+ aircraft destroyed. The Battle of Okinawa was a decisive battle where the largest battleship in the world, Yamato was sent on a suicide mission to destroy the US naval ring around Okinawa. But the US detected their movement and sunk the ship along with 5 support ships.
Through these naval successes the US was now able to base their B-29 bombers in the Marinas, which allowed them to increase their air attacks on Japan’s home islands. This was achieved by November 1944. On March 9, a bombing raid on Tokyo created a firestorm (as their towns were made of wood), which raged out of control killing between 80 000 and 100 000 people. Roughly 250 000 homes were destroyed leaving 1.8 million Japanese people homeless. These American bombers were unchallenged in Japanese skies, as the Japanese airforce did no longer exist. The bombing continued over Japan causing 500 000 deaths. The Japanese also lost the Battle of Intelligence, which was largely due to the Navajo Indians which consisted of 400 radio operators. They were civilians of an Indian America tribe, which distributed all American operations and tactics via radio during the war. Their language was only known by those within their tribe, therefore the American Armed Forces were able to maintain secrecy from the Axis powers throughout the war. American intelligence also used ‘Magic Intercepts’ to gain Japanese information. The US intelligence was so superior to the Japanese that at times the US would receive Japanese information before the intended recipient. The Japanese failures in the air, at sea and in intelligence all led to their loss in the war.
The US superiority in tactics, weaponry and technology became a decisive factor in the Pacific War. The American amphibious assaults are an example of this. American technology was extremely superior-whilst the Americans were inventing the atomic bomb, Japanese specialists were designing a balloon bomb, which would float over the sea and fall on enemy soil. This displayed the vast difference in capabilities.
The deteriorating homefront within their economy and industry, in combination with their inefficient armed forces, and their losses in the air, at sea and in intelligence, caused their failure to consolidate their position after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942.
