The story of Days of Infamy (2008) has become a fictional assumption of what has become if the Japanese are able to include such invasion intent upon their attack on the Pearl Harbor.
The question lies as a historical myth that plays in the minds of many. Considering the weak state of American troops after the Pearl Harbor attack and the obvious advantages of Japanese opposition, Admiral Yamamoto has chosen to remain in the comforts of his country instead of advancing towards total invasion of the area.Days of Infamy has been published by various authors (Turtledove 2004; Lord 1960) but the most recent is the work Newt Gingrich and William Fostchen. In the novel, the two authors have considered various angles of what had become during the Pearl Harbor attack and the exploration of the answers for various inquiries, such as why did Admiral Yamamoto refrain from invading the area during the most advantageous day, or what would have happened if Admiral Yamamoto and the rest of the troops initiated their plan of invasion, etc.Gingrich and Forstchen historically illustrate these scenarios through an acclaimed approach, which they consider as the active history that analyzes how a simple change of decision might have greatly changed the American fate. Gingrich and Forstchen’s Days of Infamy has somehow provided a sequel portraying an imaginative and thrilling literary play that involves various points of perspectives.
Discussion The Happening during the Pearl Harbor By the time Japanese government realized the increasing rates of resource scarcity, the administration started conceptualizing possible solutions to fill in the increasing needs of their country.Under this idea, the expansion of Japanese territory and the colonialism became the primary considered solution towards their problem. Hence, Japanese forces began enslaving nearby territories such as China, Philippines, and other Asian continents. The Japanese Commander Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto’s realization of conquering nearby countries can resolve their problem of resource scarcity. In 1936, Admiral Yamamoto started funding and establishing his naval air arm through the use of aircraft carriers.However, the Japanese increasing hostility became an alarming note to the Untied States and the whole world; hence, Japanese forces viewed the American settlers as national threat over their plan of expansion.
Despite of the increasing political argument on whether to expand and conquer or not, the military political powers (called Hawk) were able to gain the control of decision. During the morning of December 7, 1941, one of the most important historical events that triggered the American and Japanese feud occurred through the bombing of an American camping area in Hawaii, known as the Pearl Harbor.The Imperial Japanese warring forces have initiated their strategically planned attack by surprising the American troops that are at that point encamped within the vicinity of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Prior to the attack, the Japanese fleet feared considered the American encampment as a threat towards their plans. Under the influence of national paranoia, Admiral Yamamoto ordered an air force bombing over the said harbor in Hawaii. The Japanese military believed that the 1940 settlement of U.
S Pacific fleet on Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii was the United State’s strategy of opening war against their country.After the strike, the foreign relationship between Japanese and the Americans started to crumble. President Franklin D. Roosevelt permitted a secret dispatch of American troops in an effort of engaging battle against the Japanese encamped at China. Furthermore, United States had closed their trade transaction with the Japanese economy. Due to the consequences of Japanese troops imposed by American forces, Admiral Yamamoto was left with three choices of either leaving China and surrendering this area to the Americans, wait until the depletion of their resources, or to strike back and conquer more potential resourceful areas.
From this point of divergence, Admiral Yamamoto considered the option of engaging war against the United States and conquering of other nations. Aside from their plan of conquering Asian countries and pacific potential reserves, Japanese also considered the total crippling of U. S Navy at Pearl Harbor. In November 23, 1941, Japanese officials and the United States are confronted with the peaceful agreement; however, the pact was not considered by both parties.
After the initial attempts of peace talks, Japanese diplomats tried to negotiate their demands with the American diplomats.After many failed attempts, Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura was tasked to finalize the efforts of peaceful settlements, and the appointed deadline was on November 29, 1941. However, on during November 26 of the same year, the Japanese fleet advanced with warships and naval forces sailing towards Pearl Harbor. Japanese naval fleet carried two battleships, two heavy cruisers, six destroyers and several submarines. The naval forces of Japanese troops in the area of Oahu, Hawaii were considered as a major threat by United States leader.
On November 27, Washington leaders warned the encamped military commanders in Hawaii to be extremely cautious due to the impending Japanese threat. At the point, Pearl Harbor at Oahu was completely defenseless due to the first attack of the Japanese fleet. On December 2, Chuichi Nagumo, the tasked commander of Japanese Fleet, opened the Japanese declaration under Yamamoto’s orders, “Our Empire has decided to go war against the United States, Britain and Holland in early December. ” The set date of war was December 7, 1941 and another point of divergence occurred during that day.
Ambassador Nomura was tasked to expect a message from Japanese embassy to be sent to U. S Secretary of State Cordell Hull by 1:00 p. m. , Washington time. The message stated the declaration of peaceful negotiations between the two warring countries.
However, due to the delays of decoding the message, it arrived late at 2:20 p. m. after the commencing of American-Japanese war at Pearl Harbor. Even if the messaged arrived earlier, American troops in Oahu, Hawaii would still be unable to fully prepare their forces.
In that fateful day, the Pearl Harbor closed and triggered the Days of Infamy.Admiral Yamamoto ordered the launch of a third-wave assault at the Harbor by his naval fleets. In the literary context of Gingrich and Forstchen, they wandered what could have happened if the admirals of American and Japanese military forces faced in the battle of Pearl Harbor, particularly Bill Halsey – legendary American Admiral and notorious gambler Yamamoto. Days of Infamy proceeded by covering the perspectives of President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchull and the famous Commander Admirals.The Admiral Yamamoto and the Decision Gingrich and Forstchen have analyzed the historical incident through the use of active history and point of divergence. According to the argument of the book, a simple decision of an individual can actually change the entire scenario and modify the historical pattern.
The literary works of Gingrich and Forstchen have included the viewpoints from higher commands to lower yet important participants of the event. Such conditions have been presented through “what-if” scenarios, which eventually create riveting, exciting and realistic literary composition of the World War II.In terms of literary analysis, Admiral Yamamoto has portrayed the main antagonist of the story while the protagonist comes in the form of American citizens. During the initiation of war on December 7, 1941, the absence of Admiral Yamamoto has been questioned by the authors of the book.
Gingrich and Forstchen argue that the appearance of Yamamoto during the first and third wave attacks of the Japanese at Pearl Harbor might have shifted the Japanese militaristic plans to a different perspective. Gingrich and Forstchen consider a different viewpoint wherein two great admirals of war should face directly present in the battlefield itself.The Commander Admiral Yamamoto is considered as one of the Japanese prominent leaders in the Imperial Navy. According to historical reviews, the admiral is responsible for the formulation of initial attacks on the Pearl Harbor and the latter pre-emptive strike on U.
S forces during the third-wave attacks. Gingrich and Forstchen consider his value in the historical events of Pearl Harbor due to his unhesitating directions and commands of warring against the United States. In the story, the authors point out the entire difference of scenario Yamamoto could have initiated by simple change in his plans.Meanwhile, the President Roosevelt, the American military force Admiral Bill Halsey, American pilots and naval troops, and the service crews of the Pearl Harbor have also become part of the history’s active process. Gingrich and Forstchen view that a single change on their response to possible actions might have altered the entire historical event. The views of the author in the novel somehow rewrites the main events and details of the historical scenario, and then consider the points of divergence in order to illustrate the what-if questions and the active process of history.
The war between Japan and United States has already been considered by both nations even prior to their attack. Japanese government and military officials (e. g. Admiral Yamamoto) have considered the risks of triggering havoc between them and the United States. The Japanese officials and war strategists are very much aware that their warring weapons and industrial capacity is no match for long-term battles with the United States.
However, Yamamoto has taken the lead and engaged to war with his desire of defeating the main colonies or encampments of Americans and one of these is the Peal Harbor.A single decision of an individual from Hawk Japanese military group has shaped the entire course of the history. During the first wave of the attack, Admiral Yamamoto and the rest of the Japanese military have overlooked the situation to the point of considering the American encampment as a threat to Japan’s national security. Hence, with the majority of military and government officials, Japanese air fleet engaged to battle and bombarded the encampments at Pearl Harbor. Another point of divergence is Yamamoto’s decision to engage in war and ending the opportunities for peace talks, which eventually contributed to the start of World War II.
