Now that everyone has a chance to make sure all the posts are here.
I shall continue. I am NOT argueing that Allied defence plans were realistic. History proved just how inadequate those plans were. What I am stating outfront and outright is that their plans fit with their thinking. ANZAC brought up MacArthur. He is perhaps the best example of the thinking at this time. No one makes General without some sort of military education and in case of Mac, he was also a combat veteran.
Did his plans make sense? To him, it did and reading up, he truly had confidence in his plans. All sides knew that war with Japan was coming but the Allies assumed it would be the US taking the lead or at the very least, they could have held the initial thrust. That confidence was wide and while a large part was hubris, a larger part was simply Allied military thought did not keep up with Axis military thought, let alone experience. However, that does not mean that Allied Officers were less dedicated to their art nor did they ignored their own education and training.
Anzac, your point about the US deciding on Europe failed on one point. Had Hitler not declared war, Japan would have received the full blunt of the American military machine.
I shall continue. I am NOT argueing that Allied defence plans were realistic. History proved just how inadequate those plans were. What I am stating outfront and outright is that their plans fit with their thinking. ANZAC brought up MacArthur. He is perhaps the best example of the thinking at this time. No one makes General without some sort of military education and in case of Mac, he was also a combat veteran.
Did his plans make sense? To him, it did and reading up, he truly had confidence in his plans. All sides knew that war with Japan was coming but the Allies assumed it would be the US taking the lead or at the very least, they could have held the initial thrust. That confidence was wide and while a large part was hubris, a larger part was simply Allied military thought did not keep up with Axis military thought, let alone experience. However, that does not mean that Allied Officers were less dedicated to their art nor did they ignored their own education and training.
Anzac, your point about the US deciding on Europe failed on one point. Had Hitler not declared war, Japan would have received the full blunt of the American military machine.
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