Question

What 2 misconceptions held by U.S. military officials led to the Japanese success with the attack?

Answer 1

Explanation:There are a few misconceptions about Pearl Harbor that have been debunked over time. One of them is that the U.S. was caught off guard and was not expecting an attack1. In fact, Washington was secretly reading Japanese diplomatic cables in 1941 so top officials knew when its embassies were ordered to burn code books and other sensitive material1. U.S. Army and Navy chiefs repeatedly warned commanders in the Pacific that an attack was coming1.

Another misconception is that the U.S. declared war on Japan because of Pearl Harbor2. The U.S. declared war on Japan because of Japan’s aggression in Asia2.

Answer 2

There were several factors that contributed to the success of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. However, two key misconceptions held by U.S. military officials were:

1) Underestimation of Japanese capabilities: The U.S. military officials believed that the Japanese were incapable of launching a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor due to its distance from Japan and the logistical challenges involved. This led to a lack of preparedness and a failure to take necessary precautions, such as maintaining a higher state of readiness, increasing reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering efforts, and ensuring that the military was adequately equipped to defend against a potential attack.

2) Overconfidence in American military power: The U.S. military officials also believed that the American military was vastly superior to the Japanese and that the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor was virtually invulnerable to attack. This led to complacency and a failure to consider the possibility that the Japanese could launch a successful attack. As a result, U.S. military leaders did not take steps to fortify the base or adequately protect the ships and other assets located there.