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1. Wyatt Reader <hirener@EARTHLINK.NET> 2. "Kuehn, John Dr CIV USA TRADOC" <john.t.kuehn@us.army.mil> -----Message from: Wyatt Reader <hirener@EARTHLINK.NET>----- An interesting observation, this, about the overseas Japanese. It suggests the support ratio to troops ran 6-1 in China and Asia, almost all civilian ? Is there any confirming documentation ? It also suggests the 'colonial' nature of the Japanese Empire even while claiming thru propaganda to be creating Asia for Asians by removing the colonial appetite of Western countries. It seems, then, Western countries and people are not the only ones who look to 'colonize' less fortunate peoples' in the interpretation of historical and policy events presented by governments. Besides these features, the historical accuracy of statements would certainly be worth confirming. How restive would a population the size of China's in WW II have been under civilian rule by Japanese ? Or more to the point how un restive and liable to overthrow of such direction and persons ? Without military power[ and police] it seems highly unlikely to stand much chance against a large population taking actions. Even at the 50% level that leaves some 3 million troops under military control. If only a mill lion existed operational in 1941, 100,000 to 200,00 for Hawaii would then represent some 10-20% of combined arms; maybe required was a level of planning that would direct forces southward and eastward to the US territories and leave China less of a priority. But more to the point , invading the West Coast of the US would have taken something on the order of 500,000 possibly with a 200,000 man Naval force. This would suggest 3/4 of existing 1941 personnel directed at the US instead of China. Records should indicate how fast and times of deployment for 3 million troops in China from 1941-1945. Further, the decision to accept Soviet participation in the Pacific War released some 1 million Soviet troops to confront Manchuria and China in August of 1945, relieving the US of having to face any such Japanese troops so directed, from being in the Home Islands during 1946, the schedule date for US invasion to end WWW II. Even with these facts and numbers, the US expected to face well over 1 million Japanese under arms for any invasion plus several millions of militia. The numbers indicate, lack of planning in 41 for any invasion of US territory and views that China was much higher priority. Still re-directed, these would be formidable statistics for an unprepared US. Wyatt Reader UCLA___Whittier College Wyatt Reader <hirener@EARTHLINK.NET> -----Message from: "Kuehn, John Dr CIV USA TRADOC" <john.t.kuehn@us.army.mil>----- Two recent books answer these questions comprehensively: _In the Ruins of Empire_ Ronald Spector (Random House, NY, 2007) _Japan's Imperial Army: It's Rise and Fall, 1853-1945_ Edward J. Drea (Lawrence, Kansas, University Press of Kansas, 2009). On this one see especially pages 249 - 252. Drea puts 5.2 million in China in the spring of 1945. Drea and Spector really are the best there is in English on this topic. For earlier in the war numbers you might also see Ned Willmott's _Empires in the Balance_ since he uses British, not Japanese (as does Drea) sources. Spector tends to use US army intel figures from the period. Vr, John John T. Kuehn, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Military History Curriculum Developer Department of Military History U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Fort Leavenworth, KS "Kuehn, John Dr CIV USA TRADOC" <john.t.kuehn@us.army.mil> ----- For subscription help, go to: http://www.h-net.org/lists/help/ To change your subscription settings, go to http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=h-war -----
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