"Reluctant Allies:German-Japanese Naval Relations in World War II" Review
BOOK BIT DAILY REVIEW RADIO SHOW
BOOK BIT DAILY REVIEW RADIO SHOW

Dave (Doc) Kirby, PD and reviewer this review was aired 11th Nov.2002. A "Boo}c Bit" a daily review show promoting Literacy on WTBF-AM/FM) Here we find out why the Alliance of the United States, Great Britain, Franc. the USSR, and practically everyone else succeeded, While the Triple Axis failed so miserably: we formulated a common goal . It wasn't easy, because every nation had its own agenda, but we were determined that the Nazis and the Japanese had to be. stopped.

For their part, the Germans and the Japanese had very little in common . Germany attracted allies only for how they could benefit the Fatherland, not because Hitler wanted to help anyone else. Japan did not want Germany to sign the non-aggression pact with Stalin because the Japanese wanted to fight USSR again. Germany didnŐt want Japan to attack America because they didn't want to fight us again . Japan wanted colonial holdings in the South Pacific for their raw materials and they wanted German technology .

Germany didn't care about the Pacific territories but like, the. idea of Japan tying England up in a war over their colonial interests there. In fact, Japan had a perfect opportunity to turn Indian nationals, who were fighting for Great Britain into rebels and therefore involve England in a civil war in IndiaÉÉbut .they never pursued it. Germany had oversized submarines built to transport materials back and forth through the Indian Ocean to Japan, carrying manufactured goods needed by Japan and returning with raw materials for HitlerŐs war machine.. But even that was pretty much a bust. German and Italian subs joined Japanese subs in patrolling the Indian Ocean for a time hoping to disrupt England's supply lines to Burma, but when the war started going against the Allies in i943, this policy was abandoned. Hitler told the Japanese that because of the powerful ship-building capability of the USA that sinking their ships wasn't enough:kill the crews, too. German crews wouldn't do it, risking Hitler's wrath, but the Japanese- did so and after the war were tried for war crimes.

The Japanese had a big-ship ocean-going navy, while the Germans were used to staying close to Europe except with their U-boats. Their philosophical and, operational differences, coupled with vast geographical separation, and mixed with racism toward Orientals by the Germans, torpedoed their own alliance.. This book was written by German and Japanese naval veterans and historians which brings a very authentic and honest air to a seldom-discussed topic of WWII. It makes for excellent reading and is very informative !