We’ll start by mentioning that Japan’s economy was only 1/10 the size of the US economy during World War II. Also the naval power of the US was far greater than that of its rival in the Pacific Ocean which meant that it would be almost impossible for Japan to win the war.
But history mentions too many cases where the underdog was able to win. This raises the question of whether Japan could prevail.
If a military triumph lay beyond Tokyo’s reach, the Japanese commanders could have husbanded resources, narrowing the force mismatch between the warring sides. They could have made the conflict more costly, painful and prolonged for America, undercutting its resolve. Or they could avoid rousing American fury to wage total war in the first place. By foregoing a strike at Hawaii, they could have enfeebled the opponent’s resolve or perhaps sidelined the opponent entirely.
[Source: www.nationalinterest.org]
