During World War II, U.S. military officials had a challenging task of anticipating where the Japanese would strike next. The Aug. 18 meeting will yield defense and intelligence arrangements aimed at anchoring the trilateral relationship in a permanent structure, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning and coordination. Histories of the Pearl Harbor attack properly devote much attention to intelligence warnings about the attack—or their absence, shedding light on the crucial role of intelligence in military strategy.
By the time the first Japanese bomber appeared over Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, tensions between Japan and the United States had been escalating, leading to a sense of inevitability about war. Certain of inevitable war with the U.S., Japan launched a preemptive strike that shocked Americans and prompted the nation to enter World War II. In response, U.S. ships have begun constructing the initial stages of the temporary floating pier off Gaza's coast, and defense officials expect it will serve as a strategic military outpost.
Israeli officials say it is impossible to defeat Hamas without killing innocents, a lesson they argue Americans and their allies should keep in mind during conflicts. In August 1945, after atomic strikes and facing huge losses, Japan surrendered, ending WWII. But what if they had kept fighting? The U.S. had to carefully consider potential Japanese attack strategies and plan accordingly.