Invasion of Attu

[Part_Time_Civer]

In June 1942, less than a year after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese army invaded the remote Alaskan island of Attu, in preparation for a larger advance into Canada and the lower 48 states. Although thousands of soldiers died in the ensuing battle, the American public was not informed of the attack in fear that widespread panic would occur.

That is, acoording to this website:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/redwhiteblackandblue/film.html

Did this really happen? Did the Japanese have serious plans to launch an invasion? (I always thought they attacked the US (Pearl Harbor) merely to buy time and in order to damage the American fighting spirit).
Why is this movie called "Red white black & blue"?

 

[Virote_Considon]

The Japanese did indeed invade and occupy the Aleutians as far as I'm away. Didn't get as far as the Mainland though.

 

[Cutlass]

I thought it was more about trying to divide America's attention and distract them from important considerations though. Not a serious effort at invading the continent, which Japan was aware was beyond their ability, even if many Americans were not aware of it. There was next to nothing in Alaska at the time, still very little. So it's not a worthwhile target on its own. And it is an extremely long overland trip through some very harsh territory to any actually worthwhile North American target. So just not feasible.

 

[Dachs]

Reason 1 was a halfhearted effort at distraction. Reason 2 was that the Japanese military was in the middle of a paroxysm of expansion and conquest for its own sake, and wanted some sort of prize regardless of military value.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Reason 3 was Yamamoto couldn't make a plan without overcomplicating it.

 

[say1988]

Why is this movie called "Red white black & blue"?

The term "black and blue" refers to someone who has been beaten up, or more specifically, someone visibly bruised.
Presumably the title is imply the US was "bruised" by the Japanese occupation of US soil. And using a play on words with the phrases "bland and blue" and "red, white, and blue" (a reference to the US flag, that is composed of the colours red, white, and blue.

Personally I always found the Allied landings on Kiska (the other Aleutian Island occupied by the Japanese) to have some interesting stories and trivia. Such as, 2 battleships firing hundreds of shells at a flock of seabirds (they had an unidentified radar contact), the Japanese torpedoing and island (Little Kiska) after mistaking it for an American ship while evacuating, and it seems funny that Candian troops would be involved in liberating a US territory. And the unfortunate culmination of over 300 causualties despite no enemies remaining on the island.

 

[Tee Kay]

The Japanese evacuation itself was a pretty remarkable undertaking.

 

[Part_Time_Civer]

The term "black and blue" refers to someone who has been beaten up, or more specifically, someone visibly bruised.
Presumably the title is imply the US was "bruised" by the Japanese occupation of US soil. And using a play on words with the phrases "bland and blue" and "red, white, and blue" (a reference to the US flag, that is composed of the colours red, white, and blue.

Thank you! This question has been in my mind ever since I first heard Alice Cooper sing this phrase in "Who do you think we are?" and now I have an answer in 1 day. I love this forum!

 

[r16]

ı think the flock of seabirds was a group of subs towing balloons . This was early in the day , yet quickly figured out to be used in D-Day landings .

 

[ParkCungHee]

ı think the flock of seabirds was a group of subs towing balloons .

But the Japanese had no subs in the area. They completely evacuated Attu.

 

[r16]

aren't we talking about the case where the American battleship group found a radar trace , opened fire with main guns to deplete their magazines , so that they returned to base and the Japanese Cruisers had a clear run to Kiska ? ı have read only one book on the subject , ı think Attu was as bloody a battle as Iwo Jima was .

 

[Tee Kay]

But the Japanese had no subs in the area. They completely evacuated Attu.

You mean Kiska.

 

[Dreadnought]

Reason 3 was Yamamoto couldn't make a plan without overcomplicating it.

LOL

 

[Glassfan]

Reason 3 was Yamamoto couldn't make a plan without overcomplicating it.

Traditionally, the invasion of the Aleutians have been considered as part of Yamamoto's Midway operation (at least, so say Genda and Fuchida). Naturally, some scholars today with nothing better to do have begun questioning that interpretation.

...the Japanese operations in the Aleutian Islands (Operation AL) removed yet more ships that could otherwise have augmented the force striking Midway. -wiki

 

[ParkCungHee]

They already have, and that's not a bad thing. There's no reason to assume because two operations occurred at the same time, they were intended to be part of the same naval combat plan.

 

[r16]

the traditional narrative might be true , as Yamamoto put everything on the line for Midway , it might have been a distraction for the USN to sail around harmlessly while Midway was invaded and transformed into a Japanese air field . 2 carriers were present at Dutch Harbour and not Midway and that lost the fight for the Japanese is a thing ı have also maintained for long , but USN might have simply sat home as well , waiting for 1943 and the F4U / F6F combo in addition to other goodies . Midway is such an aberration one has problems explaining in conventional sense .

 

[ParkCungHee]

There's also something to the newfangled idea that like most decisions by the Japanese military, it was probably a compromise that wasn't chosen based on how it would work, but based on how many people it would not piss off.

 

[Dachs]

There's also something to the newfangled idea that like most decisions by the Japanese military, it was probably a compromise that wasn't chosen based on how it would work, but based on how many people it would not piss off.

That's newfangled? It has to be at least a generation old.

 

[ParkCungHee]

That's newfangled? It has to be at least a generation old.

I was being tongue in cheek considering

Traditionally, the invasion of the Aleutians have been considered as part of Yamamoto's Midway operation (at least, so say Genda and Fuchida). Naturally, some scholars today with nothing better to do have begun questioning that interpretation.

 

[r16]

one can also argue it was a proper war operation in the sense that it would have been profitable for Japan to have the Aleutian Archipelago , though this would also assume that they could operate in that kind of weather ; ı guess the area is still a totally risky zone for aviation . And all kinds of shipping except subs . Though still it could have been done after Midway . Or maybe not , had the Indian Ocean cruise not robbed Nagumo of aircrew , Coral Sea and Midway could well have been simultenous .