‘The Grinch who stole Christmas of 1941 was Hirohito but the greater risk, it seems, was borne by Hitler who was orchestrating at that same time the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union.’
VERY clearly, it was Hirohito who turned the transcontinental conflict into World War II with his own will: “We hereby declare war on the United States of America and the British Empire….the entire nation with a united will shall mobilize their total strength so that nothing will miscarry in the attainment of our war aims.”
These war aims were laid down by his own ancestors: “To insure the stability of East Asia and to contribute to world peace is the far-sighted policy which was formulated by our Great illustrious Imperial Grandsire and Our Great Imperial sire succeeding Him, and which We lay constantly to heart.” The culprit: “More than four years have passed since China, failing to comprehend the true intentions of Our Empire, and recklessly courting trouble, disturbed the peace of East Asia and compelled Our Empire to take up arms.” The two Western Allies aggravated it: “Eager for the realization of their inordinate ambition to dominate the Orient, both America and Britain, giving support to the Chungking regime, have aggravated the disturbances in East Asia. Moreover, these two Powers, inducing other countries to follow suit, increased military preparations on all sides of Our Empire to challenge us. They have obstructed by every means our peaceful commerce.” [https://www.upi.com/Archives/1941/12/07/Tojo-reading-Hirohito-speech-Japan-declares-war-on-US-Britain/5103382818544/]
The simple retort: “The following note was addressed to the Japanese Chargé d’Affaires on the 8th of December: On the evening of the 7th December His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom learnt that Japanese forces, without previous warning either in the form of a declaration of war or of an ultimatum with a conditional declaration of war, had attempted a landing on the coast of Malaya and bombed Singapore and Hong Kong. In view of these wanton acts of unprovoked aggression, committed in flagrant violation of international law, and particularly of Article 1 of the Third Hague Convention, relative to the opening of hostilities, to which both Japan and the United Kingdom are parties, His Majesty’s Ambassador at Tokyo has been instructed to inform the Imperial Japanese Government in the name of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom that a state of war exists between the two countries.” — Winston Churchill
The long answer from the one being blamed: “Unfortunately Japan’s aggressive capacities prove to be incorrigible. After her long and fruitless attempt to conquer China, Japan, far from showing any signs of penitence, has treacherously launched an attack on China’s friends, the United States and Great Britain, thus extending the theater of her aggressive activities and making herself the arch-enemy of justice and world peace…To demonstrate their solidarity Germany and Italy successively accorded recognition to Japan’s puppet regimes in northeastern China and at Nanking. As a consequence, China severed her diplomatic relations with Germany and Italy last July. Now the Axis powers have extended the theater of their aggressive activities and thrown the whole Pacific region into turmoil, making themselves the enemies of international justice and world civilization. — Lin Sen, President of the Chinese Republic. [China’s Declaration Of War Against Japan, Also Against Germany And Italy, December 9, 1941]
Hirohito got his replies from the Atlantic: “In the hurricane which threatens this development, it rises with resolute unity to maintain its place in the world. The Netherlands did not hesitate to defend herself immediately, with courage, when she was viciously attacked in Europe. The Netherlands East Indies will not waver now that she is menaced by a similar attack…We will triumph and our Kingdom, beset but at the same time purified, steeled and standing with inviolable pride will survive stronger than ever to live under our free banner in a world free from aggression.” — Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.
“Whereas by and with the advice of our Privy Council for Canada we have signified our approval of the issue of a proclamation in the Canada Gazette declaring that a state of war with Japan exists and has existed in Canada as and from the 7th day of December, 1941…Of all which our loving subjects and all others whom these presents may concern are hereby required to take notice and to govern themselves accordingly.” — Canadian Prime Minister, W. L. Mackenzie King
Back to the Pacific: “The Australian Government and its representatives abroad have struggled hard to prevent a breakdown of this kind. We did not want war in the Pacific. The Australian Government has repeatedly made it clear, as have the Governments of the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the Netherlands East Indies, that if war came to the Pacific it would be of Japan’s making. Japan has now made war. The hands of the democracies are clean…The responsibility for this actual resort to war is therefore upon Japan…. Australia goes to its battle stations in defense of its very way of living.” — Prime Minister John Curtin of Australia
What may be harder to digest was Il Duce wading into the Pacific: “The powers of the steel pact, Fascist Italy and Nationalist Socialist Germany, ever closely linked, participate from today on the side of heroic Japan against the United States of America. The Tripartite Pact becomes a military alliance which draws around its colors 250,000,000 men determined to do all in order to win. Neither the Axis nor Japan wanted an extension of the conflict. One man, one man only, a real tyrannical democrat, through a series of infinite provocations, betraying with a supreme fraud the population of his country, wanted the war and had prepared for it day by day with diabolical obstinacy. The formidable blows that on the immense Pacific expanse have been already inflicted on American forces show how prepared are the soldiers of the Empire of the Rising Sun.” — Mussolini’s War Statement, Rome, December 11, 1941 [New York Times, December 12, 1941]
Even more curious was Der Fuhrer: “As a consequence of the further extension of President Roosevelt’s policy, which is aimed at unrestricted world domination and dictatorship the U.S.A. together with England have not hesitated from using any means to dispute the rights of the German, Italian and Japanese nations to the basis of their natural existence…Roosevelt has been guilty of a series of the worst crimes against international law; illegal seizure of ships and other property…The American President and his Plutocratic clique have mocked us as the Have-nots, that is true, but the Have-nots will see to it that they are not robbed of the little they have.” [Hitler Announced To The Reichstag The Declaration Of War Against The United States, December 11, 1941]
The Grinch who stole Christmas of 1941 was Hirohito but the greater risk, it seems, was borne by Hitler who was orchestrating at that same time the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. Hitler made two fatal miscalculations in 1941: the strike against USSR and USA in the same year. [Klaus H. Schmider, Hitler’s Fatal Miscalculation: Why Germany Declared War On The United States]
In our 21st century, we can see how a different Grinch is laying the groundwork for his war.
