A discussion about the improvisational tactics of enemy forces during war and how it can be surprising to those who are not used to it.
The United States and the Philippines’ war plan was to abandon it if Japan attacked, even though there were military assets present. The plan did not account for Japan having uncontested control of the air and sea, which led to disastrous consequences and General McArthur’s signature cap worn throughout the war.
The American forces sent to defend the beaches in the Philippines during World War II were ill-equipped to face the veteran Japanese landing forces. With a limited amount of troops and supplies, they were left to be under siege by the Japanese, which ultimately forced them to continually retreat to keep from being surrounded and destroyed.
The Battle of Saipan posed a new challenge for the Americans and Australians, as they were faced with the issue of dealing with Japanese civilians who were indoctrinated by the propaganda and believed that the Allied forces were going to rape and murder them. The presence of fanatical civilians added a different sort of problem for the Allies as they had to come up with a solution for the civilians caught in the crossfire.
Despite the stereotype that Japanese people were copycats rather than innovators before World War II, they surprised the Allied Powers with their advanced fighter planes, exemplified by the Zero plane.