In this episode, Dan Carlin discusses Admiral Yamamoto's big gamble to take over a huge chunk of Asia and the Pacific during WWII and how his plan was to create a huge perimeter around his core with a defense perimeter and make the cost of taking it back higher than the opposing side was willing to pay.
This episode discusses the concept of the ultimatum that the United States reportedly gave Japan, demanding that they leave China or the US would cut off their raw materials and oil, as well as the Japanese construct that created an artificial time deadline and the role it played in Japan's decision to go to war.
Japan's move southward into French Indo-China, including Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, was seen as a major threat to the United States, as the raw materials Japan was securing were needed by the US. This prompted serious sanctions from the US, with demands for Japan to withdraw from China as well.
The Japanese strategy in World War II involved taking islands, forcing the allies to take them back, and winning through the ability of their people to suffer more. This strategy led to the death of 75% of Japanese soldiers due to disease and starvation, but also created a sense of admiration from their enemies for their determination and courage.
A discussion on Japan's rise to becoming a superpower and the influence of anti-imperialism in supporting their empire during this period.
Japan's work-life balance is causing concerns for the rest of the world as it is one of the wealthiest nations, but it lacks policies dealing with work-life balance, and employees are working long hours with little time off.