Remembering Midway And Why Today's China Will Not Follow The Same Path Of Japan 75 Years Ago

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James Holmes, Foreign Policy: China Won’t Hand the U.S. Navy Victory Like Japan Did

America should celebrate the anniversary of the heroic victory at Midway, but realize the next Pacific war won't be so easy.

Otto von Bismarck once reportedly quipped that Providence favors “fools, drunkards, and the United States of America.” Exhibit A: the Battle of Midway. That’s the June 1942 high-seas clash in the Pacific Ocean where the U.S. Navy reversed the six months of disaster that followed the Imperial Japanese Navy’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.

There’s nothing wrong with ballyhooing the 75th anniversary of Midway. An inferior American force steamed into battle and won big, preparing the way for ultimate victory. But make no mistake: The U.S. Navy was both fortunate in its Japanese foe during World War II and the beneficiary of farsighted political leadership at home.

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WNU Editor: 20 years ago the U.S. Navy was not afraid on what naval assets China could deploy. 10 years ago the concerns started to rise. Today .... I read and hear a lot of doubts on what could happen if there is a confrontation between the U.S. and Chinese navies. Hmmmm .... I can only imagine what the conversation will be like 10 or 20 years from now if these trends continue.