Compass Points - Surprise Attack
"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum"
Compass Points - Surprise Attack
"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum"
December 7, 2024
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On December 8, 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress:
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. . . Yesterday, December 7th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific . . . .
. . . The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.
And this morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area.
. . . No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory . . . With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God.
-- President Franklin Roosevelt
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The attack on Pearl Harbor, 83 years ago marked the entry of the United States into World War II. In many ways the entire structure and purpose of the US military today is to prevent another Pearl Harbor, to prevent another World War II. On December 7, 1941, the US Pacific fleet was badly damaged. The rest of the US military was in hardly better condition. After World War I the US military had been allowed to deteriorate. For the US in World War II, it would be a long, bloody, road to victory.
After Pearl Harbor, the Japanese used an island chain strategy to fight the US. The Japanese established garrisons on isolated islands across the Pacific. The US military, particularly Marines, used a mobile approach that kept the US always on the offense, bypassing some islands and recapturing others.
Strangely, to deter China today, the Marine Corps is experimenting with a version of the Japan's failed island garrison approach. The Marine Corps today is focused on a misguided plan to place small units of Marines armed with missiles on isolated Pacific islands.
To keep world peace today, the US must have a military strong and skilled enough to deter aggression around the globe. The threat to peace in the Pacific in 2024 is not Japan, but China. Other major threats to peace include Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
Are surprise attacks a thing of the past? Could a surprise attack like Pearl Harbor happen again? Or does advanced technology make it impossible for the enemies of peace to suddenly attack? Technology is a useful tool, but it does not and cannot eliminate surprise. Ukraine was surprised by Russia’s sudden attack and is still fighting for survival today. Israel was surprised by Hamas' sudden attack just over a year ago.
No amount of satellites and surveillance can prevent surprise attacks. Only deterrence can. Before they launch their attacks, rogue nations weigh the possible benefits as well as the possible costs. In World War II, the Japanese thought they might benefit tremendously by using a surprise attack to kick the US out of the Pacific, allowing Japan to dominate nearly one-half the globe. More and better deterrence prevents war. Weak deterrence invites it. Japan was not deterred in 1941. Russia was not deterred in 2022 by Ukraine. Hamas was not deterred in 2023 by Israel.
If only the Roman general Pulius Flavius Vegetius had copyrighted what he wrote in his book, “Epitoma Rei Militaris.” General Vegetius was perhaps the first to say, "Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum ." Roughly translated it means, if you want peace, prepare for war.
On the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, it is worth asking, is the Marine Corps doing enough to deter the enemies of the United States?
In times of great peril, the United States must maintain an overwhelming deterrence force. For the Marine Corps that means global, combined arms, maneuver, forces able to respond immediately to any crisis. The enemies of the United States, as well as the US regional Combatant Commanders, must always know that the Marines are ready. Marines must be forward based and forward deployed. Marines must have the combined arms power to arrive quickly, ready to deter, assist, and fight. One call, gets it all.
As the enemies of the United States make their calculations, let them regard US Marines with fear.
In his first inaugural address, John F. Kennedy could easily have been talking about the role the Marine Corps plays in deterring the enemies of the United States.
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Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
-- John F. Kennedy - January 20, 1961
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The US fleet at Pearl Harbor in 1941 was a tempting target. US ships were attacked and US ships were sunk. Nevertheless, after Pearl Harbor, the US fleet, wounded and weak, sailed on. Later in World War II, kamikazi planes attack the fleet. Ships were damaged and sunk, but the fleet sailed on. It was Navy ships, each one a target, that carried the US to victory in World War II. Today, with advances in precision munitions, some argue that surface ships are too vulnerable to sail. Some want to give up and give in to missiles and drones before the next conflict.
History shows, however, that every new technology generates counter tactics and counter technologies. Despite their best missile and drone attacks for more than a year, the malevolent Houthis have been unable to damage or sink even a single US Navy ship in the Red Sea. The fleet can defend itself, now and in the future. The Kaiser thought the machine gun meant the end of infantry. Billy Mitchell thought the airplane meant the end of both Army infantry and Navy ships. Enemy technology always advances and advances, but the fleet advances too and the fleet sails on.
On the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Compass Points salutes all those throughout the history of the US and still today who are working to deter evil.
Since 1947, evolving in Title 10 US Code, the existence, organization and missions of the USMC have been expressed by law. The last CMC and current Commandant and our senior officers have ignored this with FD 2030 and stripped out needed formations, weapons and equipment, yet, to my limited knowledge, they have not been called upon by the relevant Congressional committees to explain their actions which seem contrary to law, nor have the relevant Secretaries. Why?
The Last 2 Commandant’s destruction of the USMC’s Global multiple ,lethal, scaleable, MEFs/MEBs/MEUs, that were once capable of simultaneously performing in CentCom, IndoPacCom, EUCOM, SouthCom, and NorthCom etc has been destroyed by their psychotic, myopic stare on the defense of Inner Island Chain near the PRC. During this self inflicted paralysis China has engaged the United States globally. Open source information reveals PRC fentanyl operations ongoing in Mexico ie just across the Rio Grande River, coordinated with Mexican Cartels that have invaded Our Homeland killing hundreds of thousands of American Citizens w Fentanyl. The PRC operates police stations inside Our Homeland. It has purchased American land near sensitive US military bases. The PRC has engaged in ongoing overflight of CONUS, Hawaii and other global US and Our Allies bases using High Altitude Balloons. PRC bulk intercept I.e.Cyber Espionage of Our CONUS communication systems by CCP Hackers known as Typhoons , Volt Typhoon targets the US power grid, medical infrastructure etc, Flax Typhoon targets the US Internet of Things ie thermostats, fit bits, etc..into a bot net to conduct Salt Typhoon has successfully infiltrated US Gov databases containing lists of DOJ compromised PRC Collaborators. In the CentCom AOR it is day 428 of Israel’s 7 front war in which the US continues to be fully engaged. In the last week following a tenuous Israeli Hezbollah cease fire we are witnessing a Turkish (NATO member) armed rebel force overrun Aleppo with a clear path to capture Damascus. Israel has conducted strikes on Syrian WMD storage sites in-order to keep them from being seized by the ISIS/AQ related forces. USCentCom still maintains US Forces in the area ie Operation Inherent Resolve. Moving to European Command the US has continued to pour hundreds of billions of dollars in military equipment, supplies since engaging as the primary ally w Ukraine in a proxy war w Nuclear armed Russia. Russia is also allied w PRC and is also employing DPRK munitions and Fighters in their war against Ukraine. Recently the lame duck Biden Administration with 40 plus days remaining in office authorized US supplied ATACMS missile strikes into Russia. Russia still maintains the world’s largest nuclear weapons stockpile and has hinted at their possible employment. Nearby in Poland the US 1ST Armored Division is conducting 9 month rotations of a Brigade Combat Team from Ft Bliss, Texas. Moving to the Republic of Korea’s, Yoon Suk Yeol imposed Marshal Law Nationwide for 24 hours. Lastly Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon entered the restricted airspace over Langley Air Forces Base in Virginia forcing the relocation of the F22 assets to an unnamed base. In the UK similar intrusions are occurring at RAF Lakenheath , RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell. Lady Liberty cries out loudly, “Where is my Mighty Marine Corps I need you now more than ever!”