But as always, almost every single tactical victory by the IJN is a strategic defeat in the long run.

And really, geez, they only managed to sink one destroyer anyway. As always the IJN underestimated the USN's damecon equipment and crew.

When you read some books about Japanese operations in WW II, you can see how stupidly arrogant Japanese were. Americans were considered cowards and weaklings. You... you cannot just assume that enemy is stupid/weak/coward, especially without proof. Japanese soldiers were sometimes sent to those banzai charges (DUH OUR SAMMERAI SOUL SHALL CRUSH EM), with obvious results. Almost always terrific losses on Japanese side, where American losses were small. If I remember correctly, only one charge like that actually succeed in whole war?

It's also glaring how Japan generals liked to solve problems with numbers. Why you do this, u not Russia

I sometimes want to bang my head at wall when I read about grolious Japanese ideas of commanders. Even Russians, with all that commie gulags and NKWD bullshit was MORE INNOVATIVE. That's saying something! When Russians got terribly beaten at start of the war - they reorganised their army, made their tanks better and numerous, got tactics... Well, life of a soldier wasn't that long, but at least they have been FED. That surely beats being left on island covered with jungle. While your comrades contemplate if human meat tastes like pork, or chicken.

Just consider this - for whole war, Japanese submarine boats were used basically as scouts. While loads of Japanese losses were because of American submarines.

Overall casualties:

United States Navy
DD Gwin sunk
CL Honolulu heavily damaged
CL St. Louis moderately damaged
DDs Buchanan and Woodworth lightly damaged
62 KIA

Royal New Zealand Navy
CL Leander heavily damaged
27 KIA

Imperial Japanese Navy
CL Jintsuu sunk
482 KIA

Result: Tactical victory for the Japanese (Only Jintsuu was lost, all troops successfully landed to reinforced Vila, Kolombangara)

Strategic victory for the Allies (Japanese deterred from using the Vella Gulf, opening them to further attacks on their reinforcements by DDs and PT Imps.

Also the reinforcements were ultimately pointless as the Allies just leapfrogged to Vella Lavella later on.)

Painiac said:

stuff

And not to mention their "its fine as long as they can't hit us" mentality on building planes.

Painiac said:

When you read some books about Japanese operations in WW II, you can see how stupidly arrogant Japanese were. Americans were considered cowards and weaklings.

Man, you know that both sides dehumanize each other, right? Even without proof. Both sides are arrogant during the war, man.
The Americans thought that the Japanese are monkeys, intelectually backwards, and incapable of fighting.
The Americans are simply superior in lots of things, such as technology, logistics/resources, strategies, etc.
I must say, it's kind of great that the Japanese can at least survive until 1945.

[deleted]

laisy said:

And not to mention their "its fine as long as they can't hit us" mentality on building planes.

Except that is actually what was found to be how you built and fought in aircraft. Armor really is not useful in aircraft except to maybe keep the pilot alive. Of course that doesn't mean you shouldn't have self-sealing tanks or very poorly build aircraft.

Waavve said:

Of course that doesn't mean you shouldn't have self-sealing tanks or very poorly build aircraft.

Exactly what I meant.

needmoarbaccano! said:

Man, you know that both sides dehumanize each other, right? Even without proof. Both sides are arrogant during the war, man.
The Americans thought that the Japanese are monkeys, intelectually backwards, and incapable of fighting.
The Americans are simply superior in lots of things, such as technology, logistics/resources, strategies, etc.
I must say, it's kind of great that the Japanese can at least survive until 1945.

That had less to do with the war and more to do with the level of cultural ignorance (across all countries) at the time.

And Japan surviving until 1945 had less to do with their military skill and more to do with the complicated logistics of naval transporting. Don't forget, the war against the Japanese would have lasted until 1946 (at the LEAST) if Japan hadn't surrendered. That number climbs real fast if you play armchair general and tweak Japanese strategies/tactics mid-war.

MMaestro said:

That had less to do with the war and more to do with the level of cultural ignorance (across all countries) at the time.

Yeah, and the war makes people more culturally ignorant (even reinforced) to make killing other people (enemies) to be less evil and more tolerated.

needmoarbaccano! said:

Man, you know that both sides dehumanize each other, right? Even without proof. Both sides are arrogant during the war, man.
The Americans thought that the Japanese are monkeys, intelectually backwards, and incapable of fighting.
The Americans are simply superior in lots of things, such as technology, logistics/resources, strategies, etc.
I must say, it's kind of great that the Japanese can at least survive until 1945.

While dehumanizing certainly occurs, only stupid people think they cannot be defeated. You may think your enemy is backward monkey, sure. Americans weren't that wrong anyway. But you need to be aware how easy is to die on battlefield. That stupid backward monkey needs just one well placed shot. Even stupid bolt-action rifle is enough to do the job.

Germans and Russians never liked each other, yet both sides were aware how cunning their enemies can be. They had some sort of respect to each other. They were aware each mistake they will do - enemy can, and will use it against them. And it can prove fatal.

Japanese? They had to learn it the hard way. After some stupid losses. Okay, foot soldiers can be prone to disrespecting their enemies, they are foot soldiers for a reason. But commanders are supposed to see whole image. They cannot judge situations with emotions or stereotypes.

Then you have flowers like that:

,,Underestimating the strength of Allied forces on Guadalcanal, Ichiki's unit conducted a nighttime frontal assault on Marine positions at Alligator Creek (often called the "Ilu River" on U.S. Marine maps) on the east side of the Lunga perimeter in the early morning hours of 21 August. Ichiki's assault was defeated with heavy Japanese losses in what became known as the Battle of the Tenaru. After daybreak, the Marine units counterattacked Ichiki's surviving troops, killing many more of them. The dead included Ichiki, though it has been claimed that he committed seppuku after realizing the magnitude of his defeat, rather than dying in combat. In total, all but 128 of the original 917 members of the Ichiki Regiment's First Element were killed in the battle."

Painiac said:

While dehumanizing certainly occurs, only stupid people think they cannot be defeated. You may think your enemy is backward monkey, sure. Americans weren't that wrong anyway. But you need to be aware how easy is to die on battlefield. That stupid backward monkey needs just one well placed shot. Even stupid bolt-action rifle is enough to do the job.

Germans and Russians never liked each other, yet both sides were aware how cunning their enemies can be. They had some sort of respect to each other. They were aware each mistake they will do - enemy can, and will use it against them. And it can prove fatal.

Japanese? They had to learn it the hard way. After some stupid losses. Okay, foot soldiers can be prone to disrespecting their enemies, they are foot soldiers for a reason. But commanders are supposed to see whole image. They cannot judge situations with emotions or stereotypes.

A lot of these "stupid losses" are more to do with poor planning, Americans breaking the Japs code, the strategical advantages of Americans, etc.
Yes, yes, there are SOME cases where the Japs underestimated the GREAT Allies forces, but it seems you really obsessed with the idea that "The Japs are really arrogant in WW2", huh. Man, don't generalize like that. The Japs had intels overseas during the WW2, you don't really think that they REALLY looked down on the Allies just like what you babbled, right (Oh wait you are)? Just you know that both sides had underestimate each other in WW2.

*It's late reply, but whatever*