This interview explores the reasons behind Japan's actions in World War II, focusing on the influence of Bushido, the samurai code of honor. The speaker first explains Bushido's core values (honor, loyalty, death) and their impact on Japanese military strategy, highlighting the lack of grand strategy and the tendency to equate operational with strategic success. The discussion then shifts to analyzing Japan's strategic mistakes, such as neglecting logistics and sea lines of communication, and the detrimental effects of inter-service rivalries. Finally, the interview questions whether different choices by the US (e.g., avoiding the oil embargo) could have prevented the war, concluding that the high stakes and deeply ingrained cultural values made compromise difficult.
