Maritime Power and Economic Warfare in the Far East, 1937–1941

Abstract

This chapter analyses the operational capability and strategic planning of the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and Imperial Japanese Navy in the period between the outbreak of war in China in July 1937 to the beginning of the general Pacific war on December 7, 1941. It outlines the lack of ability of the Western Powers to use naval power effectively to deter Japan in conjunction with Economic Warfare at sea. It also highlights the inability of the Anglo-Americans to prevent an escalation in tensions during the implementation of economic warfare measures due to a lack of credible maritime power to support that deterrence strategy.