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    Roll unending run of 12 on 2d6 until the U.S. exhausted it's "will to fight"? Commented Jan 1, 2021 at 23:57
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    I think that everyone, not just Japan, and not just enemies, but even allies like the British, were grossly underestimating the U.S. at the time Commented Jan 2, 2021 at 13:47
  • @MarioTrucco I agree. But not for Britain in '41. They received massive aids in that year. As the U.S. entered officially, Churchill said that from now on, winning the war is just a matter of time. So, he must be very aware of this "sleeping giant". Commented Jan 3, 2021 at 21:23
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    The answers already sum it up quite well. It is important to consider that Japan did not go from peace to world war at once, rather they were sliding into this step by step for decades, starting with expansion into Korea, Manchuria, then a long drawn stalemate in China. Combine this with strong nationalism and a sense of superiority, ambitions to follow the Europeans to being a colonial power. When things got really bad in China, backing our was impossible without losing honour (a strong factor in japanase society) and US embargo just added to a feeling of being pushed into a corner... Commented Jan 4, 2021 at 15:40