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Originally Posted by
Snee
Oh, STFU. Seriously. They wouldn't have it in them, if it hadn't been for others pushing them around.
Look at history, RAB. In the 1200s they raided China, but that was after a failed attempt at conquering japan by some Khan.
In the 1500s they fucked around with Korea for a bit, though. All on their own. They also did a bit of trading with the west, which lasted into the 1600s, even sent off emissaries to Europe, but afaik they weren't the ones to initiate contact, and they were hardly happy about having europeans there, especially not missionaries.
In the 1600s, though, they forbade construction of any ships that could cross the ocean, on pain of death, at that, and that lasted about two centuries and was intended to be a measure to cut off all contact with the west. Only contact they had with the west at all was with the Dutch, and that wasn't really something they asked for.
If it hadn't been for some merkin-tard parking a fleet inside of their border in 1854, they might still have been messing about with swords and horses at the time of WWII.
It was only after 1854 they started assimilating western technology with a vengeance, built a fleet and started wars, and even fought on the side of the allies in WWI.
I figure the only reason they were in any real wars during those years was because of western influences. Building an empire/a powerbase and waiting to expand further. Attacking the U.S. which yet wasn't commited to the war was the culmination of it, and it happened because the americans were seen as the big obstacle, or their rivals.
EDit: japan was still a feudal society, the technology they were handed was more advanced than their societal structure.
A medieval mindset never goes well with guns and bombs. Especially not when acquired after having them waved in your face for a bit first.
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