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Originally Posted by Doppleganger Quote: |
Originally Posted by Charge 7 Quote: |
He was bound to declare war on the USA by the terms of the Tripartite Act.
| Incorrect, the Tripartite Pact only bound the signers to fight on the others' behalf if they were attacked. As Japan had attacked America it was clearly not binding in that case. | Article III of the Pact deals with the mutual protection aspect. It merely states that "Japan, Germany and Italy agree to cooperate in their efforts on the aforesaid lines. They further undertake to assist one another with all political, economic and military means when one of the three Contracting Parties is attacked by a power at present not involved in the European War or in the Sino-Japanese Conflict."
It does not state that the Article is void if one of the signatories is the aggressor. Please correct me if I'm wrong. |
Sorry, but you are.
the Article states quite clearly "
if attacked"
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Otherwise, Japan would not have been duty bound to come to Germany's aid when the latter attacked the Soviet Union in 1941.
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They weren't and they didn't.
Japan went to great lenghts to to stay neutral in respect of the German/Soviet war. Japanese submarines even up to 1945 were forbidden to attack Soviet ships in the Pacific.
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At the time of the signing on the Pact on 27 September 1940, the Soviet Union and Germany were of course at peace. So therefore, Germany was still duty bound to come to Japan's aid as they were now being attacked by the US, regardless of who started the conflict.
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Then why didn't the Japanese aid Germany in the war against the Soviet Union ????.
Answer, the Japanese had read the articles of the pact.
Especially the "if attacked " bit.