> There is a sunken German U-boat just off the coast of Grand Isle,
> Louisiana.  I was invited to take part in a scuba expedition to try
> to salvage parts.  But the German government stopped us from doing
> so, claiming it was protected by international law, being a gravesite
> for those who had perished.  Whether there was gold bullion inside
> or not, we never were able to find out ...

I suppose so, although I am surprised that it extends to a ship that was at
war with the country whose coast it was sunk off of.

> >The US was also secretly involved supporting China against Japan long
> >before Pearl Harbor.  WWII actually started in 1937 when Japan escalated
> >their aggressions against China by invading Shanghai and other areas.  The
> > US supported China with supplies and, I believe, volunteers (like The
> > Flying Tigers).
>
> Unfortunately, the US supported the wrong China, refusing to
> recognize the other China as legitimate.  It took Jimmy Carter
> to change that, many decades later.

Not back then.  They had been in a Civil War, but had set aside their
differences to join together to fight the Japanese.  There was still only
one China until later.

> In Japan's view, it was just a warning to the US to stay out of
> the Pacific.  A limited strike by Japanese military on a US military
> installation in a US territory, not on civilian targets or in the
> mainland USA.  A pinprick, which the Japanese military leadership
> calculated would be enough to convince FDR to stay out.

I have always found that odd, since we did not seem too keen on getting
involved.  They really miscalculated there.

> The outcry among the American public forced FDR and the Congress
> to accept the reality that the US was in a war, started by the
> Empire of Japan.  Leaving no choice for FDR and the Congress but
> to do what none of them were brave enough to do themselves.

No disagreement there.

Mike

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