Hitler had tolerated earlier provocations without declaring war, suggesting some awareness of the costs. Japan's initial victories offered a possible reason to reconsider. If the Pacific campaign kept America occupied, Germany could hope to loosen restrictions on submarine operations in the Atlantic. The proposed calculation connects Japanese military success with access to waters previously covered by American neutrality measures, without establishing Hitler's private reasoning.
Notable Point · 53:35-55:03
Could Japan keep America busy while Germany widened submarine attacks?
One proposed German calculation links Japan's victories to an opportunity for wider submarine operations in the Atlantic.