The Japanese explanation was that Panay's American flag resembled the contemporary Chinese flag from the attacking aircraft's perspective. A comparison of the basic designs makes that resemblance a tenuous justification. Visual identification from the air is still inherently difficult, especially when markings are reduced to shapes and colors at distance. The official explanation is presented without endorsing its credibility.
Notable Point · 38:29-39:26
The flag-identification claim after the Panay attack
The Japanese explanation for attacking USS Panay leads to a cautious discussion of flag recognition and the difficulty of identifying ships from the air.