How a lack of oil lost Japan the war

The history of war shows that fuel supplies are key to victory, says Byron W. King, as Japan's 1945 defeat demonstrates.

He was a frail old fellow, dressed in loose-fitting clothes, working in his garden. Less than a year before, in 1945, he had been in command of one of the largest fleets in the world. His name was Takeo Kurita vice-admiral of the former Imperial Japanese Navy.

A young US naval officer named Thomas Moorer approached Kurita. He explained to the admiral that they were working for a historical study group, gathering information about the war that had recently ended for Japan on such unfavorable terms. He asked Kurita if he would agree to discuss his experiences. Kurita held nothing back. "What happened?" asked the American officer. "We ran out of oil," replied the old admiral.

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