Tatsushige,
I agree with you regarding visiting other countries and expecting them to speak English. I've been to 45-50 countries and ended up learning enough conversational bits of the native languages (thought I have some sort of mental block with Spanish) to be able to get around without using English. I also do not expect visitors to the US to speak English (though a few words helps), but I do expect US citizens to be reasonably fluent.
WW2 (specifically the Pacific theatre) and sports/GT cars of the 50s and 60s are two of my favourite history topics.
The ultimate act of attack was Japans decision. The US was obviously not happy with what Japan was doing in China and Indochina. Most Americans did not want to get involved in what was viewed as local problems in other parts of the world. Perhaps Hulls letter to japan was viewed as an ultimatum (it was by Tojo), but the ultimate decision to attack was Japans. Japan thought it could hit hard and fast (they did) and wipe out the Pacific fleet in one shot. What they did not realise was that even if they did manage to hit the carriers at Pearl they still would have been at the mercy of the US sub fleet. The Shinano (biggest carrier built during WW2) was sunk by a US sub before ever launching a single plane. And even with the US carriers surviving Pearl the US sub fleet sank more ship tonnage in the Pacific than all other types of attack. The US still would have won if the carriers were destroyed at Pearl - it just would have taken longer.
As for Operation Northwoods - there were plans for that, and I admit that it is possible, but I also think that it is extremely unlikely that anything like that could actually happen in these days of internet and cell phone cameras. And if you get caught doing something like that in your own country you would face a firing squad or mob justice.
Jamo,
We basically wrote the Japanese Constitution after the war. Maybe you should take it up with MacArthur.
Steve