Translate this! A WWII Related Challenge

[Karl7]

鎧袖一触

Anyone who gets it right is a winner!  (Note, online translators won’t get it right, I’ve checked.)

Hint: has to do with Battle for Midway.

[variance]

American soldier very very thirsty –-> Midway

[Karl7]

@variance:

American soldier very very thirsty –-> Midway

Incorrect!

[Witt]

Exchange the bombs for torpedoes .

[Flashman]

All our aircraft carrier on sea bottom.

[Karl7]

incorrect, but at least in the next town over, so getting a little closer…

[Imperious Leader]

The water tower is out–at Midway

[Dauvio Vann]

One touch

[Karl7]

@Dauvio:

One touch

hmmm, somebody’s been using google translate…

It’s a Japanese idiom about war…

“One touch” isn’t right by itself, but we are getting close

[CWO Marc]

@Karl7:

@Dauvio:

One touch

hmmm, somebody’s been using google translate…

It’s a Japanese idiom about war…

“One touch” isn’t right by itself, but we are getting close

Ah, that’s enough of a hint to give away the answer to anyone who’s read “Miracle at Midway” by Gordon Prange.  The phrase is “One touch of an armoured sleeve”, a Japanese pep-talk expression roughly meaning “We’ll mow 'em down!” in English.  As I recall, Yamamoto used that expression in response to an officer who expressed doubt about whether the planned operation would succeed.

[Karl7]

@CWO:

@Karl7:

@Dauvio:

One touch

hmmm, somebody’s been using google translate…

It’s a Japanese idiom about war…

“One touch” isn’t right by itself, but we are getting close

Ah, that’s enough of a hint to give away the answer to anyone who’s read “Miracle at Midway” by Gordon Prange.  The phrase is “One touch of an armoured sleeve”, a Japanese pep-talk expression roughly meaning “We’ll mow 'em down!” in English.  As I recall, Yamamoto used that expression in response to an officer who expressed doubt about whether the planned operation would succeed.

Correct! :lol:

The literal translation is “one touch of the armored gauntlet”… but sleeve works too I guess.

However is was not Yamamoto who said it.  According to the book Shattered Sword:

[CWO Marc]

And here’s the version from Prange, which agrees on the essential points: