ww ii: the pacific turning the tide
DESCRIPTION
Lesson Objectives • Understand the Japanese and American strategies for the war in the Pacific and Asia. • Analyze the impact of the military revolution during the interwar years on the war in the Pacific theater. • Become familiar with the timeline of events in the Pacific war. • Understand the significance of the Battle of Midway and the role of signals intelligence in the outcome.TRANSCRIPT
Lesson 29
WW II: The Pacific – Turning the Tide
Lesson Objectives
• Understand the Japanese and American strategies for the war in the Pacific and Asia.
• Analyze the impact of the military revolution during the interwar years on the war in the Pacific theater.
• Become familiar with the timeline of events in the Pacific war.
• Understand the significance of the Battle of Midway and the role of signals intelligence in the outcome.
Review
Lesson 16
The Interwar Years
Military Revolutions
Napoleonic RevolutionLand Warfare RevolutionNaval Revolution
Infantry RevolutionArtillery RevolutionRevolution of Sail and ShotFortress RevolutionGunpowder Revolution
Interwar Revolutions in Mechanization, Aviation, and Information
Nuclear Revolution
Ten
Andrew F. Krepinevich“Cavalry to computer: the pattern of military revolutions”The National Interest, Fall 1994
Interwar Revolutions1920’s – ’30’s
Perfected concepts introduced in WW I• Mechanized warfare• Aerial warfare• Carrier aviation• Amphibious warfare• Radio-based command & control
Proliferation of new organizations• Armored divisions • Strategic bombardment wings• Carrier battle groups
Timeline
1941: Dec 7 0755: Attack on US forces on Oahu begins
The US and the Coming of World War II
"One can search military history in vain for an operation more fatal to the aggressor."
Samuel Eliot Morison (1878-1976) The Rising Sun in the Pacific, 1931-April 1942, vol. III, "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II"
American Reaction
Declaration of WarDecember 8, 1941
Click for audio of speech
Total War
Princess Elizabeth 1943
“ …the whole population and all the resources of the combatants are committed to complete victory.”
Captain James Roosevelt, USMCR, 1941
Total WarMakin Island Raid - August 16-17, 1942
Attempt to take pressure off Guadalcanal• Also: gather intelligence
Marine raiders launched from subs
Gung Ho! USS Nautilus SS -168
Sister ship USS Argonaut also participated
Total WarMakin Island Raid - August 16-17, 1942
Attempt to take pressure off Guadalcanal• Also: gather intelligence
Marine raiders launched from subs
Maj James Roosevelt 2nd in command
Awarded Navy Cross for action
Later fought at:• Kiska, Aleutians (1942)
• Invasion of Makin (1943)• Awarded Silver Star
• Okinawa (1945)
US Strategy
Isolate Japan
Roll back defensive perimeter• Southwestern Pacific
• Central Pacific
Destroy industrial capability, will to fight
Invade home islands
Maps.com
US Strategy
Roll back defensive perimeterRoll back defensive perimeter
Isolate JapanIsolate Japan
Destroy industrial power, willDestroy industrial power, willInvadeInvade
Dark DaysWinter – Spring 1942
Guam, Wake Island overrunPhilippines attacked, near collapse
British lost Hong Kong, SingaporeDutch lost East Indies
A
Dark DaysWinter – Spring 1942
A
American Spirits Needed a Lift!
Carrier Ops
Doolittle Raid
America needed something to raise national morale
• Desired to strike at Japanese heartland
Dilemma:
• No bases close enough for land-based bombers
• Too risky for carrier-based airSolution:
• Meld the two!
Doolittle Raid
Army Air Force General Hap Arnold selected Lt. Col. James “Jimmy” Doolittle to plan operation
Jimmy Doolittle with Gee-Bee R-1 Source
Doolittle Raid
Sixteen B-25 Medium Bombers on USS Hornet
Doolittle RaidApril 18, 1942
Doolittle Raid
historysaver.com“The Hornet’s Nest” by John D. Shaw
Doolittle and Mitscher Confer
April 18, 1942
Doolittle Raid
Source
Macs Log
April 18, 1942
Doolittle Raid
Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, from B-25April 18, 1942 Source
X 8 to Siberia
Chuchow (planned destination)
Arrived in dark due to early takeoff
Disposition of Raider Aircraft
Doolittle Raid Newsreel
( 9:37 )
Jimmy Doolittle
Doolittle Narrative
1896 - 1995
( 8:07 )
Doolittle Raid
The movie (1944) ( 3:39 )( 3:03 )
Doolittle Raid
Doolittle receives Medal of Honor from President Roosevelt
Medalofhonor.com
Doolittle RaidSignificance
American morale soared
Japanese recalled fighter forces to protect home islands
Most important: Japanese recognized need to extend defensive perimeter
• Decided to attack Midway
Battle of the Coral Sea4-8 May 1942
Japanese attempt to invade Southern New Guinea
US task force intercepts
First carrier-to-carrier engagement
Battle of the Coral Sea4-8 May 1942
Carrier Lexington lost
Carrier Yorktown damaged (Japanese thought she had sunk)
Japanese lost carrier Shoho; two others damaged
Tactical victory for Japan• Sank more tonnage
Strategic victory for US• Stopped Japanese advance on Australia
Midway
After Tokyo attack, Japanese sought to expand defensive perimeter
US had cracked Japanese code, knew enemy plan
Objective: seize Midway Island, inflict a decisive defeat on US fleet
• Assumed Yorktown sunk, only two US carriers available
Midway
Midway Attack Force (four carriers)
Aleutian Diversion Force(two carriers)
Japanese Plan
Battle of Midway
Heavily damaged at Coral Sea, Yorktown limped back to Pearl
USS YorktownYorktown in drydock, Pearl Harbor
Major repairs accomplished in three days, new air group embarkedWith repairs still underway, Yorktown departed Pearl to join Enterprise and Hornet under Rear Admiral Spruance
• Bomb holed flight deck, exploded 4 decks down; fuel tank ruptured
Battle of MidwayUS Aircraft
SBD Dauntless Dive BomberTBD Devastator Torpedo Bomber
TBF / TBM Avenger Torpedo Bomber
Battle of MidwayJune 4-7, 1942
Battle of MidwayJune 4-7, 1942
Japanese change objective from Midway to US carriers,Begin to reconfigure weapon load on aircraft
Battle of Midway
Carrier Akagi hit, while Kaga, Soryu burn“The Famous Four Minutes” by R. G . Smith
Source
June 4-7, 1942
Battle of Midway
Losses:• Japan: 4 carriers, 1 cruiser• US: 1 carrier (Yorktown), 1 destroyer
Significance:• High water mark for Japan• Never recovered carrier, aircrew losses
Consequences
In the two years following Midway, Japanese shipyards managed to launch only six additional fleet carriers.
The US in that same period added 17… along with 10 light carriers and 86 escort carriers.
Japan’s Decision for War
Japanese Strategy• Neutralize US Pacific fleet and threats from the Philippines
Felt US would be unwilling to pay cost of overcoming these defenses
Felt US would compromise, allow Japan the dominant position in Asia
• Establish defensive perimeter
• Use new resources to build capability to defend indefinitely
Review
• Establish defensive perimeter
Maps.com
US Strategy
Roll back defensive perimeterRoll back defensive perimeter
Isolate JapanIsolate Japan
Destroy industrial power, willDestroy industrial power, willInvadeInvade
US Strategy
Isolate JapanRoll back defensive perimeter
• Southwestern Pacific
• Central Pacific
Destroy industrial capability, will to fight
Invade home islands
Maps.com
US Strategy
Isolate Japan
Submarine Campaign
Japanese Cruiser
““We shall never forget that it was our submarines that We shall never forget that it was our submarines that held the lines against the enemy while our fleets held the lines against the enemy while our fleets replaced losses and repaired woundsreplaced losses and repaired wounds””
- Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, 1947- Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, 1947
Torpedo Problems
Mk 14 TorpedoPrimary US submarine weapon
21” diameter 20.5’ long 3,000 lb
Steam powered
Dual speed (46 or 31 knots) Range: 4,500 or 9,000 yds.
Two fuses: contact and magnetic
Torpedo Problems
Mk 14 TorpedoPrimary US submarine weapon
"If [the torpedo] didn't fail to run, fail to explode, run too deep, explode too soon, or run in a circle, -- the target was doomed."
US submarine commander, 1942
Torpedo Problems
Mk 14 TorpedoPrimary US submarine weapon
failed to exploderan too deepexploded too soon
Magnetic DetonatorsMaximize damage to target by exploding under keel
Development of these detonators was a high priority, top secret effort
Magnetic DetonatorsMaximize damage to target by exploding under keel
Turn Off Sound!( 1:21 )
Torpedo Problems
Mk 14 TorpedoPrimary US submarine weapon
failed to exploderan too deepexploded too soonran in a circle
Torpedo ProblemsCircling Torpedoes
At least two subs lost:Tullibee (SS-284) 26 Mar 44 79 died, 1 POW
Tang (SS-306) 24 Oct 44 78 died, 9 POWs
At least two near-misses:
USS Seadragon (SS-194)
USS Pintado (SS-387)
Torpedo Problems
Problems identified with:• depth controllers• contact fuse• magnetic fuse
Lack of adequate operational testing a factor
“More torpedoes fired in December 1941 than in all the interwar years”
$10,000 torpedo cost limited testing *
* $145,000 in 2005 dollars Thomas D. Clay, Jr.
WW II USN Submarine Operations Against Japan
Source
Problems cleared by Fall 1943
Submarine CampaignUS Fleet Submarines
222 built - three similar classes
Submarine Comparison
German Type VIIc
US Gato-class
Range: 8,500 nm
Crew: 44-52
Torpedo load: 14
Range: 11,000 nm
Crew: 76-83
Torpedo load: 24
Submarine Construction
Supplement:
Mobile Support Bases
Initially met need for forward-deployed sub support capability
Mobile Support Bases
Submarine tender and flotilla
Mobile Support Bases
Later: Forward-deployed repair capability for entire fleet
Repair Ships Floating Drydocks
Mobile Support Bases
Ulithi Atoll
Submarine Tactics
German Wolfpack Tactics• U-boats operated individually along a patrol line
• Coordination directed by Kreigsmarine headquarters
US “Wolfpack” Tactic• Boats operated in groups of three
• Senior skipper commander task force
Submarine CampaignResults
US subs sank 1,113 Japanese merchant ships (> 500 tons) • 4.8 million tons • > 80% of pre-war merchant tonnage
US subs sank 201 Japanese warships • 540,000 tons
US subs sank 55% of all Japanese ships lost in the war
US sub force losses: 3,505 men (22%), 55 boats
US Submarine War Against Japanhttp://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/1592/bgrnd.html
• More than surface navy, carrier air, USAAF combined
• US sub force accounted for 1.6% of US Navy personnel
Submarine CampaignImpact
Japanese merchant shipping loses crippled industrial support for their war effort
Shipping and naval losses restricted Japanese abilities to support deployed forces
Submarines allowed US to attack Japanese power early in war at relatively little cost
Chief of Naval Operations, Submarine Warfare Divisionhttp://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/cno/n87/history/pac-campaign.html
Aerial Mine Laying
B-29 dropping aerial minesInland Sea - 1945
Aerial Mine LayingInland Sea
Aerial Mine LayingInland Sea
Shimonoseki Strait
Aerial Mine LayingResults
In a 5-1/2 month campaign (beginning March 1945):
• 1,529 B-29 sorties laid over 12,000 mines
• Aerial mines sank 287 Japanese ships, damaged 323
• 50% of all merchant ship losses during period
US Strategic Bombing Survey, no. 78,:The Offensive Mine Laying Campaign against Japan
Blockade of JapanResults
Lesson 30
WW II: The Pacific – Rolling Back the Perimeter
Next:
Lesson Objectives
• Understand and analyze the Japanese and American strategies for the war in the Pacific and Asia.
• Analyze the impact of the military revolution during the interwar years on the war in the Pacific theater.
• Become familiar with the timeline of events in the Pacific war.
• Interpret and analyze the two U.S. strategies for rolling back Japanese’s defensive perimeter.
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