Sea Power and Maritime Affairs
Lesson 14: The War in the
Pacific, The Defensive Phase
Learning Objectives





Comprehend the political and economic forces which led
Japan to strike at Pearl Harbor and the Far East.
Comprehend the Japanese strategy for an early victory in
World War II.
Comprehend the impact of Pearl Harbor and the
subsequent Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway on the
transformation of the aircraft carrier's role in naval
warfare.
Know the importance of the Guadalcanal and Solomon
Islands campaigns to U.S. strategy in the Pacific.
Comprehend the nature of U.S. command relationships
in the Pacific Theatre of World War II.
Background Information

Japanese-American Relations
tense: Japan challenged
America’s “Open Door”
policy by attacking
Manchuria in 1931.
 In 1937, Japanese expansion
in China resulted in attack on
American gunboat, the Panay,
by Japanese aircraft.
 Roosevelt adopted economic
sanctions leading to an oil
embargo by Americans,
British and Dutch (July 1941)
Background Information

The Japanese struck for the oilrich Dutch East Indies
(Indonesia), Singapore, and the
surrounding British-owned
Malaya, Thailand, the
Philippines, and Hong Kong.
 The Japanese camouflaged their
plans with diplomatic
negotiations in Washington.
The United States expected an
assault somewhere in the
Pacific because cryptanalysts, in
a technique called “Magic,” had
broken the Japanese Diplomatic
Code.
Background Information

The attack on Pearl
Harbor surprised the
Americans, who had
not anticipated a strike
so far east or one
mounted solely by
carrier-born aircraft.
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor: Japan’s Plan

Southern drive into
Indochina and Dutch East
Indies for oil.
 Strike at Philippines and
Singapore to knock out
local American and British
Forces.
Pearl Harbor — Japanese Plans

Attack on Pearl Harbor conceived by Admiral Yamamoto:
– Great risk — U.S. would surely enter the war.
– Greater potential gain — U.S. Pacific Fleet would be knocked out
of the war.


Japan would then consolidate gains throughout China and the Pacific.
Possibility of U.S. agreeing to Japanese territorial gains to make peace.
– Good possibility of U.S. involvement in Europe as well.


Will drain naval resources from Pacific Ocean.
U.S. Atlantic Fleet already involved in convoy escort against U-boats.
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto

Commander in Chief
–
Japanese Combined Fleet

Wounded at Tsushima Strait
 Lived in the United States
–
–
Boston - Studied English
Washington D.C. - Naval Attaché

Against war with the U.S.
 Demanded Pearl Harbor Attack
–
Destruction of U.S. Pacific Fleet
September 1940: “If I am told to fight regardless of the
consequences, I shall run wild for the first six months or a year, but I
have utterly no confidence for the second or third year.”
The Attack

Six newest and largest Japanese carriers at
core of striking force
 Sortie from Kuriles, rendezvous 7 Dec, 200
miles N of Pearl Harbor
 Launched 183 aircraft at 0600, strike 0755
 90% of damage inflicted by 0825
The Attack
U.S. Pacific Fleet - Pearl Harbor

No clear warning from Washington.
– Intercepts did not identify Pearl Harbor as a target.
– Slow communications between Washington and
Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Battleships in berths at Pearl for weekend liberty.
– “Battleship Row”

Carriers Lexington and Enterprise delivering
aircraft to Midway and Wake Islands.

Yamamoto - “Climb Mount Niitaka” message to
Vice Admiral Nagumo to commence attack.
Pearl Harbor
7 December 1941
“Tora Tora Tora”
DECEMBER 7, 1941
“…a day that will live in infamy…”
– Franklin Delano Roosevelt
“"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant
and fill him with a terrible resolve."
– Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Aftermath of Pearl Harbor

Battleship fleet effectively destroyed

Carriers survive and become new capital ships
– Submarines, repair facilities, and oil tanks also left
unharmed by attack

Result generally not anticipated by American naval
planners before Pearl Harbor
– Naval tactics change to support carrier strikes
– Circular formations developed to protect carriers
Aftermath of Pearl Harbor

U.S. declares war on Japan
– “Day of Infamy” - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Hitler declares war on the U.S.

American public opinion changes in favor of war


Battleships and cruisers protect carriers with antiaircraft fire.
Destroyers protect carriers from submarine attacks.
Wind
Circular Fleet Formations

Wind
Carriers must turn into the wind to launch aircraft.
Wind
Wind

Once aircraft are launched, the fleet is free to
maneuver.
Wind
To war we go...
Continued Japanese Attacks

Malay Peninsula attacked - December 1941
– British battleships HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales sunk


10 December 1941
Guam taken
– 10 December 1941

Wake Island
– First Invasion repulsed 8 December 1941
– Taken 23 December 1941
Continued Japanese Attacks

Hong Kong - 25 December 1941

Thailand, Philippines, Borneo invaded in
December 1942

Singapore - 15 February 1942

Further attacks?
–
–
Southwest Pacific: New Guinea and Australia
Central Pacific and northern Pacific: Midway and Aleutian
Islands
Continued Japanese Advance

Burma

Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) - “Southern Resources Area”
–
–

Rich in oil
“ABDA” naval forces (Australia-Britain-Dutch-American)
 Defeated at the Battle of the Java Sea - 27 February 1942
Now the Japanese had all of the oil they needed
–
Provided they could keep their SLOC open
The Phillipines

Initial strike on 8 December 1941 destroys U.S.
aircraft

General Douglas MacArthur evacuates Manila
–
–
–

Retreats to Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island
12 March - MacArthur evacuates with family to
Australia under orders from FDR in a Navy patrol
boat - “I shall return”
General Jonathan M. Wainwright - Surrender of
U.S. and Filipino forces on 6 May 1942 leads to the
Bataan Death March
Filipino resistance against Japanese occupation
continues
U.S. Defensive Organization/ Plans

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz relieves Kimmel as Commander
in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet

Nimitz - Commander in Chief Pacific Ocean Areas
–

Includes North, Central, and South Pacific Areas
MacArthur - Commander in Chief Southwest Pacific Area
–
–
Australia, New Guineau, East Indies, and Philippines
Fleet elements in this zone remained under Nimitz's control
U.S. Defensive Organization / Plans

Controversial command structure
–

No common superior -- two separate wars in the Pacific
Overwhelming U.S. industrial and logistical
superiority
–
Allows divided command until forces converge on
Philippines in 1944
Fleet Admiral
Ernest J. King



Commander in Chief,
U.S. Fleet
(COMINCH)
Chief of Naval Operations
(March 1942)
Proponent of changing
previously agreed upon
“Germany First” strategy
and moving resources to
the Pacific theatre of war.
I SHALL RETURN!
General
Douglas McArthur
Fleet Admiral
Chester W.
Nimitz
Commander in Chief
U.S. Pacific Fleet
and
Pacific Ocean Areas
World War II
Fleet Admiral
William F. “Bull” Halsey
– Carrier strikes on Gilberts
and Marshalls.

1 February 1942
– USS Saratoga torpedoed
by Japanese submarine.
U.S. Air Raid on Tokyo April 1942

Halsey commands Task Force 16
– Hornet and Enterprise

Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle - B-25 “Mitchells”
–
Army Air Corps bombers allow greater range

–
Unable to return to land on carriers
China used as landing area

Early launch caused by sighting by Japanese pickets

Increase in American morale
– FDR: Attack was launched from “Shangri-La”

Erases Japanese resistance to Yamamoto’s Midway plan
Battle of the Coral Sea
4-8 May 1942

Japanese attempt to cut communication to
Australia
– Port Moresby in New Guinea
– Island of Tulagi

Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher
– Commands Task Force 17

Pure carrier engagement — first in history

Lexington sunk and Yorktown damaged
Battle of the Coral Sea

Japanese carrier Shoho sunk
–

Zuikaku and Shokaku damaged - unavailable at
Midway
Japanese tactical victory
– Took more kills

U.S. strategic victory
–
Japanese advance temporarily halted
Japanese Carrier Shokaku
USS Lexington (CV2)
Battle of Midway
3-6 June 1942
Battle of Midway
3-6 June 1942

Yamamoto’s objective:
–
Lure out and destroy U.S. carrier forces


Carrier raid and invasion backed by entire Japanese Combined Fleet
Yamamoto divides his forces
–
–
–
Overly confident
Two carriers and invasion force attack the Aleutians
They STILL have an overwhelming force
U.S. Disadvantages and
Advantages

Heavily outnumbered
 Inferior aircraft susceptible to attacks by Japanese
“Zeros”
 Airfield on Midway Island - unsinkable carrier
 Interception and decoding of Japanese
communications
–

Virtually complete information regarding Yamamoto's
fleet, tactical disposition, and routes of approach.
Radar
Commanders

Nimitz - Overall command from Pearl Harbor
–
–

Yamamoto - Overall command aboard battleship Yamato
–

Halsey ill, replaced by Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance
Fletcher - Tactical command from repaired Yorktown
Nagumo - Carrier Striking Force
Japanese “Zero” aircraft technologically superior.
– Early Japanese advantage - U.S. attacks are repulsed.
Admiral
Chuichi Nagumo
Commander
Japanese
Carrier Striking Force
Battle of Midway
Rear Admiral
Frank Jack
Fletcher
Commander
Task Force 17
USS Yorktown (CV 5)
Rear Admiral
Raymond A.
Spruance
Commander
Task Force 16
USS Hornet (CV 5)
USS Enterprise (CV 6)
Battle of
Midway
Mitsubishi A6M “Zero”
TBD-1 Devastator Torpedo Bombers
USS Yorktown (CV 5)
SBD-3 Dauntless Dive Bombers
F4F Wildcats
USS Enterprise (CV 6)
USS Hornet (CV 8)
Captain Marc Mitscher, Commanding Officer
USS Yorktown (CV 5)


Damaged by air strikes on 4 June.
Sunk by submarine torpedo attack on 7 June.
Japanese Carriers
Kaga, Akagi, and Soryu
USS Yorktown (CV 5)
USS Yorktown (CV 5)
Submarines in the Pacific

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
– Commences against Japan immediately following
Pearl Harbor attack by order of CNO Admiral King.
“We shall never forget that it was our submarines
that held the lines against the enemy while our
fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds.”
- Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, 1947
Learning Objectives





Comprehend the political and economic forces which led Japan to
strike at Pearl Harbor and the Far East.
Comprehend the Japanese strategy for an early victory in World
War II.
Comprehend the impact of Pearl Harbor and the subsequent
Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway on the transformation of the
aircraft carrier's role in naval warfare.
Know the importance of the Guadalcanal and Solomon Islands
campaigns to U.S. strategy in the Pacific.
Comprehend the nature of U.S. command relationships in the
Pacific Theatre of World War II.
Recommended Reading / Viewing:





“Band of Brothers” (DVD series)
“Midway” (movie)
“Tora, Tora, Tora”
The Corps (series by WEB Griffin)
"Victory at Sea," The Atlantic Monthly, March 1999
The articles / books are available from your very own LT Palumbo
QUIZ NEXT MONDAY: 1919 – End of WWII (3 lectures)
Discussion
Next time: The War in the pacific, The Offensive Phase