Pacific Theater in
World War II
The Use of Airpower
Against Japan: An Overview
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Allied strategy to defeat Japan
Use of tactical airpower in the Pacific
Theater
Use of strategic airpower in the Pacific
Theater
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The Air War Against Japan
Japanese Objectives
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Territorial expansion to reduce overcrowding at home and gain raw materials
Moved to fill the power vacuum in the
Southwest Pacific created German
aggression in Europe
Keep the US out of the war for 2 years
with a knockout blow at Pearl Harbor
• Underestimated American resolve and anger
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Allied Strategy to
Defeat Japan
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China-Burma-India -- Japan’s back door
• Campaign to resupply troops in China and recapture
Southeast Asia
• AAF flew the “hump” -- supply route over the
Himalayas -- “A logistics triumph”
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South Pacific Offensive -- Island hopping
campaign led by General MacArthur
Central Pacific Offensive -- Island hopping
campaign led by Admiral Nimitz
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Tactical Airpower in
the Pacific
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Far East Air Force (FEAF) -- formed to
support the South Pacific campaign
• Made up of the 5th and 13th Air Forces
• Used innovative techniques such as
fragmentation bombs to interdict enemy
positions and troops
• Employed fighters and medium bombers,
P-38 was a huge success
• Won air superiority through a war of attrition
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Tactical Airpower in
the Pacific
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First strategic raid 18 Apr 1942
• Jimmy Doolittle led flight of 16 bombers from the
deck of the aircraft carrier, “Hornet”
• 600 mile flight, did little damage, but boosted morale
of US forces and shocked the Japanese
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20th Air Force was formed in 1944 specifically
to bomb Japan
• Initial results were poor due to high altitude bombing
techniques
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Tactical Airpower in
the Pacific (Cont)
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Jan 1945 -- General Arnold put Gen Curtis LeMay
in charge of strategic bombing
• Changed tactics to use incendiary bombs
• Lowered bombing altitude to improve B-29s accuracy
• Launched first firebomb attack of Tokyo on
9 Mar 45 -- 279 B-29s participated
-- Burned 16 sq miles, destroyed 267,000
buildings and killed 83,000 people
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Strategic Airpower in the
Pacific The End of the War
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President Truman authorizes nuclear strikes
against Japan
• 6 Aug 45 -- Hiroshima bombed - 70,000 killed
• 9 Aug 45 -- Nagasaki bombed - 40,000 killed
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Japan surrendered 15 Aug 1945
WW II ended formally with ceremonies on
the USS Missouri on 2 Sep 1945
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Review of CFD Model
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Competencies: Air and space expertise,
capabilities and technological know-how
that produces superior military
capabilities
Functions: Broad, fundamental and
continuing activities of air and space
power
Doctrine: fundamental principles which
military forces guide their actions in
support of national objectives
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CFD Model Application
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Pre WWI:
Competencies: Information Gathering
Functions:
Reconnaissance
Doctrinal
Emphasis:
Artillery spotting, gathering
military info for land forces
Post WWI:
Competencies: Limited attack; info gather
Functions:
Doctrinal
Emphasis:
Counterattack; theater
attack, reconnaissance
Theater attack of mil targets
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CFD Model Application
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•Limited attack
•Information Gathering
Competencies:
•Limited Air Superiority
Pre WWII:
Functions:
Doctrinal
Emphasis:
•Reconnaissance
•Counterair
•Strategic Attack
•Airlift
Strategic attack on the enemy
homeland (enemy war machine)
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CFD Model Application
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Post WWII:
Competencies:
Functions:
Doctrinal Emphasis:
•Limited attack
•Information Gathering
•Air Superiority
•Limited Agility Combat Support
•Reconnaissance
•Counterair
•Strategic Attack
•Airlift
•Counter land
•Counter sea
•SAR
•Special Ops
Strategic attack
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