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
Ten Military Revolutions
Infantry Revolution
Artillery Revolution
Revolution of Sail and Shot
Fortress Revolution
Gunpowder Revolution
Napoleonic Revolution
Land Warfare Revolution
Naval Revolution
Interwar Revolutions in Mechanization,
Aviation, and Information
Nuclear Revolution
Andrew F. Krepinevich
“Cavalry to computer: the pattern of military revolutions”
The National Interest, Fall 1994
Interwar Revolutions
1920’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 War
December 8, 1941
Click for audio of speech
Total War
“ …the whole population and all the resources of the
combatants are committed to complete victory.”
Princess Elizabeth
1943
Captain James Roosevelt, USMCR, 1941
Total War
Makin 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 War
Makin 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
US Strategy
Isolate Japan
Destroy industrial power, will
Invade
Roll back defensive perimeter
Maps.com
Dark Days
Winter – Spring 1942
Guam, Wake Island overrun
Philippines attacked, near collapse
British lost Hong Kong, Singapore
Dutch lost East Indies
A
Dark Days
Winter – Spring 1942
American Spirits Needed a Lift!
A
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 air
Solution:
• 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 Raid
April 18, 1942
Doolittle Raid
April 18, 1942
Doolittle and Mitscher Confer
“The Hornet’s Nest” by John D. Shaw
historysaver.com
Doolittle Raid
April 18, 1942
Source
Macs Log
Doolittle Raid
Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, from B-25
April 18, 1942
Source
Disposition of Raider Aircraft
X 8 to Siberia
Arrived in dark due to early takeoff
 Chuchow
 (planned destination)
Doolittle Raid Newsreel
( 9:37 )
Jimmy Doolittle
1896 - 1995
Doolittle Narrative
( 8:07 )
Doolittle Raid
( 3:03 )
The movie (1944)
( 3:39 )
Doolittle Raid
Doolittle receives Medal of Honor from President Roosevelt
Medalofhonor.com
Doolittle Raid
Significance
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 Sea
4-8 May 1942
Japanese attempt to invade Southern New Guinea
US task force intercepts
First carrier-to-carrier engagement
Battle of the Coral Sea
4-8 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
Objective: seize Midway Island, inflict a decisive defeat on US fleet
• Assumed Yorktown sunk, only two US carriers available
US had cracked Japanese code, knew enemy plan
Midway
Aleutian Diversion Force
(two carriers)
Japanese Plan
Midway Attack Force
(four carriers)
Battle of Midway
USS Yorktown
Yorktown in drydock, Pearl Harbor
Heavily damaged at Coral Sea, Yorktown limped back to Pearl
• Bomb holed flight deck, exploded 4 decks down; fuel tank ruptured
Major repairs accomplished in three days, new air group embarked
With repairs still underway, Yorktown departed Pearl to join
Enterprise and Hornet under Rear Admiral Spruance
Battle of Midway
US Aircraft
SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber
TBD Devastator Torpedo Bomber
TBF / TBM Avenger Torpedo Bomber
Battle of Midway
June 4-7, 1942
Battle of Midway
June 4-7, 1942
Japanese change objective from Midway to US carriers,
Begin to reconfigure weapon load on aircraft
Battle of Midway
June 4-7, 1942
Carrier Akagi hit, while Kaga, Soryu burn
“The Famous Four Minutes” by R. G . Smith
Source
Battle of Midway
Consequences
Losses:
• Japan: 4 carriers, 1 cruiser
• US: 1 carrier (Yorktown), 1 destroyer
Significance:
• High water mark for Japan
• Never recovered carrier, aircrew losses
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.
Review
Japan’s Decision for War
Japanese Strategy
• Neutralize US Pacific fleet and threats from the Philippines
defensive
perimeter
• Establish
Establish
defensive
perimeter
• Use new resources to build capability to defend indefinitely
Felt US would be unwilling to pay cost of overcoming these defenses
Felt US would compromise, allow Japan the dominant position in Asia
US Strategy
Isolate Japan
Destroy industrial power, will
Invade
Roll back defensive perimeter
Maps.com
US Strategy
Isolate Japan
Roll back defensive perimeter
• Southwestern Pacific
• Central Pacific
Destroy industrial capability, will to fight
Invade home islands
US Strategy
Isolate Japan
Maps.com
Submarine Campaign
“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
Japanese Cruiser
Torpedo Problems
Mk 14 Torpedo
Primary 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 Torpedo
Primary 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 Torpedo
Primary US submarine weapon
failed to explode
ran too deep
exploded too soon
Magnetic Detonators
Maximize damage to target by exploding under keel
Development of these detonators
was a high priority, top secret effort
Magnetic Detonators
Maximize damage to target by exploding under keel
Turn Off Sound!
( 1:21 )
Torpedo Problems
Mk 14 Torpedo
Primary US submarine weapon
failed to explode
ran too deep
exploded too soon
ran in a circle
Torpedo Problems
Circling 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 *
Problems cleared by Fall 1943
* $145,000 in 2005 dollars
Thomas D. Clay, Jr.
WW II USN Submarine Operations Against Japan
Source
Submarine Campaign
US Fleet Submarines
222 built - three similar classes
Submarine Comparison
Range: 8,500 nm
Crew: 44-52
Torpedo load: 14
German Type VIIc
US Gato-class
Range: 11,000 nm
Crew: 76-83
Torpedo load: 24
Supplement:
Submarine Construction
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 Campaign
Results
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
• More than surface navy, carrier air, USAAF combined
• US sub force accounted for 1.6% of US Navy personnel
US sub force losses: 3,505 men (22%), 55 boats
US Submarine War Against Japan
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/1592/bgrnd.html
Submarine Campaign
Impact
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 Division
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/cno/n87/history/pac-campaign.html
Aerial Mine Laying
B-29 dropping aerial mines
Inland Sea - 1945
Aerial Mine Laying
Inland Sea
Aerial Mine Laying
Inland Sea
Shimonoseki Strait
Aerial Mine Laying
Results
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 Japan
Results
Next:
Lesson 30
WW II: The Pacific –
Rolling Back the Perimeter
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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