Sea Power and Maritime Affairs No more Mahanian battles? Carrier BG vs. Carrier BG; what do you call it? Lesson 12: The US Navy in the Pacific, 1941-1945 (Part 1)

Learning Objectives Comprehend the political and economic forces that led Japan to strike at Pearl Harbor and the Far East. Comprehend the Japanese strategy for an early victory and their concept of the postwar Pacific power balance. Comprehend the impact of Pearl Harbor and the subsequent Battles of Coral Sea and Midway on the transformation of the aircraft carrier's role in naval warfare. Know the significant highlights of the evolution of US operational strategy in the Pacific, including major battles or campaigns and instances where strategy was flawed or ambiguous. Know the strategic significance of the employment and refinement of amphibious landing tactics by the US Navy and US Marine Corps. Comprehend the reasons the geopolitical world order was changed as a result of Japan’s actions in striking at the Western powers in 1941.

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 oil-rich 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. Roosevelt had sacked all of the military advisors who said that putting everyone in Pearl was a bad idea.

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. Just like War Plan Orange And just what the British feared vis-à-vis Singapore

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. Southeast Asia (French Indochina, Malaya, Burma, Thailand, the Dutch East Indies, Philippines, and the Gilberts and Marianas ceded to Japan at end of World War I). With the U.S. fleet devastated, Japan's maritime fortress would be impregnable. The U.S. would sue for peace and two mighty but equal empires--one Japanese, one American--would face each other across the Pacific. Japan had no idea the trouble they started when they bombed Pearl harbor- it REALLY pissed us off

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. The entire Pacific Battle Fleet minus the carriers were in port All of the aircraft were together to defend against Japanses sabotage The submarine fleet was there as well. Japs destrotyed all of the battleships and most of the aircraft on the ground Government was floored Admiral Husband E. Kimmel dismissed after attack. Yamamoto/Nagumo- who would be later defeated at Midway

Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941 “Tora Tora Tora”

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 Hitler- per tripartite agreement declares war on US Isolationism ends forever literally overnight 2,400 Americans dead

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 Wake Island First Invasion repulsed 8 December 1941 Taken 23 December 1941 After Pearl Harbor, we were on our backs and the Japanese started rolling through the South Pacific

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 Where would they go next? McArthur’s stronghold in Australia Midway Island or the Aleutians?

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 After Burma, The Japs had a ready supply of oil

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. Becomes both Commander in Chief of the Fleet AND CNO Unity of Operational and Administrative chains of command Big on the Pacific War

I SHALL RETURN! General Douglas McArthur General Douglas McArthur - a megalomaniac - extremely charismatic and remarkably well spoken - created his own center of gravity in Australia - received Medal of Honor for Phillipines (even though he was gone before most of the fighting) - savvy with press, “I shall return” - not planned for when the Navy Department planned “War Plan Orange” - kept trying to make plays for action in his command - Southwest command- incredible that it even existed - his own “seventh fleet” - Nimitz hated this guy - problems with Truman

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas World War II Your big players were: King and General George C. Marshall in Washington: JCS Nimitz in Pearl McArthur in Australia A lot of big heads with parochial interests supported by a massive military-industrial structure. Over this you had FDR; a 1,000 lbs gorilla over these 800 lbs. Gorillas. --> vaccuum leads to McArthur/Truman after the war Just as we learned tactical and strategic lessons from World War I and the early part of World War II, we would learn Command and Control lessons from this Command structure that would lead to a lot of streamlining immediately after the war

Famous photo of MacArthur, FDR, and Nimitz

William F. “Bull” Halsey Fleet Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey Carrier strikes on Gilberts and Marshalls. 1 February 1942 USS Saratoga torpedoed by Japanese submarine. First he’s working for Nimitz Then he’s working for McArthur (Seventh Fleet) Then Nimitz again Earned his wings in Pensacola as a senior captain- considered to be Navy’s first “carrier admiral”

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 The pinprick Midway plan goes: this is good for us because it is the turning point in our war

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 One of two big Defensive Battles

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 Until the “Hellcat,” the Mitsubishi Zero is better than anything we’ve got We’ve got great intel, plus Nimitz makes a very smart move. He makes a deceptive communique about Midway and the Japanese circuits start chattering

Commanders Nimitz - Overall command from Pearl Harbor Halsey ill, replaced by Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance Fletcher - Tactical command from repaired Yorktown Yamamoto - Overall command aboard battleship Yamato 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)

At 10:25, Nagumo thought he was heading for a massive victory against the American fleet Five minutes later, he faced defeat Japanese expansion in the Pacific was over; this had become an offensive war for the Americans. It is June, 1942 Enterprise and Yorktown dive-bombers locate carriers at exactly the same time Japanese aircraft on decks changing ordnance in preparation for attacks on U.S. carriers Four Japanese carriers sunk Yorktown abandoned, then torpedoed and sunk. 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)

Captain Marc Mitscher, Commanding Officer 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 The three carriers sunk at Midway This is a picture of them burning

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 U.S. submarines supply Gen Douglas MacArthur’s forces in Philippines. We’ll talk more about this next time