1. WW II: The Pacific – Turning the Tide
Lesson 29
WW II: The Pacific – Turning the Tide

2. 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.

3. Review
Lesson 16
The Interwar Years

4. 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

5. Interwar Revolutions Perfected concepts introduced in WW I
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

6. The US and the Coming of World War II
Timeline
1941: Dec 7
0755: Attack on US forces on Oahu begins
The US and the Coming of World War II

7. "One can search military history in vain for an operation more fatal to the aggressor."
Samuel Eliot Morison   ( )
The Rising Sun in the Pacific, 1931-April 1942, vol. III, "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II"

8. American Reaction

9. Click for audio of speech
Declaration of War
December 8, 1941
Click for audio of speech

10. Captain James Roosevelt, USMCR, 1941
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

11. 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
Gung Ho!
USS Nautilus SS -168
Sister ship USS Argonaut also participated

12. 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)

13. US Strategy Isolate Japan Roll back defensive perimeter
• Southwestern Pacific
• Central Pacific
Destroy industrial capability, will to fight
Invade home islands

14. US Strategy Isolate Japan Destroy industrial power, will Invade
Roll back defensive perimeter
Maps.com

15. Dark Days Guam, Wake Island overrun
Winter – Spring 1942
Guam, Wake Island overrun
Philippines attacked, near collapse
British lost Hong Kong, Singapore
Dutch lost East Indies A

16. American Spirits Needed a Lift!
Dark Days
Winter – Spring 1942
American Spirits Needed a Lift! A

17. Carrier Ops

18. 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!

19. Jimmy Doolittle with Gee-Bee R-1
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

20. Sixteen B-25 Medium Bombers on USS Hornet
Doolittle Raid
Sixteen B-25 Medium Bombers on USS Hornet

21. Doolittle Raid
April 18, 1942

22. Doolittle and Mitscher Confer “The Hornet’s Nest” by John D. Shaw
Doolittle Raid
April 18, 1942
Doolittle and Mitscher Confer
“The Hornet’s Nest” by John D. Shaw
historysaver.com

23. Doolittle Raid
April 18, 1942
Source
Macs Log

24. Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, from B-25
Doolittle Raid
Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, from B-25
April 18, 1942
Source

25. Disposition of Raider Aircraft
X 8 to Siberia
Arrived in dark due to early takeoff
 Chuchow
(planned destination)

26. Doolittle Raid Newsreel
( 9:37 )

27. Jimmy Doolittle
Doolittle Narrative
( 8:07 )

28. Doolittle Raid
The movie (1944)
( 3:03 )
( 3:39 )

29. Doolittle receives Medal of Honor from President Roosevelt
Doolittle Raid
Doolittle receives Medal of Honor from President Roosevelt
Medalofhonor.com

30. Doolittle Raid American morale soared
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

31. 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

32. Battle of the Coral Sea 4-8 May 1942 Tactical victory for Japan
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

33. 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

34. Midway Attack Force (four carriers)
Aleutian Diversion Force
(two carriers)
Japanese Plan
Midway Attack Force (four carriers)

35. Yorktown in drydock, Pearl Harbor
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

36. SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber
Battle of Midway
US Aircraft
SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber
TBD Devastator Torpedo Bomber
TBF / TBM Avenger Torpedo Bomber

37. Battle of Midway
June 4-7, 1942

38. Battle of Midway
June 4-7, 1942
Japanese change objective from Midway to US carriers,
Begin to reconfigure weapon load on aircraft

39. Battle of Midway Carrier Akagi hit, while Kaga, Soryu burn
June 4-7, 1942
Carrier Akagi hit, while Kaga, Soryu burn
“The Famous Four Minutes” by R. G . Smith
Source

40. Battle of Midway Losses: Significance: Consequences
• 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.

41. Japan’s Decision for War
Review
Japan’s Decision for War
Japanese Strategy
• Neutralize US Pacific fleet and threats from the Philippines
• Establish defensive perimeter
• 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

42. US Strategy Isolate Japan Destroy industrial power, will Invade
Roll back defensive perimeter
Maps.com

43. US Strategy Isolate Japan Roll back defensive perimeter
• Southwestern Pacific
• Central Pacific
Destroy industrial capability, will to fight
Invade home islands

44. US Strategy
Isolate Japan
Maps.com

45. 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

46. Primary US submarine weapon
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

47. 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

48. Primary US submarine weapon
Torpedo Problems
Mk 14 Torpedo
Primary US submarine weapon
failed to explode
ran too deep
exploded too soon

49. Magnetic Detonators Maximize damage to target by exploding under keel
Development of these detonators was a high priority, top secret effort

50. Maximize damage to target by exploding under keel
Magnetic Detonators
Maximize damage to target by exploding under keel
Turn Off Sound!
( 1:21 )

51. Primary US submarine weapon
Torpedo Problems
Mk 14 Torpedo
Primary US submarine weapon
failed to explode
ran too deep
exploded too soon
ran in a circle

52. Torpedo Problems Circling Torpedoes At least two subs lost:
Tullibee (SS-284) Mar died, 1 POW
Tang (SS-306) Oct died, 9 POWs
At least two near-misses:
USS Seadragon (SS-194)
USS Pintado (SS-387)

53. 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

54. 222 built - three similar classes
Submarine Campaign
US Fleet Submarines
222 built - three similar classes

55. 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

56. Submarine Construction
Supplement:
Submarine Construction

57. Initially met need for forward-deployed sub support capability
Mobile Support Bases
Initially met need for forward-deployed sub support capability

58. Submarine tender and flotilla
Mobile Support Bases
Submarine tender and flotilla

59. Later: Forward-deployed repair capability for entire fleet
Mobile Support Bases
Later: Forward-deployed repair capability for entire fleet
Repair Ships
Floating Drydocks

60. Mobile Support Bases
Ulithi Atoll

61. Submarine Tactics German Wolfpack Tactics US “Wolfpack” Tactic
• 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

62. 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

63. 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

64. B-29 dropping aerial mines
Aerial Mine Laying
B-29 dropping aerial mines
Inland Sea

65. Aerial Mine Laying
Inland Sea

66. Aerial Mine Laying
Inland Sea
Shimonoseki Strait

67. 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

68. Blockade of Japan
Results

69. Rolling Back the Perimeter
Next:
Lesson 30
WW II: The Pacific –
Rolling Back the Perimeter

70. 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.

71. Link Images
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