After completing Atkinson's last book, I realized it had been decades since I had read about the Pacific, and found this extraordinary 1981 publication. It is referred to in any number of websites as the best one-volume treatment of the subject, and I heartily concur. The author traces the conflict to the turn of the 20th century when we became a Pacific power by annexing the Philippines and the Japanese became a threat with their sneak attack at Port Arthur, Russia. TR announced our global ambitions by sending the famous 'white fleet' around the world. (Interestingly, a young Lieutenant named Halsey was aboard when the fleet docked in Tokyo Bay.) Our planners put our Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor, fearing that Subic Bay in the Philippines was susceptible to Japanese attack.
During the First World War, the Japanese took over the German islands in the mid-Pacific and announced that they would free East Asia from imperialism. The British pulled back to Singapore and our Congress refused to fund a Navy capable of projecting American power in the western Pacific. The Japanese invaded Manchuria in 1931 and China in 1937. By 1938, the JCS acknowledged that we could not defend the Philippines and that we had a greater threat from Germany, so we shifted much of our fleet to the Atlantic. By the time of Pearl Harbor, war was expected, but it was assumed the strike would come in the Indies, the Philippines or Russia.
Pearl Harbor was followed by the invasion of the American colony of the Philippines, the capture of Singapore and Burma in February and Rangoon and Java in March. The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere was about to be implemented. Indeed, the newspapers in Tokyo had heralded victory in the Pacific. One mistake the Japanese made was to place all of their conquered territories under the Army's martial law. Their brutality and inhumanity assured no one would ever side with them against the imperialists.
By the time Corregidor fell in May, MacArthur was in Australia, in charge of the western Pacific theater, and Nimitz was in Pearl in charge of the central Pacific. For the next three-plus years there would be constant rivalry and tension between the two, yet King and Marshall managed it all from Washington and in the end it worked out spectacularly for the Americans and our Allies. Our industrial capacity assured the outcome, but one of the great facilitators of our success was Ultra. Throughout the war, we knew everything the Japanese planned and consistently took advantage of that, including when we needed it the most - at Midway.
Doolittle's Raid - the Coral Sea - Midway - Guadalcanal - Papua - the Bismarck Sea - the Solomons - Bougainville - Tarawa - New Britain - the Marshalls - the Admiralty Islands - Burma - Saipan -Philippines Sea - Peleliu - Luzon - Leyte Gulf - Iwo Jima - Okinowa. Slowly but surely, over three-and-a-half years, American will-power, courage, and determination pounded the Japanese into eventual submission.
As we pursued a dual strategy with Mac headed back to the Philippines and Nimitz atoll hopping, the JCS gave up on China in 1944. Stillwell called Chiang 'peanut' and no amount of US prodding could get the Nationalists to fight. Their corruption and cowardice awaited the final coup d'etat from the Reds.
By the time it was over, Mac had been appointed Supreme Commander, so the Navy insisted that the surrender be aboard ship in Tokyo Harbor. The USS Missouri was chosen because it was named after Truman's home state. Wainwright, who had withstood four years of brutal imprisonment, was flown in to stand with the victors, under Perry's 1853 flag, thoughtfully provided by now Admiral Halsey.
No comments:
Post a Comment