Existing comment:
Map:
This map of the Japanese islands and coast of China, is signed by all of Colonel Doolittle's aviators.
James H. Doolittle (1896-1993, USA)
A World War I veteran, Doolittle was commissioned first lieutenant in the Air Service in July 1920. He won the Harmon trophy in 1930, the Bendix in 1931, and set a world speed record in 1932.
Shortly before World War II, he joined the Air Corps headquarters for an extended period of planning that bore results on 18 April 1942. The Halsey-Doolittle Raid gave the United States a much-needed jolt of excitement and pride. Doolittle was promoted to general and awarded the Medal of Honor for his feat.
Japanese Expansion:
Pearl Harbor was only one of Japan's several nearly simultaneous moves in the Far East. Japanese forces -- hungry for the oil, rubber, tin, and other essential raw materials -- quickly overran Thailand, landed on the Malay Peninsula, and seized Singapore, Guam, Wake Island, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
While the Japanese realized they could not occupy Australia, it was necessary to block the sea lanes carrying supplies between that country and the United States. Occupation of the Solomon Islands and Port Moresby on New Guinea would threaten those supply lines.
The Limited Offensive:
A generation of American naval officers had fought wars with Japan ... on paper and in war games. After the initial shock of the attack on Pearl Harbor and rapid Japanese successes, these exercised would provide the strategy for victory. The opening salvo, however, was beyond the planners' plans, a bombing raid on Japan conceived of by Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle, USA, and commanded by Rear Admiral William F Halsey. Although the raid did not inflict major damage, it forced the Japanese once more to plan the elimination of the United States Navy.
Doolittle Raid: 18 April 1942:
The joint Navy-Army Air Force operation relied on 16 twin-engine B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers launched from the carrier Hornet. The bombers' mission: to travel 1,700 miles into enemy territory to the targets of Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagoya.
Although most of the crews landed safely in China, some were forced to bail out before reaching their landing areas. Of those, eight airmen fell into enemy hands; three were executed.
Doolittle's pilots had practiced taking off from short runways, but coping with pitching decks was a new experience. Although all of the bombers successfully launched, some skimmed the waves as they gained airspeed. Adding to the difficulty: bad weather and a last-minute decision to launch.
Battle of the Coral Sea: 4-8 May 1942:
The Halsey-Doolittle Raid convinced Japanese leaders that the United States Navy was a continuing threat. Admiral Yamamoto immediately started planning an attack on Midway Island to draw the American fleet into battle. But Japan still need[ed] to block the flow of supplies to Australia.
To occupy Port Moresby in New Guinea and Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, which guarded the sea lanes, Yamamoto dispatched an invasion group screened by the light carrier Shoho and a striking force centered on fleet carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku.
When Navy codebreakers learned the plan, carriers Lexington and Yorktown were dispatched to intercept the Japanese. The two sides met on 7 May; Japanese aircraft sank the oiler Neosho and destroyer SIms, while American planes sank Shoho.
On 8 May 1942, Japanese and American carriers attacked each other simultaneously. Japanese pilots put two torpedoes into Lexington, setting off fires that could not be controlled. The carrier was beyond repair, so an American torpedo hastened her end. Lexington's crew abandoned ship in good order and without further loss of life.
Split Decision:
The Battle of the Coral Sea -- the first naval battle in which opposing ships did not see each other -- was a tactical victory for the Japanese because they sank an important United States carrier. But, for the first time in the war, Japanese aims were thwarted. Supplies continued to flow between the United States and Australia; a strategic victory for the Allies.
Battle of Midway -- 3-6 June 1942:
A month after the Battle of the Coral Sea, Yamamoto launched a massive, carrier-based air attack on Midway Island. The attack was intended to lure American forces out from their bases into a battle of annihilation.
The Imperial Navy had a numerical advantage, but Yamamoto's plan was overly complex and his forces dispersed. In the end, American naval forces commanded by Rear Adm Frank Jack Fletcher and Rear Adm Raymond A Spruance inflicted the worst military defeat on Japan since the 16th century.
Navy codebreakers knew a Japanese attack was coming, but were not sure of the target. They not only guessed Midway Island, but also where and when the Japanese carriers could be found. Admiral Nimitz sent carriers Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown. The plan: wait for the Japanese fleet, ambush them, surprise them, and defeat them. |