Sea Power and Maritime Affairs

1. Sea Power and Maritime Affairs Lesson 15: The War in the Pacific, The Offensive Phase

2. TURN ON THE LIGHTS ON...OUR PILOTS WILL LIVE! “ First one plane and then another dropped into the sea from lack of fuel.  At last the planes approached the carriers.  But in the darkness, the pilots could not make out which ships were carriers and which were not.  Unless something was done many good men were going to be killed trying to land in the darkness.  Slowly Admiral Mitscher got up from his seat and gave the order, "Turn on the lights."  These four words were as deadly in meaning as Admiral Farragut's 1863 ‘Damn the torpedoes (mines), Full Speed Ahead!’ ” "Land on any carrier."

3. “TURN ON THE LIGHTS ON”

4. Learning Objectives • comprehend the political and economic forces which led Japan to strike at Pearl Harbor and the colonial possessions of the U.S., Britain, and the Netherlands and the relationship of these forces to Japan's ultimate defeat. • comprehend the Japanese strategy for an early victory and their concept of the postwar Pacific power balance.

5. Learning Objectives • 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 (list) the significant highlights of the evolution of U.S. operational strategy in the Pacific, including turning point battles or campaigns and instances where strategy was flawed or ambiguous.

6. Learning Objectives • know (identify) the strategic significance of the employment and refinement of amphibious landing tactics by the U.S. Navy and 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.

7. U.S. Aircraft Production • Japan and Germany had early advantage in air war: • Messerschmit ME-109 • Mitsubishi A6M Zero • U.S. aircraft industry produces higher performance aircraft • American industrial base allows rapid and mass production • New flight training programs developed • U.S. gains advantage in air warfare • Air supremacy eventually established in both European and Pacific theaters

8. A6M “Zero” or “Zeke” Fighter

9. F2A “Buffalo” Fighter

10. F4F “Wildcat” Fighter

11. Wildcats on the Prowl

12. F6F “Hellcat” Fighter

13. F4U Corsair Fighter

14. SBD “Dauntless” Dive Bomber

15. SB2C “Helldiver” Dive Bomber

16. TBF “Avenger” Torpedo Bomber

17. PBY “Catalina” Scout

18. U.S. Submarine Force

19. U.S. Submarine Warfare • Simultaneously with Dual advance, US conducts war on commerce • Unrestricted Submarine Warfare ordered immediately after Pearl Harbor -- new role for U.S. submarines • Early operational problems - 1942-43: • Undependable torpedoes - poorly designed magnetic fusing. • Many commanders were excessively cautious.

20. Subs in Battle • Bataan and Corregidor, Philippines • Supplied by submarines from the Asiatic Fleet • Evacuation of personnel • Battle of Midway • Guarded approaches to the island • Guadalcanal Campaign • Begin to be more effective at fleet operations

22. U.S. Submarine Warfare • Late 1943: • Torpedo fusing problems corrected • Radar installed and sonar improved • Central Pacific Advance • Initially uncontested by Japanese Navy • Battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf • U.S. submarines support fleet and amphibious operations • Japanese battleship and carriers sunk

23. U.S. Submarine Warfare • Search and rescue of downed naval aviators • Commerce raiding of Japanese shipping from East Indies • By 1945 - 3/4 of the Japanese merchant fleet sunk • High casualty rates among submarine crews: • Rotation policy: 20% of crew transferred after each patrol.

25. Japanese Submarine Warfare • Long Lance torpedo - smaller variant for submarines • Focused attacks on U.S. warships and avoided supply ships • Used to screen and scout for battle fleets • “Warrior ethos” of Japanese naval leaders • Used for supply of bypassed garrisons

26. Japanese Submarine Warfare • Battle of Midway • Failed to intercept U.S. carrier forces • Torpedoed USS Yorktown under tow • Guadalcanal Campaign • USS Saratoga torpedoed January 1942 • USS Wasp sunk • USS Indianapolis sunk-- July 1945 - shark attacks

29. Prelude to Guadalcanal • Japanese leadership shocked by defeat at Midway • Cancel plans to take Fiji, Samoa, and New Caledonia • Must proceed with plan to take Port Moresby • Within bomber range of major naval operating base at Rabaul • Japanese begin building airfield at Guadalcanal

30. Prelude to Guadalcanal • Nimitz moves to reinforce South Pacific Area • Protect vital sea lines of communication with Australia. • Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley • Commander South Pacific Ocean Area (Subordinate to Nimitz). • Two bases established in New Hebrides.

31. Army - Navy Dispute • MacArthur proposes retaking Rabaul • Wants Navy to let him borrow First Marine Division • Admiral King • Objects to Macarthur's plan • Proposes step-by-step advance through Solomons to re-take Rabaul. • Nimitz and Ghormley in command with Marines making amphibious assaults and Navy providing support. • Army forces used as garrisons for islands

32. Operation Watchtower • Compromise Three-Stage Plan of Operations • Initial advance in Eastern Solomons under Nimitz • Boundary between Areas moved west • MacArthur takes command after Tulagi secured

34. Gudalcanal Campaign Aug 1942-Feb 1943

35. Whoever controlled an airfield would control air over the Solomons Vital SLOC For both sides it symbolized offensive rather than defensive warfare Guadalcanal

36. Force Commanders • Admiral Robert L. Ghormley overall command of Watchtower • Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner - Amphibious Forces • Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher carrier group • Provided support against Japanese fleet during day

37. GeneralArcher Vandegrift • Commander - First Marine Division • Amphibious landing virtually unopposed • Marines take Henderson Field - “Cactus Air Force”.

39. Guadalcanal River Crossing

40. “See-Saw” Pattern • Japan dominates nighttime action. • “Tokyo Express” down “The Slot” into “Ironbottom Sound” • U.S. dominates daytime with shore and carrier aircraft

41. Actions • Battle of Savo Island, 8-9 August 1942 • Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24 August 1942 • Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26-27 October, 1942 • “Naval Battle of Gudalcanal”, 12-13 November, 1942

42. Battle of Savo Island - Allies defeated in night surface action Battle of the Eastern Solomons - carrier battle USS Enterprise damaged by bombers USS Wasp sunk and Saratoga damaged by Japanese submarines Guadalcanal Campaign

43. Battle of Santa Cruz Islands • Halsey relieves Ghormley - 18 October 1942 • Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid • Hornet sunk and Enterprise damaged • No operational carriers left • Zuiho and Shokaku badly damaged • Tactical defeat by strategic victory?…maybe

44. Naval Battle • Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee • uses RADAR to his advantage to win nighttime naval battle • Washington and South Dakota outfight Japanese battleships • Warships flee • Transports beach themselves

45. Guadalcanal Campaign • 1st Marine Division relieved by Army’s 25th Infantry Division • Japanese forces evacuate Guadalcanal • U.S. forces begin advance up Solomon Islands • Land-based airfields established • Marine Corps’ “Black Sheep” Squadron (VMF-214) • Commanded by Maj Greg “Pappy” Boyington • Medal of Honor Recipient • MacArthur drives Japanese from eastern Papua • Captures main Japanese base at Buna

46. Aftermath • Both sides suffered heavy losses • U.S loses more tonnage at sea, carriers • Japan loses more lives • Japan allowed to dominate sea at night while U.S. dominates day • Battle drags on from Aug 42- Feb 43

47. Aftermath • MacArthur successful in driving Japanese from Papuan Peninsula • By Feb 43 Jap plans for offensives in S. and W Pacific stopped cold • King uses Casablanca Conference to allocate more resources to Pacific

48. Reconquest of Attu and Kiska Aleutian Islands(January - May 1943) • No real threat to security. • Necessary to end Japanese control of American territory for political reasons. • Battle of the Komondorskis • Last classic surface ship battle. • Americans attack heavily guarded Japanese convoy. • Minimal resistance on Attu, none on Kiska.

49. The Solomons Campaign Halsey goes to work for McArthur Leads Amphibious Assault from Guadalcanal along Solomons McArthur wants direct assault on Rabaul King and Marshall overrule him Capture every island BUT Rabaul to isolate it Rabaul becomes isolated and insignificant On to the Phillipines (October 1944) Operation Cartwheel

50. The Defeat of Japan Objective: The Philippines and the penetration of the Japanese inner defense zone!