Past and Present of Warfare
Tag: Pacific War
Battle of the Eastern Solomons The Battle of the Savo Island had sent to the bottom a large number of ships. Yet it was but a beginning. For months the battles were fought in this area, the two sides being very evenly matched and unable to gain a decisive advantage. This fact made it all … Continue reading Pacific War 16 – The Ironbottom Sound
While the Japanese did suffer a major defeat at Midway, they were still dangerous. Even the losses they suffered in fighting around Aleutian islands they were not significantly weakened. Fighting there did cause them significant losses, as the US navy had carried out several powerful counterattacks. At Battle of Komandorski Islands, Japanese suffered heavy losses … Continue reading Pacific War 15 – Fright Night at Savo Island
Victory of the Intelligence Service Battle of the Coral Sea had ended the Japanese advance in the Southern Pacific. There was no further pressure towards Australia, no Japanese ships or aircraft were scouting nor could Allied scouts find any concentrations of Japanese forces. Other areas of the Pacific were also quiet. It was thus obvious … Continue reading Pacific War 14 – Battle of Midway
During February 1942., a request for volunteers was passed through all of the USAAF's bomber squadrons. From a large number of volunteers, around a hundred ended up being chosen and sent to an air base in Florida. There, they met their instructor, Lieutenant Henry L. Miller. Volunteers went through a series of gruelling exercises. They … Continue reading Pacific War 12 – Doolittle’s Tokyo Raid
Japanese advance continued on unrelenting. And while Nimitz's carriers had shown that the further southward advance be connected with significant risks, there was absolutely no resistance in the west. Japanese ships and fleet formations raided deep into the Indian Ocean, not encountering any serious opposition. In order to avoid confusion with German submarines and auxilliary … Continue reading Pacific War 11 – Indian Ocean Raid
When attacking the Pearl Harbor, Japanese focused all their attention on the battleships. It is unknown why the Japanese command, which had spearheaded the usage of carriers as a main tool of attack, had essentially ignored the US carriers. In fact, this ignorance could well have had devastating consequences for the Japanese, as two US … Continue reading Pacific War 10 – Marshalls-Gilberts Raid
After all the previous successes, it was clear that the Japanese will not stop and that Indonesia was next in line. It was also very clear that a piecemeal defense had absolutely no chance of success. This led to formation of ABDA Command: a unified force of US, British, Dutch and Australian ships. In doing … Continue reading Pacific War 9 – Japanese Conquest of Indonesia
Fall of Guam Introduction On 11th June of 1931., the Secretary of the Navy ordered Guam's Governor to demilitarize the island. This move was in reaction to Japanese military activity in Manchuria, seized later that year, hoping perhaps that demilitarization of Guam would confine any Japanese military moves to Manchuria and not provoke any incidents … Continue reading Pacific War 8 – Fall of Guam and Wake
Imperial Japanese Navy Imperial Japanese Navy was, in 1941., third strongest navy in the world. Its core were 10 battleships. While over 20 years of age – as was the case in all other major navies – these ships had received extensive reconstructions and modernizations. Four of them had a relatively high speed of 26 … Continue reading Pacific War 1.5 – Opposing Sides
History and War 