The History Of The Pacific War

Much has been written about the War in the Pacific by able historians. I've consulted their books, but I don't believe that some of my questions have been properly dealt with. As a participant and not a historian, I challenged then, and still do, the judgment of those commanders who decided which battles were to be fought and when.No doubt, some of my opinions are unorthodox, but they are opinions based on my experiences. I saw firsthand the disastrous consequences of "orthodoxy." Well documented, for example, but not widely known is the game he played in making sure that he would be allowed to "Return" to the Philippines. The Joint Chiefs of Staff had decided early in the war that Japan could be conquered without the need for invading the Philippines. He threatened to resign unless the Joint Chiefs reversed their decision. He made sure this threat was communicated to FDR, who by this time had decided to run for his fourth term.

There were other battles, of course, decided by other commanders that also had nothing to do with the defeat of Japan. One stands out: the battle of Peleliu, in the Palau archipeligo. Admiral Halsey, Admiral Nimitz's most senior admiral, urged Nimitz to withdraw the fleet then steaming toward Pelieliu. The Japanese were in retreat everywhere in that part of the Pacific, Halsey argued. It is a great story that begins on February 21, 1945 as WWII is concentrated on the battle for Japan and all the islands that nation controlled. The author tells this excellently written book through the eyes of many involved in the war on land, sea, and in the air, both Allies and Japanese views with no holds barred. From the attackers themselves on both sides to those living on Japanese controlled territories, be they civilians, military, or prisoners of war. The Japanese gave no mercy to prisoners of war as well as their own citizens, not caring where they were contained ion or near dangerous battle locations.

American submarine commanders were working hard to clear the area of any Japanese ships so the allied ships could deliver those much needed men and supplies. Allied airplanes also were very active as they cleared the seas and the air of Japanese opposition. You feel as though you are living the war through the actions and lives of admirals, officers, presidents, prime ministers, military and civilian doctors, field marshals, non-commissioned officers, pilots, families of all of them, whether they were Japanese, Americans, or other nations involved in the war. You slosh through the jungles, fly in the airplanes, fighter planes or bombers, try to stay alive as a P.O.W., avoiding capture when possible knowing torture was ahead if the Japanese did capture you, travel in the ships whether part of a crew, men traveling to go to war, or commanding the ship trying to avoid attack and being sunk. The brutal demanding battle for the various Japanese islands took time, never knowing what resistance you would face. On many of those islands the Japanese defenders had built systems of caves so all the bombing or shelling from the off shore ships would not kill or wound most of them.