Your favorite Pacific battle / campaign to study?

[Wildcat]

RAAF operations in the New Guinea/ New Britain campaign interest me the most. Apart from that I also spend alot of time reading about Australian based units, particulary those in the Darwin area. All fascinating stuff.

[Njaco]

Well, seeing as how I know of Pacific battles but almost nothing about them, the one that has fascinated me is Wake/Midway. Lot of stories there from the Yorktown's turn-around from the Coral Sea battle, to the ringside seat by the pilot Gay (I think thats his name), to the decision to change out the bomb loads on the japanese planes at the exact time they were attacked, to the defense of the islands with outdated equipment and planes and on and on and on.

[freebird]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Apart from that I also spend alot of time reading about Australian based units,

I've always wondered how things would have been different in Malaysia/Singapore if Churchill or Wavell had done the right thing and put an Aussie in charge, preferrably Morshead. I have a feeling that the battle might have turned out quite differently....

[syscom3]

Originally Posted by freebird

I've always wondered how things would have been different in Malaysia/Singapore if Churchill or Wavell had done the right thing and put an Aussie in charge, preferrably Morshead. I have a feeling that the battle might have turned out quite differently....

Nothing would have changed, other than inflicting higher losses on the Japanese.

[freebird]

Originally Posted by syscom3

Nothing would have changed, other than inflicting higher losses on the Japanese.

Perhaps... The Japanese didn't have enough troops or supplies to make a long siege. Many of the problems were the result of poor planning & leadership. Even if they only held off the Japanes a few more months, but with a tough commander and some sensible deployments they could have made the battle very costly for the Axis. Singapore was also fairly well stocked to begin with, it was the loss of the supply dumps that caused the problems. Also I suspect that a "no nonsense" guy like Morshead might to the smart thing and send many nonCom civilians out of the fortress before the Japanese reached Johore, with at least a 50% reduction on the supplies, and eliminating the feeble reason for surrendering "To save the civilians"

A competant commander would not allow RAF aircraft to sit in crates as the Japanese chewed up the defenders, he also could have evacuated the 6" & 8" harbour guns that were on the minor outlying islands to defend Singapore proper.

With an the Australians in charge, I would bet that the AUS government would make a superhuman effort to supply the garrison with the few things that were vitally needed. Keep in mind that for thee first 3 weeks both Allied air and sea routes were unmolested by the Japanese

1.) An adequate supply of HE shells for the 6" & 8" fortress guns. {most of the supply was anti-ship AP shells.}

2.) At least a half dozen AT guns, even towed AT with lorrys would do. Most of the troops captured in Malaysia were lost when the feeble Japanese armour broke through the British roadblocks.

3.) 1 or 2 good brigades sent early enough would make a huge difference in the retreat down the peninsula, preventing the loss of several more brigades, that could then retreat into Singapore and rest before the final assault.


Also the Australians would be more able to chuck the flawed British plan, to hold out as long as possible the forward positions & airbases at the Thai border, the smart thing to do would be to fall back from the exposed forward positions, and to make a strong defensive line in Johore, where the road net would allow proper lateral defence. {border area had no good cross-peninsula roads}

Additionaly I highly doubt that Morshead would accept the Governor's weak excuse for not making proper defensive preparations in Singapore. {It might make the civilians nervous and promote panic!} NEWS FLASH PEOPLE - The Japanese are coming, better get ready!

[syscom3]

The Japanese still held complete naval superiority and near total domination in the air.

[RabidAlien]

I picked "Other", mainly because the first places that popped into my head were Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and Pileleu. Also picked Iwo Jima, drastic change in IJA tactics, and Open Waters/backwater locations, because those who fought in the less-publicized areas shouldn't be forgotten.

[Wayne Little]

My favorite battle's/study are the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the Midway battle, mainly from the Japanese perspective of their Air groups and Carriers, certainly in both cases they were the best equipped and trained at the time and superior to any other carrier force.Yet in the space of 6 months went from hero to zero never to recover....from the loss of their 4 Fleet carriers and experienced aircrews.

[renrich]

My favorite is the Solomons campaign. There are several reasons. One is because the Allies and Japanese were fairly evenly matched on the ground, in the air and at sea. Kind of like two well matched football teams having a knock down, drag out battle. Not too interesting when one side has little or no chance. The clincher for me is that I have had first hand accounts of two of the naval battles during the campaign; one uncle in USS Chicago at Savo Island and one uncle in USS Salt Lake City at Cape Esperance.

[Burmese Bandit]

Midway.

Sea, Air, land (defensive preparation) and Intelligence, as well as the fact that four crucial decisions were made which could have tipped the battle either way, even down to the very end.

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by syscom3

New Guinea and the Solomons.

So many battles and stories for nearly the whole war.

That is my favorite Pacific focus - as the first and most important combinations of sea/land airpower for the Allies... and the start of the island hopping strategy to bypass Japanese strongholds

[noelchan127]

I like the Battle of Leyte Gulf cause it is the largest naval battle in WWII and it includes one of the only 2 battleship vs battleship engagements in the pacific campaign.

[Amsel]

Originally Posted by noelchan127

I like the Battle of Leyte Gulf cause it is the largest naval battle in WWII and it includes one of the only 2 battleship vs battleship engagements in the pacific campaign.

The Battle of Leyte Gulf was very interesting. I especially am fond of the story of Taffey 3 and the Battle off Samar. It brings a tear to the eye thinking about the bravery of those officers and sailors aboard those tin cans and jeep carriers.

[fly boy]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

None actually, but since I am moving to Alaska

wait what?

[Vassili Zaitzev]

I went with the Midway Campaign. It was the turning point in the Pacific Theater, and bascially the IJN lost their offensive capabilties in less then five minutes. Though, I'm also interested in the battle of Leyte Gulf, paticuarly the battle of Samar. I have a book on the battle itself, and should probably read it soon.