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To: LS
LeMay was willing to be flexible, adopt a radical new use of the B-29 to win the war.

Nonsense. Nobody knew in 1944 if the atomic bomb would work.

138 posted on 01/26/2023 3:05:55 PM PST by fso301
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To: fso301

I don’t think the poster was referring to the atomic bomb. LeMay instituted the nighttime incendiary attacks against Japanese cities starting in March of 45. This tactic was completely contrary to US doctrine developed in the skies above Europe, and highly effective. By the time the atomic bombs were dropped, most Japanese cities had been reduced to ashes. A good book on the subject is “A torch to the enemy: The fire raid on Tokyo (Ballantine Books)
by Martin Caidin”. Another book of interest is “The Fast Carriers: The Forging of an Air Navy
by Clark G. Reynolds”. One of the things discussed in the book is the strategic calculus used to decide whether to hit the Philippines or Formosa. American strategic thinking was still influenced by the civil war and the “Anaconda plan” They thought it necessary to divide the Japanese empire in two by capturing Formosa or the Philippines. That would separate Japan’s source of petroleum from the home islands and greatly hamper her war effort. As other have pointed out US submarines were taking a frightful toll on shipping already. But having a base in either place would allow the submarines to get on station much faster and allow aircraft to be used to seal the south China sea as well.


151 posted on 01/26/2023 5:13:02 PM PST by Fellow Traveler
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