Posted on 04/08/2011 5:34:21 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Now that you mention it, I wonder what it will be? I'm almost tempted to look ahead to see what the day's paper looks like on that day. After all, the primary purpose of the Doolittle raid was in increase the moral of the American people, it didn't and couldn't inflict any significant strategic damage.
I just took a look -believe it or not it's 56 volumes! It was published as a hard cover encyclopedia collection in the early 70's and if I recall correctly a new volume was released every two weeks. Luckily I have the entire collection in pdf format also. It covers the whole war from 1939-45. You're right, the level of detail is amazing for the whole war. It's a World War 2 buffs dream reference.
It didn't inflict any significant tactical damage. It actually was a strategic success, causing the Nips to beef up home defenses that wouldn't be needed again for several years, at the expense of front line units.
Sorry, I meant to type tactical. Mind was wandering.
Well, there goes that opportunity for an all-night flamewar.
Lol. Sorry. I do enjoy a good fight too. I agree that it had a strategic effect especially in the mindsets of both the Japanese and American people. For the Japanese (particularly the government) they were shown that the home islands were not too remote to be attacked and as you said it effected how they managed their defenses. For the American public, it was a much needed boost to a moral that was soundly shaken by the countless defeats everywhere in the South Pacific.
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