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DARWIN IS BOMBED; BIG ENEMY FLEET REPORTED ON MOVE (3/17/42)
Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 3/17/42 | Roy L. Curthoys, Daniel T. Brigham, Ralph Parker, George Axelsson

Posted on 03/17/2012 6:07:32 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson

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TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: milhist; realtime; worldwarii
Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread
1 posted on 03/17/2012 6:07:37 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
Battle of Bataan, 1942
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – American Carrier Operations, 7 December 1941-18 April 1942
Micronesia, Melanesia and New Guinea: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive-Japanese Fourth Fleet and South Seas Detachment Operations, December 1941-April 1942
Luzon, P.I., 1941: Centrifugal Offensive, 10 December 1941-6 May 1942-Fourteenth Army Operations on Luzon
Netherlands East Indies, 1941: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive, December 1941-April 1942, Sixteenth Army and Southern Force (Navy) Operations
Southern Asia, 1941: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive (and Continued Operations), January-May 1942
Eastern Europe, 1941: Soviet Winter Offensive – Operations, 6 December 1941-7 May 1942
North Africa, 1940: Rommel’s Second Offensive, 21 January-7 July 1942
2 posted on 03/17/2012 6:08:39 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
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John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945

3 posted on 03/17/2012 6:10:13 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
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Barbara W. Tuchman, Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45

4 posted on 03/17/2012 6:18:17 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: r9etb; PzLdr; dfwgator; Paisan; From many - one.; rockinqsranch; 2banana; henkster; meandog; ...
The rare one-column headline.

Darwin is Bombed; Big Enemy Fleet Reported on Move (Curthoys) – 2
Chinese Massing in Burma Ready for Toungoo Battle – 3-4
The War Summarized – 3
New Soviet Drive Dents Donets Line (Brigham) – 4-5
Moscow Deflates Nazis’ Reports of Huge Soviet Forces at Front (Parker, Axelsson) – 6-7
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on Fighting in Various Zones – 8-9

5 posted on 03/17/2012 6:19:57 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/mar42/f17mar42.htm

MacArthur arrives in Australia
Tuesday, March 17, 1942 www.onwar.com

MacArthur (right) arrives in AustraliaIn Australia... American General Douglas MacArthur arrives in Australia and assumes the position of Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific.


6 posted on 03/17/2012 6:26:25 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm

March 17th, 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: Rationing of coal, gas and electricity for home heating and lighting was announced in parliament today. Sir William Beveridge, who helped to devise rationing plans in the last war, is now working out details of this new scheme.

Hugh Dalton, the president of the board of trade, told MPs that the situation is now so serious that domestic fuel rationing must be imposed as soon as possible. A cut of at least 25% is likely.

When the scheme starts, everyone will have to watch gas and electricity meters in the knowledge that persistent over-consumption will lead to prosecution and the cutting off of the supply. Meanwhile, in the next three weeks, coal deliveries to households will be limited six hundredweight at a time.

Cuts in the civilian clothing ration also announced today will release 50,000 more textile workers for war service, and to save petrol all pleasure motor boating is top stop this summer. That includes round-the-bay trips at the seaside.

United States Naval Forces Europe is established to plan joint operations with the British; Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley is in command. (Jack McKillop)

Submarines HMS Upstart and Vandal laid down.

Destroyer HMS Penylan launched.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Skye launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: An RAF Bomber Command Wellington on a cloud-cover raid to Essen drops its bombs somewhere in the Ruhr. (Jack McKillop)

U-850 laid down.

U-521 launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.S.R.: Colonel Vladimir Solovev’s 88th Rifle Division is today awarded the status of 23rd Guards Rifle Division for its resistance to the Fenno-German offensive of winter 1941. (Mikko Härmeinen)

ITALY: Off SICILY: The British submarine HMS UNBEATEN sinks the Italian submarine GUGLIELMOTTI.

INDIA: Air Vice Marshal Donald F. Stevenson, commanding Allied air forces, moves HQ from Burma to Calcutta. India. (Jack McKillop)

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: The submarine USS Permit (SS-178), which was originally scheduled to evacuate General Douglas MacArthur and party from Corregidor, is damaged by depth charges off Tayabas Bay, Luzon, but remains on patrol. (Jack McKillop)

NEW GUINEA: The ground staff of 75 Squadron RAAF arrive at Port Moresby. (Daniel Ross)

AUSTRALIA: Darwin: Three squadrons of US Kittyhawk fighters start operations in the Pacific.

The USAAF 9th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) arrives at Darwin, Northern Territory, with P-40Es to provide air defence for the port. (Jack McKillop)
Shortly after 0001 hours at Del Monte Field on Mindanao Island, Philippine Islands, the two B-17 Flying Fortresses that picked up General Douglas MacArthur and his party, take off for the 1,500 miles (2414 kilometer) flight to Darwin, Northern Territory. The General sits in the radio operator’s seat, his chief of staff, Major General Richard K. Sutherland, squeezed into the bomb bay. Lieutenant Bostrom’s overloaded B-17 staggers into the air with one engine spluttering. It is MacArthur’s son’s first airplane flight, and he is excited until turbulence renders him airsick. When the plane reaches Darwin, the city is under Japanese attack, and the aircraft are diverted to the emergency strip, Batchelor Field, 50 miles (80 kilometres) away. They deplane at 0900 hours, barely able to stand. MacArthur spots an American officer and asks him about the buildup to reconquer the Philippines. The officer says, “So far as I know, sir, there are very few troops here.” Startled, MacArthur turns to Sutherland, and says, “Surely he is wrong.” MacArthur and his party breakfast on canned peaches and baked beans. The General demands a motorcade to the nearest train station in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, 1,000 miles (1609 kilometres) away because his wife is exhausted from air travel. But MacArthur’s son, also exhausted is now on intravenous feeding. The doctors cannot guarantee “little Arthur will make it over a long desert drive without shelter or food.” MacArthur and his party board two DC-3s borrowed from a local airline, Guinea Airways, and take off as a Japanese air raid is starting. They reach Alice Springs, which resembles an Old West town replete with saloon, wooden boardwalks, and flies, without further incident. MacArthur watches a double feature at the local movie theatre, his first film since leaving Manila, and the party sleeps on cots on the hotel’s verandah. (Jack McKillop)

Guinea Airways was later bought by Reg Ansett and became the Airlines of South Australia.

PACIFIC OCEAN: Submarine USS Grayback (SS-208) sinks a Japanese collier 6 miles (10 kilometres) west of Port Lloyd, Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands. (Jack McKillop)

CANADA: SS Claire Lilley, British merchantman, after being loaded with small arms and munitions in New York City, foundered on rocks off Portuguese Cove, , Nova Scotia while waiting for a pilot in stormy weather. Five of her crewmembers were lost in this incident. The last of the ammunition was not removed and disposed of until the summer of 1999. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: AL CAPONE WI, Nova Scotia CASE IN TRIAL OVER REAL ESTATE

Clearwater- Following an all day trial, a Circuit Court Jury yesterday handed down a verdict for the defendant in the $250,000 damage suit of W.Ellison Whormald vrs. John Torrio, Al Capone and others. SPECIAL RUSSIAN FILM TO BE SHOWN “One Day in Soviet Russia”, a remarkable documentary film, with commentary by Quentin Reynolds, comes to the Roxy Theater for a special two days’ engagement tomorrow and Thursday. The film was photographed in one day by 97 Soviet cameramen. Included with the film are the latest Soviet war news with actual shots of the Red Army in Action. Associate Attractions on the two days bill is “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, with Spencer Tracy , Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner.

(Bill Howard)

The United States, in agreement with Allied governments, assumes responsibility for the strategic defence of entire Pacific Ocean. (Jack McKillop)

Destroyers USS Eaton, McCord and Trathen laid down.

Corvette USS Fury commissioned.

Destroyers USS Doyle and Frazier launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Three unarmed merchant ships are attacked by German submarines off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, U.S.A..: (1) U-124 torpedoes and damages a U.S. tanker about 20 miles southeast of the cape and later torpedoes and sinks a Greek freighter in the same area; and (2) U-124 torpedoes and sinks a Honduran freighter about 116 miles east northeast of the cape. (Jack McKillop)

Honduran Banana boat Ceiba sunk by U-124 at 35.43N, 73.49W, about 116 miles east northeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, U.S.A. Six men on a raft were picked up two days later by destroyer USS Hambleton. Among the dead were wives and children of some crewmembers. (Dave Shirlaw)

At 2352, the unescorted and unarmed Acme was hit in the stern directly aft of the stack by a torpedo from U-124 about one mile west of the Diamond Shoals Light Buoy, 20 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The explosion destroyed the engine room, killing the three men on watch and blew away the rudder and propeller, however the bulkheads forward of the engine room held. In all one officer and ten men died in the explosion and four men were wounded. When she was hit, the Acme had proceeded completely blacked out and on a nonevasive course, because many other ships were in the vicinity. Two tankers and two freighters lay ahead and the Greek steam merchant Kassandra Louloudis and two other tankers astern. Destroyer USS Dickerson and USCGC Dione were two and four miles distant, respectively. The remaining crew of six officers and 14 men abandoned ship in two lifeboats at 0120 on 18 March, but before they left they searched the ship and found the 2nd Engineer and a fireman with both legs broken. They were helped into the boats and Dione picked up all ten minutes later and landed them at Norfolk. Acme settled by the stern and came on ground in the shallow water. The tanker was later towed to Lynnhaven Roads, Virginia by Navy and Coast Guard vessels, where she was anchored. The ballast was shifted until they were able to negotiate the channel into Hampton Roads and was towed to Newport News where she was repaired and returned to service. 3 Nov 1943 requisitioned by US Navy, renamed and classified Abarenda (IX 131) and converted to a floating storage tanker. 26 Feb 1944 purchased by the Navy and commissioned on 18 Apr 1944 under LCDR Benjamin F. Langland, USCGR. Assigned to Service Squadron 10 and served at Manus, Admiralty Islands until 20 Feb 1945. 13 Mar 1945 stationed at Leyte until VJ and dispensed fuel to the warships of the 3rd and 5th Fleet. Then fueled the ships supporting the occupation forces in the Far East until decommission on 26 Feb 1946. Returned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) reserve fleet at Subic Bay as Acme. 3 Mar1948 sold for scrapping to the Asia Development Corporation.

At 1508, U-373 sank an unescorted ship with two torpedoes. This vessel must have been Mount Lycabettus, which was reported missing after 14 March.

Motor tanker San Demetrio sunk by U-404 at 37.03N, 73.50W. The U-boat inspected the lifeboats but did not communicate with the survivors and soon submerged again. The survivors drifted for 2 days before being rescued.

At 2153, the unescorted Allende was torpedoed and sunk by U-68 20 miles south of Cape Palmas, Liberia. Six crewmembers were lost. The master, 30 crewmembers and two gunners landed at Taba, French Ivory Coast and were interned by the Vichy French authorities at Bobo Dinlassu.

At 0635, the unescorted Ile de Batz was torpedoed and damaged by U-68 28 miles SW of Cape Palmas. The ship was sunk after 0751 with 33 high explosive rounds of 10.5cm gunfire. Four crewmembers were lost. The master, 34 crewmembers and four gunners landed at Cape Palmas and were brought to Freetown by corvette HMCS Weyburn.

MS Scottish Prince sunk by U-68 at 04.10N, 08W.

At 1858, the unescorted Ranja was hit near the bridge by two torpedoes from U-71 about 450 miles ESE of Philadelphia. The tanker caught fire in the foreship and developed a port list. A coup de grâce at 1954 hit under the forward mast and stopped the vessel that was now on fire from stem to stern. The U-boat left the area at 2000 when it became clear that the ship would sink. The master, 31 crewmembers and two gunners were lost.

Motor tanker Crista damaged by U-83 at 32.21N, 25E. (Dave Shirlaw)


7 posted on 03/17/2012 6:27:55 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

Whenever we read Barbara Tuchman’s agit-prop about how great the Chicoms are and how very awful the non-communist Chinese are, we must remember her violent pro-communist bias.


8 posted on 03/17/2012 6:32:30 AM PDT by iowamark (The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves)
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To: iowamark; Tainan
One of the strongest impressions I took away from Stilwell was that the lot of the bottom-of-the heap-Chinese was miserable no matter what group controlled his particular neighborhood, be it nationalist, communist or old-fashioned warlord. It has been a couple years now but I don't remember that Tuchman spend a lot of the book talking about the communists. I seem to recall that group getting a surprisingly sympathetic portrayal, but at the time I wrote it off to an author with lefty tendencies. I had similar though not as pronounced impressions from Shirer when I read Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. I continue to excerpt from Stilwell because I learned more about the general himself and the history of China in the twentieth century than I did before I read it. Which was close to nothing.
9 posted on 03/17/2012 6:47:20 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson ("Every nation has the government that it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821))
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

“Darwin bombed...”

For a moment I thought this was another CRevo thread... ;)


10 posted on 03/17/2012 7:19:11 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Spoiler Alert! The secret to Terra Nova: THEY ARE ALL DEAD!!!)
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

Notice the death toll from those tornadoes that swept across the States. Back then, the country half half it’s present population.


11 posted on 03/17/2012 7:43:24 AM PDT by fso301
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
Oh, God! Creationists! RUN!!!!
12 posted on 03/17/2012 8:15:36 AM PDT by dangus
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To: Homer_J_Simpson
Here's a little more about the Aerosleds mentioned on p5:

http://www.aqpl43.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/propsleigh/propsleigh.htm

13 posted on 03/17/2012 9:21:50 AM PDT by fso301
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To: Homer_J_Simpson; iowamark; Tainan

I’ve read Tuchman and Shirer.

Tuchman did nothing to disguise her “admiration” for the Chicoms. You get the impression that her whole point was that if we’d ditched Chaing and kissed and made up with Mao, we would have walked arm-in-arm to victory over the Japanese and into a glorious future. I acknowledge that, and know that it’s what I classify as “pure unadulterated bullshit.” In presenting this point, Tuchman ignores the central point of her whole book, and that’s that China is and always will be China. They despise foreigners like us and will look to screw us at any turn. As far as relations with us were concerned, Chaing and Mao had far more in common than they had differences. Both of them wanted America to do the heavy lifting to defeat the Japanese, and both them want us to give them what they wanted to defeat the other once the Japanese were gone. In the end, neither would have been a “reliable” ally; they would only have lied to our faces to get whatever they could from us. Tuchman thought somehow becoming communist would change all of that, and that was just stupid of her. And the proof of my point? It’s called “today.”

The only reason for us to prop up China in WW2 was to tie down Japanese resources. To think we were going to get anything beyond that, from any Chinese faction, was to play China’s game of “we can always fool the foreigner.” That much I got out of Tuchman, without having to swallow her communist sympathies.

As for Shirer, he was more complex. There is no question he despised the Nazis as a whole, but there were certain individual Nazis he admired. One of them was Field Marshal Walther von Reichenau. He was an ardent Nazi, and reading between the lines an American might use the word “asshole” to describe him. But in “The Nightmare Years” Shirer stated he personally liked Reichenau. To get a true flavor of Shirer’s political views, you have to read “The Collapse of the Third Republic.” When Shirer wrote of the turbulent French politics during the 1930’s, he pretty clearly portrayed the French socialists and Leon Blum in a very favorable light, and heaped scorn on the French right. Shirer did not effuse over the French communists as Tuchman did over their Chinese counterparts. Shirer had no illusions about Stalin’s USSR, and he knew that the French Communists got their marching orders from the Kremlin. I would classify Shirer as being an “old line” liberal; he was very much on the left, yet not a communist or communist sympathizer. More like a “social democrat.” In America, I believe his species is now extinct in the democrat party, but does exist in the Republican Party elite.


14 posted on 03/17/2012 10:37:08 AM PDT by henkster (Andrew Breitbart would not have apologized.)
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To: Homer_J_Simpson

15 posted on 03/17/2012 10:38:17 AM PDT by CougarGA7 ("History is politics projected into the past" - Michael Pokrovski)
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To: henkster; Homer_J_Simpson; iowamark
Tuchman did nothing to disguise her “admiration” for the Chicoms. You get the impression that her whole point was that if we’d ditched Chaing and kissed and made up with Mao, we would have walked arm-in-arm to victory over the Japanese and into a glorious future.

Interesting implication you make. I have read Tuchmans book on Stillwell and his adventures in China cover-to-cover 3 times and keep it on my desk as a reference;I use it perhaps 2-3 times a month in researching various subjects of relevance to Taiwan, CKS and family. I am unable to see what specific writings she, in your opinion, has made that has caused you to posit such a belief.
I must say, that never has it occurred to me to reach the conclusions you present based upon her book. Perhaps you could be a bit more specific in telling us just what has led you to make these allegations about Tuchman?

As so often happens, one can sometime reach conclusions that are supportive of ones own beliefs whether or not they are supported by fact...if one is not careful.

16 posted on 03/17/2012 7:30:38 PM PDT by Tainan (Cogito, ergo conservatus sum)
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To: Tainan

When questioned about the Chicoms murder of some 50 million Chinese:

“In a country where misery and want were the foundation of the social structure, famine was periodic, death from starvation common, disease pervasive, thievery normal, and graft and corruption taken for granted, the elimination of these conditions in Communist China is so striking that negative aspects of the new rule fade in relative importance.”

Barbara Tuchman (1912-1989), U.S. historian. Notes from China, ch. 1 (1972).


17 posted on 03/17/2012 8:18:33 PM PDT by iowamark (The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves)
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