Posted on 10/27/2024 12:05:35 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
Bingo. Sort of like when folks realize what a dumbass move it was to give up Bagram AFB in Afghanistan.
Yeah, we really need an easy to supply and operate presence in central Asia. /s
Waste of time and resources.
**Mac had a full 7 hours and wasted that time. Then he withdrew into the Bataan Peninsula. As surrender was imminent, he fled and left his men to their fate.
He got a Medal of Honor.**
I read “American Caesar”-850 pages-to find out what happened in those hours. The book seemed to point the finger at one of his underlings. At midnite on a Saturday most GI’s were busy getting drunk or laid. He was a hero-deserved. Doesn’t explain why Peleliu was unnecessarily attacked or the P.I. was 1st on the freeing up other than the I shall return promise. Still the Philippinos have high regard for him. His administration during the occupation was good and don’t forget the Inchon landing.
Manchester was a fabulist. He outright lied is his book goodbye darkness and others. As for Inchon, he takes credit for donating the navy and marines conceived and did. That was such an obvious move for a force that honed such landings to perfection 5 years before.
And the way he ignored the warnings that troops approaching the Yalu were fighting Chinese units lead to the disaster in the Chinese invasion that drove him back.
I just see no generalship in him.
But his pomposity and knowledge of oriental minds made him perfect for the occupation. But nobody ever entertained the ideas of using him in Europe.
They had plenty of gas.
The problem was US fighters were caught on the ground.
US Commanders knew that basically all of Japan's fleet carriers must have participated in the strike on Pearl Harbor, so their concern was land based bombers, operating out of Formosa (Taiwan).
US Commanders expected the Japanese would launch their aircraft as soon as it was light, and that was exactly what the Japanese planned. But Formosa was foggy on the morning of December 8, 1941, and the Japanese attack was delayed by several hours. US Fighters were in the air for several hours, but with no sign on an attack, they were landed.
When the attack did come, shortly thereafter, the Japanese used not only land based bombers, but fighters. In 1941, the US did not have a fighter that could fly round trip from the Philippines, to Formosa, and back. The Japanese Zero's range was so great that it could not only make that round trip, but also take the time to form into formations, and have a useful margin for combat operations while over the Philippines. So the Zeroes found aircraft lined up on the runways, because US Commanders believed they were in no danger from fighters, at least until the Pearl Harbor carriers were within range.
Don't get me wrong. The performance of US Commanders in the Philippines on December 8, 1941, was not good, much less great. But it was not the "Oh my God!" how could they be caught asleep ten hours after Pearl Harbor? So often portrayed in history books.
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