Tokyo's citizens felt secure eventho at war; Radio Tokyo assured the people they and Emperor Hirohito were safe from enemy attacks.
Kamikaze mystique constituted a spiritual fortress around the Japanese homeland. No foreign attackers since Kublai Khan 1281 when a violent storm had turned him back; this storm called kamikaze or divine wind.
During the previous 4 ½ months their armed forces had scored triumph after triumph (including assaults on American territories of Guam, Philippines and Hawaii) on the war fronts of the Pacific; victory fever reigns.
A US submariner named Capt. Francis Low had seen aircraft taking off from the USS Hornet in Norfolk, Va; watched Navy aircraft practicing take-offs and landings on runways painted like flight decks; then he noticed twin engine army bombers overhead on a mock bombing run - what if Army bombers could take off from an aircraft carrier? US commanders dared not attempt a carrier attack against Japan using short-range Navy aircraft b/c would be detected and attacked b4 launch point but Army bombers had much more range and could possible catch Japanese defenders with their guard down.
Idea goes onto Navy Adm who wrote it out and it was passed on the Gen Arnold who chose Col. James Doolittle aged 45 as the to get the men and aircraft together for the mission, NOT fly it but plan it - he had too much know how to be risked on a combat mission.
Why Doolittle? Flying fame only 2nd the Lindberg, set aviation speed records, had performed the 1st outside loop, scored a first in blind flying', earned a doctorate of aeronautical science from MIT, in general if it had wings and looked like a plane - chances were good Doolittle had either flown or could fly it.
B-25s chosen could take off but they were too large to land on carrier so this was a 1 way mission so landings would be in either China or Russia; Doolittle estimates success at 50-50.
Vladivostok 1st choice of landing spot but Stalin was already dealing with the Germans and didn't want to PO the Japanese so Marshall and Arnold forcefully ask Chiang Kai-shek for landing permission, Chiang Kai-shek reluctantly agrees.
Lt Col James Doolittle, known as Jimmy Doolittle of the U.S. ... Jimmy Doolittle was a career officer in the US Army Air Corps. ... Doolittle returned to active service in 1940. ... Major John Hilger was picked by Doolittle as his second in command. ... Captain Duncan sent a wire through channels, telling jimmy to get on his horse. ...
They attacked two islands in the Pacific Ocean previous to the Doolittle Raid, the Wake and Marcus islands under the command of Admiral Halsey. Neither had the morale boost that they needed or gained in the Doolittle Raid. ... The two men decided that Lieutenant Colonel James (Jimmy) Doolittle would be a good choice for mission coordinator, and they gave him control of the mission to put it together. ... Doolittle wanted men from the 17th bombardment group and the 89th reconnaissance squadron being stationed in Oregon. ... After the mission Doolittle was promoted and received a Medal of Hon...
Pearl Harbor was a truly fun and educational movie. This movie is of course based upon the events that happened at the Pearl Harbor naval base on the morning of December 7th, 1941, including both the time before it, and the events that followed. This movie takes place in Hawaii on the deck of nuclea...
After Major Jimmy Doolittle's bombing raid on Japan, two months before the battle of Midway, the Japanese felt that the annexation of Midway by the Empire of Japan would protect Emperor Hirohito from the indignity of having the Home Islands bombed again. ...
"A Century of War: How Public Opinion Has Shaped American Military Actions in the 20th CenturyaEClifton W. Lemoine IIThe 20th century marked a significant turning point in world affairs. Significant changes in culture, technology, and diplomacy highlight this century. Great triumphs of human ingenuity such as the first manned aircraft and the Model T gave way to some of the worst tragedies the world has ever seen. These tragedies, in the form of two world wars and several smaller conflicts, gave rise to the United States" stance as the world"s premier superpower. ...
