Rabaul 1943–44
Reducing Japan's great island fortress
Nonfiction, History, Military, Aviation, World War II
| Author: | Mark Lardas | ISBN: | 9781472822451 |
| Publisher: | Bloomsbury Publishing | Publication: | January 25, 2018 |
| Imprint: | Osprey Publishing | Language: | English |
| Author: | Mark Lardas |
| ISBN: | 9781472822451 |
| Publisher: | Bloomsbury Publishing |
| Publication: | January 25, 2018 |
| Imprint: | Osprey Publishing |
| Language: | English |
In 1942, the massive Japanese naval base and airfield at Rabaul was a fortress standing in the Allies' path to Tokyo. It was impossible to seize Rabaul, or starve the 100,000-strong garrison out. Instead the US began an innovative, hard-fought two-year air campaign to draw its teeth, and allow them to bypass the island completely.
The struggle decided more than the fate of Rabaul. If successful, the Allies would demonstrate a new form of warfare, where air power, with a judicious use of naval and land forces, would eliminate the need to occupy a ground objective in order to control it. As it turned out, the Siege of Rabaul proved to be more just than a successful demonstration of air power – it provided the roadmap for the rest of World War II in the Pacific.
In 1942, the massive Japanese naval base and airfield at Rabaul was a fortress standing in the Allies' path to Tokyo. It was impossible to seize Rabaul, or starve the 100,000-strong garrison out. Instead the US began an innovative, hard-fought two-year air campaign to draw its teeth, and allow them to bypass the island completely.
The struggle decided more than the fate of Rabaul. If successful, the Allies would demonstrate a new form of warfare, where air power, with a judicious use of naval and land forces, would eliminate the need to occupy a ground objective in order to control it. As it turned out, the Siege of Rabaul proved to be more just than a successful demonstration of air power – it provided the roadmap for the rest of World War II in the Pacific.
