Author: Shu Tong
The importance of the Pacific War to victory in World War II is self-evident. The two commanders of the war, Nimitz and MacArthur, who contributed more? Nimitz was clearly the real protagonist, and MacArthur was known primarily for his good background and political prowess.
MacArthur lost the Philippines, and Nimitz reversed the situation
On November 27, 1941 (10 days before the Attack on Pearl Harbor), MacArthur had received warnings from the Navy and Army, but he did not pay attention to them. However, as soon as the Philippines campaign began, the American bombers were blown up by the Japanese army, and MacArthur could not be blamed, because he was too unlucky. However, the entire battle was fought by the US army to lose its armor and armor, and Lao Mai, as the commander, could not escape the blame.
Attack on Pearl Harbor
At that time, Japan's "Tokyo Rose" radio station shouted triumphantly: Where is the US Navy? In stark contrast to the arrogance of the Japanese army, the U.S. Navy was demoralized and depressed, and they were not optimistic about the prospects of war.
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt knew that there was only one person who could turn the tide, and that person was Admiral Nimitz. Nimitz was appointed commander of the Pacific Fleet 10 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and although Nimitz's lack of qualifications raised many questions, he quickly put himself into work.
President Roosevelt
Nimitz had a difficult start, when the U.S. Pacific Fleet had been wiped out by the Japanese Combined Fleet, and the battleships were either sinking or capsizing, leaving only aircraft carriers that were not yet known to be of any use, and there were not enough of them. As the Japanese nearly destroyed the decks of ships in the harbor, Nimitz was sworn in as commander of the Pacific Fleet on the deck of the Trout submarine.
Faced with this situation, Nimitz first quickly stabilized the military, and then with the mutilated Pacific Fleet, sank the four main aircraft carriers of the Japanese Navy in one fell swoop in the Battle of Midway, reversing the disadvantage of the American army in the western Pacific. Later, in the battle for Guadalcanal, a large number of elite pilots of the Japanese naval aviation were eliminated, so that Japan's naval and air superiority in the western Pacific was eliminated, and the US military could turn into a major counteroffensive.
U.S. dive bombers at the Battle of Midway
The importance of the two commanders
The Pacific Theater is different from the European Theater, and the main combat area is the sea, so the contribution of the Navy is greater. On March 30, 1942, the newly formed U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff divided the Pacific Theater into the Southwest Pacific Theater, the former of which included 159 degrees east longitude and south of the equator, with MacArthur as supreme commander, while the rest was assigned to the latter, with Nimitz as commander-in-chief.
MacArthur was given the order: "Prepare for a counteroffensive against Japan and secure an Australian base for future counteroffensives", while Nimitz was ordered to "prepare to start an amphibious attack on the Japanese-occupied areas from the South Pacific and Southwest Pacific", that is, in the beginning MacArthur's theater also belonged to Nimitz, and the original Pacific War was Nimitz's stage, and MacArthur could only watch.
Of course, in the battle, the U.S. Army also made its own important contributions, such as the Battle of Midway, without the dedication of the Army Aviation, the Naval Aviation would not have the opportunity to completely annihilate the four Japanese aircraft carriers.
Overall, before August 1943, the protagonist of the Pacific Theater was the Navy, and all important battles in the Pacific Theater were under Nimitz's command. MacArthur began to operate on a large scale after japan's naval and air forces were largely wiped out, and it was initially led by the Australian Army, and the U.S. Army was really able to fight independently after the Battle of New Guinea.
MacArthur
In the Pacific War, the U.S. military's island-hopping tactics did improve offensive efficiency and reduce losses. First of all, the earliest proponents of island-hopping were General Halsey and his staff officer Browning, and MacArthur did support it, and this island-hopping was based on Nimitz's complete control of the sea and sky, and even MacArthur's resolute refusal to participate in the Philippine campaign required the Third Fleet to provide sea and air cover.
It can be said that without Nimitz's decisive contribution, MacArthur would be difficult to play behind, and Nimitz's contribution is more basic.
General Nimitz
The contradiction between the two
Nimitz was definitely a more professional military man than MacArthur, but Roosevelt preferred MacArthur because MacArthur knew politics.
Overall, Nimitz's personality is relatively peaceful and noble, while MacArthur's personality is arrogant and arrogant, and there is always a sense of domineering. In the Pacific War, the two had various small frictions, but Nimitz did not pay attention to it.
In August 1945, Japan surrendered, and U.S. President Harry S. Truman asked MacArthur to preside over the surrender ceremony as Supreme Allied Commander, much to the displeasure of the always easy-going Nimitz. This time, he unusually refused to budge and argued with Truman:
President Truman
First, throughout the Pacific War, from Midway, the Coral Sea, the Mariana Islands, to Okinawa and Iwo HuangDao, the Navy took on the heavy responsibility of almost every battle and operation. Now that victory is won, it is unfair to have the Army as the protagonist;
Second, during the entire war, the aircraft carrier formations, carrier-based aircraft, and marines fought island by island and fought against the ferocious Japanese army, paying a huge sacrifice and price. Victorious, but unable to show their achievements in front of the whole world, what face to face the thousands of officers and soldiers who sacrificed their lives and their families;
It should be noted that the whole world knows about Pearl Harbor, and the main force of the Pacific Fleet has suffered a heavy blow. The officers and men who "know the shame and then be brave" and step by step and struggle to march toward victory and accept Japan's surrender are the best opportunities to solemnly declare to the world that the navy is "a shame before the snow" and show their powerful military strength.
Carrier-based aircraft aboard the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown during the Battle of the Coral Sea
But Truman had his own considerations, and in the U.S. concept of "the army is large", the navy has always been a supporting role in the campaign. Because the last 100 meters still depend on the army to fight, and at this time, the navy has nothing to do. Therefore, the selection of an army general can convince the public, not to mention that the army's losses and efforts are no less than theirs.
In terms of seniority and status, MacArthur was a "veteran" who fought in World War I and World War II, a field marshal hired by the Philippines, and the youngest principal of The West Point Military Academy. He is a well-known figure internationally, and it is most appropriate that he is responsible for the ceremony of surrender.
Japanese surrender ceremony
In the end, Truman adopted a compromise: the ceremony was presided over by the Army general, but the ceremony was held on the battleship USS Missouri; at the same time, Marshal Mai presided over the ceremony on behalf of the Allies and signed the Japanese surrender instrument, while Nimitz accepted the surrender on behalf of Washington.
Friendly Ambassador Nimitz
After the end of World War II, Nimitz was caught up in another "war"—a debate over the status of the navy. Because of the decisive role of air power in World War II and the advent of nuclear weapons, the theory of "naval uselessness" was once very prevalent.
Nimitz, who had now become Secretary of the Navy, was very dissatisfied with this, believing that the importance of the Navy was irreplaceable, so he continued to shout in the newspapers, radio and parliamentary podiums, and finally because of his lofty prestige, the Navy was not regarded as a "useless" service, but still received enough attention.
Nimitz is best praised for his pacifist ideas, and after a hard battle against Japan, he said: "I am not in favor of a pre-emptive war. I believe that as long as there is any hope of success, diplomacy must be used. Peace is attainable, provided I have courage, patience and intelligence."
USS Nimitz nuclear-powered aircraft carrier
In fact, after the secretary of the navy expired in 1947, he did not hold a military position again, and even if the president invited him to come out of the mountains again, he was politely refused.
However, for the position of "peace mission", Nimitz is still willing to accept it. In 1950, he accepted an invitation from The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Trugoff Rey, to serve as an "Ambassador of Friendship," and for the next two years Nimitz spoke in all U.S. states and around the world, promoting the United Nations and the cause of international peace.