Microsoft Close Combat manual Germany Blitzes East Again, War in the Pacific

Chapter 7 The Big Picture: A Short History of World War II 137

perform holding actions while the Germans develop a new generation of submarines.

The victory in the Battle of the Atlantic is critical to the success of Operation Overlord. The buildup of men, machines, and materiel necessary to launch the Second Front can now be marshaled in Great Britain, with relative impunity from the U-boat threat.

Germany Blitzes East Again

By March 1942, the German High Command estimates that the German Army has suffered 1,500,000 casualties in Barbarossa, and more than 250,000 in the first twelve weeks of 1942. The Germans are able to make up some of the loss; in

The War in the Pacific

Although the Pacific Theater takes a back seat to the efforts against Germany, America’s initial battles are fought against the Japanese. One factor in America’s favor is sea power; the size of the theater makes naval superiority a must for the victor.

When the Japanese fail to destroy the Pacific Fleet’s aircraft carriers at Pearl Harbor, they seek a decisive battle to finish off the U.S. Navy. In early June 1942, the Japanese navy gets the decisive battle it seeks and is dealt a vicious blow when it loses four heavy aircraft carriers (Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu) in one day during the Battle of Midway. The Americans lose the carrier Yorktown, but the American victory at Midway marks the beginning of the end for Japanese dreams of an empire in the Pacific.

By August 1944, the Americans have regained control of much of the territory lost to the Japanese in the first months of the war. New Guinea, the Solomon Islands (including Guadalcanal), Gilbert Islands (including Tarawa), Marshall Islands (including Kwajalein), Guam, and Saipan are all retaken. The

Americans learn a great deal about amphibious landings in the process, primarily the value of pre-invasion bombardment from the sea and air. They will use this knowledge during Operation Overlord.

Guadalcanal is noteworthy because it is one of the first places American troops see combat in World War II. The battle proves quickly that the Americans can fight and fight well. It is also a proving ground for many American weapons.

The Garand rifle rapidly becomes a favorite among GIs and Marines alike. The Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) reestablishes itself as a favored weapon; its mobility and rate of fire make it an excellent assault rifle. Air-cooled machine guns are found to be much easier to move and maintain than water-cooled models. However, the Americans gain little tactical experience beyond amphibious landings; the nature of the terrain throughout the theater and the radical contrast between Japanese and German combat tactics makes many lessons learned in the Pacific meaningless when applied in North Africa, Italy, and Normandy.