the war in the Philippine Islands

Yep. Saw the movie Air Force. It's a good movie but a bit dated because of all the propaganda written into the script, plus the film's ending implied that B-17s took the lead in the bombing of Japan.

 

I've seen "Air Force" several times, although not recently. I can't remember the ending, but do not recall that it implied that B-17's took a significant part in bombing Japan.

But given that "Air Force" contained "propaganda" on more than one level, it's not improbable that it depicted, or implied, that B-17's bombed Japan. Made in 1943, the movie was, of course, chocked full of patriotic propaganda in support of the American war effort, but it also contained a more subtle propagandistic theme catering to the advocates of strategic bombing, which was still largely an untested theory when the movie was made. The idea that heavy bombers could be decisive weapons in the war was very clear to me. But then, I am aware that the proponents of strategic bombing continually fought two wars, one to defeat the Axis enemy, and a second to vindicate their theories to Congress and the American public.

But like all war movies, I feel "Air Force" is best viewed as entertainment, rather than history

 

I absolutely agree with you that the movie should be seen more for its entertainment value, DA.
The ending showed the B-17 crew in a briefing for a bombing run to Tokyo. And I remember that ending having a blackboard showing Tokyo was about 500 miles away.
Anyway, it seemed to me that the B-17 was implied because it was a movie about a B-17 crew. Of course, the producers of the movie clearly covered their tracks by not having a scene where B-17's were bombing Tokyo, leaving room to conjecture that the B-17 crew had transitioned to another type of bomber.

 

I definitely don't remember that ending to "Air Force", but then the TV channels here often edit out portions of movies, especially those older war movies, in order to squeeze in more commercials. I never saw the complete version of "They Were Expendable" until I bought a copy on tape.

It's certainly a case of "artistic license", since a 500 mile distance would not put it anywhere near the Marianas. Iwo, maybe?, Or more likely, the coast of the Chinese mainland, which was still being contemplated by the JCS at that time. I think you have to remember that the movie was made in 1942-43 (release date, March, 1943), and a bombing raid on Tokyo by heavy bombers was definitely "looking into the future". The US didn't launch it's Central Pacific offensive until November, 1943, with the attack on Tarawa, and I doubt the existence of B-29's was widely known early in 1943. But it was taken for granted by most Americans that Japan would eventually be bombed. I remember my father, who was a carrier pilot during the war, saying that, after the Doolittle raid, they all hoped they would live long enough to get a chance to drop bombs on Japan.

 

haven't come across any article attempting to measure the impact of strat bombing for either germany or japan. but my hunch for germany is nil, while for japan 2 years to overrun sooner without the a-bomb.

 

Nicely said. That's the fun part of watching good movies with such endings. We can all take them apart and put it back together and the result is still a good movie.
Mac, I don't understand what you mean by "two years to overrun sooner without the A-bomb."

 

Why, the USAAF, in 1946, put together a document called the United States Strategic Bombing Survey (USSBS) specifically to assess the results of the US strategic bombing campaigns against both Germany and Japan. Not surprisingly, it concluded that the strategic bombing efforts were highly successful in both theaters and, in fact, won the war. Of course, some of the conclusions reached are in direct contradiction with the data presented, but what the Hell, it was good enough to convince Congress to establish an independent Air Force after the war, which was the motivation for the exercise in the first place.

Makes for interesting reading.

United States Strategic Bombing Survey: Summary Report (Pacific War)

U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey

U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey: European Theater of Operations: A Table of Contents

 

thanks for the link. i went through that loooong summary and it doesn't leave me satisfied. at least it outlined the measurement of mitchel's basic objectives of strat bombing which are economic debilitation and lowered morale of the population. but even if you prove those conclusively (as the study appeared to have,) it doesn't answer the question, "should we strat bomb the cities, infrasturcture and production centers?" it's easy enough to measure the cost of destroyed infrastructure. it's easy to measure production shortfall. it's even easy to measure how much civilian morale has dropped. but applying the sheer logic of reduced military capacity as a result of strat bombing doesn't convince me.

first, pre-nuclear bombing was never meant to end agression and resistance by the enemy's armed forces. as long there are soldiers and weapons, they will continue to fight. and the aggressors to both germany and japan were prepared and able to attack until every single axis military unit was neutralized. so does it become a question of logistics? will investing in bombing quicken axis defeat? will it result in fewer losses on the final push by ground forces? will the savings outweigh the cost of bombing?

in germany, bombing came one year before the final drive. i don't think one can much argue the impact of one year's worth of bombing to a highly industrilized country like germany. german production appeared to peak in 1944, just as the '17s were attacking.

 

Actually, the theory of strategic bombing as it developed in the 1920's and 1930's was that such bombing would wreak so much havoc on the enemy's heartland and industrial and civilian infrastructure that it would bring about a catastrophic simultaneous collapse of both public morale and the government's will to continue the conflict, so that complete destruction of the enemy's military establishment would not be necessary.

Unfortunately, it seems the advocates of strategic bombing overestimated the effect of the such bombing as to both the amount of physical damage that could be inflicted, and the resilience of enemy morale. One problem was that strategic bombing with conventional bombs took so long to achieve appreciable damage that it's effect on morale was diluted...people just got used to the gradual accumulation of damage. Only nuclear bombs could inflict an overwhelming amount of damage quickly enough to cause either government or civilian morale to collapse.

Did conventional strategic bombing contribute to winning either the European or Pacific war? In my opinion, the answer is yes in both cases, but it didn't win the war outright as some strategic bombing theorists contend, and I can't tell you if it was really cost-effective or not.

 

Finally found my 1942 copy of the Time Capsule.
This story about Corregidor appeared on June 8, 1942.

Last Word

Time: early morning of May 5, 1942.
Place: the radio dugout on Corregidor
At his key a haggard radio operator taps out the last broken sentences of the most tragic chapter in U.S. military history:
"They are not near yet. We are waiting for God only knows what. How about a chocolate soda? Lots of heavy fighting going on. We may have to give up by noon. We don't know yet. They are throwing men and shells at us and I feel sick at my stomach. They bring in the wounded every minute. We will be waiting for you guys to help...
"The jig is up. Everyone is bawling like a baby. They are piling dead and wounded in our tunnel. I know now how a mouse feels. Caught in a trap waiting for guys to come along and finish it up. Got a treat. Can pineapple.
"My name Irving Strobing. Get this to my mother, Mrs. Minnie Strobing, 605 Barbey Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. Message: My love to Pa, Joe, Sue, Mac, Garry, Joy and Paul. God bless 'em al. Hope they be there when I come home. God bless and keep you. Love.
"Sign my name and tell my mother how you heard from me."

 

Japanese forces initial landings on Philippine soil


The first Japanese invaders on Philippine soil went ashore on Batan Island in Luzon Strait, midway between Formosa and Luzon, at dawn 8 December.

The invasion force, which had left the Formosan ports of Takao and Hozan on the evening of the 7th, consisted of 2 transports escorted by 1 destroyer, 4 torpedo boats, and a large number of other small vessels. Aboard the transports was a naval combat unit of 490 men as well as air corps troops who were to establish an airbase on the island. The combat troops quickly seized the airfield near Basco, and air force troops came ashore to inspect the field. It was found to be barely suitable for fighter and reconnaissance planes, but to require expansion for large-scale operations. The next day, while construction crews worked on the field, planes of the 24th and 50th Fighter Regiments began operations from the Basco base.

Tora tora tora

The Japanese, fearing an air attack against Formosa, had meanwhile made haste to get their planes off the ground. The fog, which had grounded the 11th Air Fleet, had lifted to the east at dawn, permitting twenty-five twin-engine Army bombers to take off for Luzon.
Shortly before 0900 the Japanese Army bombers were reported by the aircraft warning service on Luzon to be heading south over Lingayen Gulf in the direction of Manila. But the Japanese Army planes, limited to targets north of the 16th latitude, turned east as they approached Lingayen Gulf.
One group struck Tuguegarao at about 0930 while another concentrated on barracks and other installations (Camp John Hay) at Baguio, the summer capital of the Commonwealth, where Quezon was staying at this time.
The Japanese bombers returned to base without having sighted any American aircraft. Far East Air Force reports between 1000. and 1030 of a flight of enemy bombers, first in the Cagayan valley, and then "turned around and proceeding north," apparently referred to these Japanese Army planes.




Japanese painting of the bombing attack on Clark field at 12:30 pm Dec. 8, 1941





photographic recording by Japanese aerial bombing of Manila 1941.

 

Philscout, those are good pics but I just have to admit that seeing a picture of Manila being bombed gave me a bit of a disquieting moment. I'll be checking some of my stuff to find out exactly what part of Manila was being hit at the moment that picture was taking. Just by looking at the picture, I know it's not the Port Area because the distinctive shape of Intramuros is not in the picture. The fork in Pasig River is the clue pointing out where the bombs were falling.

 

The one I can recognize is the Bilibid Prison which that circular divided like a pie cut shape at the slightly lower left area were the carpet bombing explosions end. The rest of the area of Manila I cannot identify.

Philip

 

Hmmm, after comparing the fork at the river with present day maps, I think the area being hit is Pandacan where the oil depot was and still is.

 

Yes , the Philippine civilians suffered torture- death of over 150,000
Hi I’m new . Don’t wanna start off badly, but I believe the US Army and other ground forces don’t garner the unmeasurable praise they so rightfully deserve in the Pacific War