The Pacific War - week by week

Latest Episodes:

- 32 - Pacific War - First raids on New Guinea, June 21- July 4, 1942 Jun 28, 2022

Show notes

After the small break of the last couple of weeks, we return to the main theater of the Pacific War, where the astounding consequences of the Battle of Midway continued to resonate in the minds of the key figures of the war. Yamamoto had been outmaneuvered, outsmarted and he had suffered terrible losses in the battle, from which the IJN may never recover. But worst of all, he had finally surrendered the initiative to the American commanders, who immediately began to plan the first Allied offensives of the Pacific War. Join us as we delve into Admiral King’s and General MacArthur’s plans for the future, as well as the first incursions into the region of New Guinea.

- 31 - Pacific War -Douglas MacArthur and Philippines disaster SPECIAL Jun 21, 2022

Show notes

Douglas MacArthur was one of the US military’s most celebrated and controversial commanders. His military service career is one of the most extensive and impressive in history, but it did not go unblemished. This episode will look specifically into one of the blemishes, that being Douglas MacArthur’s blunder of the defense of the Philippines at the offset of the Pacific War. If you would like to learn more about the the Philippines campaign, please check out our episode on the “Defense of the Pacific”.

- 30 - Pacific War -Attack on Sydney Harbour, June 14-21, 1942 Jun 14, 2022

Show notes

During the attack on Pearl Harbor the Japanese dispatched 5 Type A midget submarines[1], each carrying two men and two torpedoes[2]. The night before the attack at 6:45am the destroyer USS Ward came across 1 of 5 midget submarines trying to enter the harbor and opened fire on it sinking it, this was the first official shot of the Pacific War. One midget submarine shot a torpedo at Seaplane tender Curtiss missing and another, Ha-19 was captured on December 8th. These failures led the IJN to upgrade their midget submarines in the hopes of attempting another strike on a harbor. This episode will be about the attack on Sydney Harbor

[1] I-16,I-18,I-20,I-22 and I-24, Ko-hyoteki-class

[2] They also had swords and pistols to commit suicide with if caught

- 29 - Pacific War -Operation Al Invasion of Alaska, June 7-14, 1942 Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

Last week, we covered one of the most important battles of the Pacific War, the milestone that stopped the expansion of the Japanese Empire and allowed the Americans to go on the offensive for the first time in the war. But concurrent to the Battle of Midway and the death of the 1st Kido Butai, Admiral Yamamoto had devised a plan to strike Dutch Harbor and invade the first territory in North America: the Aleutian Islands. With huge resources allocated to this operation, the American defenders in Alaska were about to meet one of the most significant invasion forces this soil would ever see, so join us as we delve deeper into the struggle for Alaska and the Aleutian Islands.

- 28 - Pacific War - Battle of Midway, May 31 - 7 June, 1942 Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

Almost six months have passed since the devastating surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that gave birth to the Pacific War. In this half-year, the Japanese Empire proved to be the one that was better prepared for war and the one that held military superiority over its foes, as they rapidly steamrolled across the Pacific, capturing key points like Malaya, Burma, the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies and the island of New Britain; putting high pressure on important countries like Australia and India; and even making a big power like the US feel threatened over a possible invasion. The Empire of the Rising Sun was at its zenith, but things would quickly go downhill from this point forward. The surprising and fierce Doolittle Raid, as well as the carrier battle at the Coral Sea, had shown the weaknesses of the Japanese, and this forced Admiral Yamamoto to seek a decisive battle with his main enemy. Yet unbeknownst to him, he was sailing into a trap… a trap that would forever change the course of history. Welcome to our video on the Battle of Midway, the event that finally put a stop to the expansion of the Japanese Empire.

- 27 - Pacific War - Operation Sei-Go, May 24-31, 1942 May 24, 2022

Show notes

Almost six months have passed since the start of the war, and the Japanese behemoth had proved to be almost unstoppable across the Pacific. Last week, we saw them complete their invasion of Burma, another victory in a long string of triumphs; yet we also saw there a huge participation by one of the most forgotten allies of World War Two: Nationalist China. Today, we are going to see war resume in the Chinese mainland as the Japanese prepare for a new offensive in retaliation for their participation in the Doolittle Raid.

- 26 - Pacific War - Evacuation of Burma, May 17-24, 1942 May 17, 2022

Show notes

In the last couple of weeks, there were quite a handful of very important events that managed to drastically shake the course of the Pacific War, including the Fall of the Philippines and the Battle of the Coral Sea. Today, we are going to see the direct aftermath of these events, as the Japanese recover from their losses in the New Guinea region and the Americans prepare to avenge their Filipino compatriots. And primarily, we are also going to cover the final retreat of the British and Chinese forces in an effort to safely get out of Burma. Join us as we plunge into a new episode of the Pacific War.

- 25 - Pacific War - Fall of the Corregidor, May 10-17, 1942 May 10, 2022

Show notes

Last week, we covered the first carrier battle in history, one of the most important events of the Pacific War which directly tied with the American victory at Midway. Thus, the Battle of the Coral Sea and the downfall of Operation MO were such important events that they warranted their own episode, but in that week, other developments were also unfolding as well. The most important one was the Battle of Corregidor, leading up to the events of this week in which the whole of the Philippines was finally taken. So join us as we look at General Homma’s last offensive and the final surrender of the Filipino defenders.

- 24 - Pacific War -Battle of the Coral Sea , April 26-May 10, 1942 May 03, 2022

Show notes

After our last episode, all the main players were ready for the first carrier engagement of history, a battle that would plant the seeds for one of the most decisive engagements of the Pacific War. The set is staged for the battle that would change the course of the war, so join us as we turn back to the island of New Guinea to cover the Battle of the Coral Sea and the attempted Japanese invasion of Port Moresby.

- 23 - Pacific War Special - The battles of Alligator Creek & Bloody Ridge with Dave Holland May 03, 2022

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