Operation Z (1944)
Operation ZMarianas Islands, and in particular, Saipan.
Background
Early in 1944, the United States military set their eyes on the Marshall Islands after landing on Kwajalein Atoll. To help with the attack, on February 17, 1944, they bombarded Truk, Caroline Islands, due to its proximity to the Marshall Islands. During this bombardment, the Japanese lost 300 aircraft and some 200,000 tons of merchant shipping.[1]
Defense of Marianas
With the impending invasion of the Marianas Islands, Admiral
Marianas, the Caroline Islands, and in western New Guinea. The plan's success also called on a naval force of around 9 aircraft carriers and their 450 or so aircraft assisting in the defense.[1] The plan was intended to create the Kantai Kessen, one final battle that would devastate the American forces and force them to sue for peace.[4]
Cessation of operation
Throughout the spring of 1944, the aircraft losses for the Japanese continued to mount which was severely endangering the success of the operation; however the death knell occurred on March 31, 1944, when
depth charging
twice, arriving near the American naval base in Darwin, Australia on May 19. From there, the documents were flown to Brisbane.
The Z Plan documents were in
Operation A-Go.[8]
Notes
Footnotes
- ^ a b c d Hoiberg 1993, p. 1014
- ^ a b Bradsher 2005
- ^ Toland 1970, p. 478
- ^ a b c Toland 1970, p. 479
- ^ Hallas 2019, p. 39
- ^ Anon 2004, p. S11618
- ^ Bradsher 2005
- ^ Roehrs & Renzi 2015, p. 133
References
- Anon (November 19, 2004). "Congressional Record (108th Congress). Volume 150, Part 18" (PDF).
- Bradsher, Greg (Fall 2005). "The "Z Plan" Story Japan's 1944 Naval Battle Strategy Drifts into U.S. Hands". Prologue Magazine. 37 (3). Archived from the original on August 6, 2014. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
- Hallas, James H. (2019-05-01). Saipan: The Battle That Doomed Japan in World War II. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780811768436.
- Hoiberg, Dale H., ed. (1993). "World Wars". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 29: United-Zoroastrianism (15th ed.). Chicago, IL: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. LCCN 91-75907.
- Roehrs, Mark D.; Renzi, William A. (2015). World War II in the Pacific. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe. ISBN 9781317451495.
- LCCN 77-117669.