Multi-Domain Battle in the Southwest Pacific Theater of World War II
Abstract
The Japanese conquest of the Philippine Islands from 1941 to 1942 is a classic case of the failures of fighting a battle in a single domain. After American and Filipino ground forces lost control of the skies and seas around the island, and were unable to accurately predict Japanese intentions, as a result of breakdowns in reconnaissance and communications, their efforts to defend the island were largely doomed. The Japanese campaign also represents the successful application of an anti-access, area-denial (A2AD) strategy. After isolating the islands with attacks on distant bases essential for potential relief operations, the Japanese gradually tightened the noose around the islands, ensuring they would not have to face a well-supplied enemy who was consistently receiving reinforcements. As the Japanese gradually strangled the combined American-Filipino force on Luzon, what had been a superior and well-equipped force built around the American 31st Infantry Regiment, became impotent, as a lack of reinforcements, equipment, and essential supplies combined with food, water, and medical shortages to decimate the Allied garrison, leading to surrender within six months. Despite having a superior number of troops and well-developed defensive facilities and fortifications, the United States lost control of the islands because they could not maintain a secure line of communications to the defensive forces established on the island. As a result, it had to embark on a lengthy campaign from distant bases to roll back the Japanese defensive perimeter in order to retake the islands three years later. While this timeline might be compressed in a contemporary setting, the basic strategy, and specific challenges faced in the Pacific War of 1941 to 1945 could easily be replicated in any future conflicts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 17, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1118124
Entities
People
- Christopher M. Rein
Organizations
- Fort Leavenworth Combat Studies Institute Press