Interservice Rivalry in the Pacific

Abstract

It was over fifty years ago that General Douglas MacArthur, on orders from President Franklin Roosevelt to save himself from certain Japanese capture, escaped from Corregidor for Australia. MacArthur's escape and newfound presence in the South Pacific triggered a chain of events that led to one of the more interesting and controversial decisions of the Pacific War: why did the United States adopt a divided command and attack strategy against Japan? Unfortunately, the record shows that the division of Army and Navy forces in the Pacific was more a solution to satisfy interservice rivalries and personal egos than an example of sound military practice. But the war is long over and the United States won. Why is this historical episode of any importance today? Because joint warfighting is the way of the future.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA528913

Entities

People

  • Jason B. Barlow

Organizations

  • National Defense University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Instructors
  • Islands
  • National Security
  • Naval Operations
  • Navy
  • New Guinea
  • New York
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Philippines
  • Second World War
  • United States
  • United States Pacific Command
  • War
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Strategic Security Studies