Voennoe Delo: Russian American! B-25 "Mitchell"! (English subtitles)

[franknbeans4761]

I always thought the Doolittle raid was pointless. Of course it was a "retaliatory" strike; but it seems like the US could of launched a coordinated submarine attack in a widely used mainland Japanese harbor that would cause several large ships to be burning wreaks for all of Japan to see. Rather than an ineffective all around bombing raid.

[BitnikGr]

@franknbeans4761 Interesting fact is that both retaliation bomb raids caused no damage, were very difficult in execution and had heavy losses. The only goal was moral boosting, propaganda and proving the fact that Tokyo and Berlin are not out of reach.

[PeetPeeet]

So how does Russian history record the bombing of Pearl Harbor? In Western history books it is taught that the Pearl Harbor bombing is what made the US join WW2 / the great patriotic war, and that the first retaliation against Japan were the Doolittle raids, not because of an attack on a herd of cows.

[BitnikGr]

@PeetPeeet Russian article in Wikipedia about Doolittle raid doesn't mention any reason.

I have read 3 Russian "speaking" sources regarding this raid.

One is American "Doolittle's raid at Helsi and Tokyo (18 April). Morison S.E. American Navy in WW II. Rising sun over the Pacific. December 1941 - April 1942." Publisher Terra Fantastica 2002.

The other source translated to Russian is actually Japanese "Doolittle's raid" written by Futida M, Okumia M. And published by Soviet Voenizdat 1958.

...

[BitnikGr]

@PeetPeeet Both these sources don't mention any reasons why Doolittle's raid was planned.

The third one is actually an old Soviet magazine "War in the Air" and it had subject of all famous planes of WW II and their operations. Here is the link - betta.vlz.ru/il2/AirWar/

Number 77 is "B-25 Mitchell part 2" and there they say following...

From the beginning of war in Pacific Ocean, strategic initiative belong to Japan. Japanese army achieved a serie of important defeats to Americans. Pearl-Harbor,

[BitnikGr]

@PeetPeeet ...

Clarc Field, Wake, Guam, Manila. Revenge was needed."

This is the only russian speaking source I found referring to reasons of that raid. And no sources ever mentioned the attack on herd of cows around San Francisco.

All sources agree that military effect was little to zero. But it achieved a boost in morale of Americans.

[PeetPeeet]

So according to Russian history the Doolittle raids were in response to an vicious attack upon a herd of cows? What about Pearl Harbor? Does history not record that the Doolittle raids were in response to that attack? Interesting to see the Russian perspective!

Так, по русской истории Дулитл рейды в ответ на жестокое нападение на стадо коров? А как насчет Перл-Харбор? Разве история не записано, что Дулиттл рейды в ответ на это нападение? Интересно посмотреть, Россия перспективы!

[BitnikGr]

@PeetPeeet As you see, Doolittle's raid had minimum affect on Japanese forces. It was poor psychological, propagandistic effect. That mainland of Japan can be bombed.

Day chosen for the raid was Emperor's birthday... this can't be a coincidence. So, probably yes... Doolittle's raid was a retaliation on attack on San Francisco's soil.

[Ariana321]

@BitnikGr The main reason for the Doolittle raids, as I've heard, was actually meant to prove to the American people that the Japanese were vulnerable. I can say for certain that it wasn't in retaliation for cows, but it likely influenced the choice of the date of the attack.

Eitherway though, it was meant as a colossal morale booster to the American people, and from what I've heard, it succeeded greatly in that effect.

[BitnikGr]

@Ariana321 Exactly. Just like the first Berlin raid by Soviets in 1941. Not a lot of damage, but it was proven that Berlin can and will be bombed. Goring loudly promised that not a single bomb will ever fall on capital of 3rd Reich.

Regarding the date, I also keep a possibility that it was a coincidence. There were many operations in WW II, which dates are same to some previous event. Many people make guesses if dates of beginning of those operations were specifically chosen...

[BitnikGr]

@Ariana321 ... but in reality they were just a coincidence.

Just yesterday I saw another very good Russian 90 minutes long documentary about history of aviation. And speaking about Doolittle they said that it was a retaliation for Pearl Harbor, just as PeetPeeet said it here, and not to attack against cattle on Californian shore. :)