Battle of the Philippine Sea - The Largest Carrier Battle Ever (1/2) - Animated

[@TheOperationsRoom]

Play Enlisted for FREE on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PS®5: gjn.link/theoperationsroom2023 Follow the link to download the game and get your exclusive bonus now. See you in battle!

[@Tarmaccafe]

What’s up!

[@dbfi01]

Filipino gorillas? Unless we are talking about ACTUAL gorillas, please learn the proper pronounciation... Guerrilla warfare... That would be GE* not GO* If spanish was your native tongue, you would actually say GUE * This has nothing to do with GOrillas. Please learn the language properly... Shame on you, for saying gorilla...

[@denzmerin2568]

1 mistake in the video: It is Admiral Marc Mitscher, not Marc Fitscher Edit: You actually called him Mitscher properly later in the video

[@failtolawl]

Thanks I'll click on that link and play many hours of enlisted and buy many enlisted bucks for in game loot because I clicked on your link!

[@Thereisnospoonknifeorfork]

​@Don't Read My Profile Photo 😊😊😅

[@souptonuts]

Imagine being so unconcerned with your enemy's primary attack you just F off and find something else to do. What a boss.

[@Eubeenhadd]

That was my thought. It's wild that they were like "stay out of the way" and he figured "I'm too bored not to attack something, let's go bomb Guam."

[@rhylieshifflett7114]

“Flying in circles is boring. Wanna go bomb some shit?” “I’d be happy sir”

[@Ultrare]

I'm picturing Gimli and Legolas on the battlefield shouting out each kill count to try to beat the other.

[@Pure_Havoc]

pretty motivating considering there were still some few hundred American POWs on Guam that were pretty much abandon after Pearl Harbor because Guam wasn't a vital target.

[@nobeardthepirate8569]

Americans. When they get bored, you can bet something’s about to explode.

[@anewman513]

Wow, hats off to Warrant Officer Komatsu (8:26) - diving his plane into the water to pick off a torpedo is both brave and amazing.

[@KyleMiddleton7]

No one can be asked to give more than that. Bravo to him.

[@jordanryan2497]

Goes to show that human nature can be an astounding phenomenon

[@mr.berimbolo827]

Yeah I was surprised by that as well. Very brave.

[@xaraxen]

You don't see that every day.

[@KaningLamigin]

Sucks that ended up in vain because the other torpedo ultimately sank his carrier. An ultimate sacrifice for practically nothing.

[@SuprAtheAceofSpades]

That damage control decision on the Taihou was astonishingly devastating. I knew the Albacore was ultimately responsible but didn't know the specifics until now.

[@snapper_maelstrom7960]

Drachinifel has a nice video on it; the crew were very inexperienced and didnt know how to clear the fumes which turned Taiho into a fuel air bomb

[@davidbuckley2435]

@@snapper_maelstrom7960 They also didn't know that the best thing they could've done in that situation was fill the fuel lines with CO2 and the elevator well with fire-retardant foam. Had they done those two things, it's likely the Taiho would have survived.

[@shingshongshamalama]

There's some kind of poetic irony that the Akagi, flagship of the Kido Butai, was sunk by a single bomb. Then the "replacement" the Taihou, leader of the Mobile Force and flagship of Yamamoto's replacement, is sunk by a single torpedo.

[@novat9731]

@@davidbuckley2435 I do not believe the Japanese had sufficient facilities to fill their fuel lines with Co2, unlike the Americans. But yes, they did have fire-retardant foam which should have been sprayed to cover the fuel. Another small detail not covered in the video, was that the bottom of the elevator sat bellow the waterline. Which is what initially allowed seawater and fuel to gather in the bottom of the elevator. Also, the damage control crew was inexperienced. But they did manage to keep the fuel from igniting for a very long time. It was not until the fuel vapor was spread around the ship, that it was ignited.

[@S0RGEx]

​​@@shingshongshamalama Some more poetic irony, Taihō means "Great Phoenix" and she died in a massive inferno.

[@arashimiyazawa8165]

Just because people get confused about this from time to time: A turkey shoot does not involve shooting turkeys. It's a competition where you shoot at stationary targets for points. The winner gets a turkey as a prize. So the guy was saying it was like target shooting. Actually shooting turkeys can be pretty tricky, from what I hear ;)

[@theATkid]

Thanks I did not know that I always assumed if meant literally shooting turkeys 😅

[@whenyoupulloutyourdickands4023]

Now knowing that, it makes the nickname even more insulting. That's like 1940s way of asking "are we in bot lobbies? There's no way there's a human inside that cockpit."

[@armandomendoza9028]

Turkeys are dang smart animals and notoriously hard to hunt...

[@bloodybones63]

Turkeys don't fly, anyway, other than very short distances, like into a tree roost. Too heavy. BTW, my daughter won a turkey in a shoot when she was 8 years old. Shotgun.

[@InquisitorXarius]

As someone who has played RDR2 Turkeys are quite tricky more than once have I accidentally rammed my horse into a tree trying to kill a couple with my revolvers, shotguns, and lever actions.

[@johnclarencemercado4218]

The incident with the Filipino guerillas is called by local historians as "The Koga Incident". This small, but important chapter in this battle is worthy of a documentary. Two planes carrying Japanese officials crashed because of a typhoon off Cebu islands. Filipino guerillas quickly canoed thru the wreckage and picked up a case. They also captured a survivor, a high ranking Japanese officer. Upon reaching home, the guerillas quickly hide into the mountains and notified their American guerilla commander about the incident. They copied all the documents and forwarderd it to MacArthur's HQ in Australia, which also housed the Allied Intelligence Bureau (there was no OSS in the south Pacific area). The capture of the Japanese official reached the ocupying Japanese and threatened to massacre a village. A standoff ensued until a negotiation was reached. The case and the Japanese must be returned. A surreal situation occured later, unarmed Filipino guerillas and Japanese soldiers exchanging cigarettes. A prisoner exchange. The papers reached Australia and the rest is history.

[@Donkringel]

The Japanese knew their special case and high ranking officer were captured and they never changed battle plans?! Holy shit.

[@johnclarencemercado4218]

@@Donkringel The Japanese never knew that the guerillas copied the contents of the case.

[@andrewtaylor940]

The Koga Incident also explains Spruance’s actions during the battle. Nimitz only got his hands on the Japanese Z plan documents after the fleet had sailed for SaiPan. He was able to get a briefing out only to the highest tier commanders of the Operation. Mainly Spruance, Kelly Turner and their staff. In part because of time and logistics, and in part because of the deeply classified nature of the documents. Mitcher, McCain and the carrier commanders did not know about the Z-plan. As it happened Ozawa did not execute the full Z plan. But the published and intercepted plan was to split the Japanese forces in 2. Have the Carrier attack the Americans from maximum range to the Northwest. As the American fleet moves to intercept them a second Japanese Fleet of heavy surface units was to come up from the south the attack the American Landing fleet and Beachhead. This may sound familiar as it’s the same plan they did later use at Leyte Gulf. Spruance didn’t cut loose the Carriers to give chase because he knew there was supposed to be a southern flanking attack. His job was to protect the landing. Spruance also understood that Saipan and the Marianas was the most important piece of real estate in the Pacific. They could chase Japanese Carriers everywhere, but the war would be won from the Marianas. The Marianas put the Japanese Home Islands under direct attack. Sinking carriers was secondary to the goal of attacking Japan itself. Shutting down its industry and manufacturing. Bringing the war home to them. The main detractor of Spruance, the one who twice attempted to have Spruance Court Martialled for failing to fall into Japanese traps like a Rabid Terrier was John McCain Sr. The grandfather of the late US Senator. McCain Sr might have been the worst US Admirral of the War. Rabid brown shoe Carrier Admiral with deep political ties he spent most of the war in close quarters combat with his true enemy. The Black Shoe Surface ship Admiralty. McCain would serve as Halsey’s Chief of Staff for Leyte Gulf through to the fleet reaching Japan. And was viewed as a key component to the Samar Debacle, and steering the fleet into two Typhoons resulting in the loss of several ships and hundreds of men. After the second Typhoon Earnest King had had enough and ordered him fired and sent to command the Naval Academy. The orders reached him the day before the surrender ceremony. Halsey let him stay for that, then he flew home the next day. He died three days after returning home to California of a massive heart attack. His son John McCain Jr would also reach Admiral and would be one of Americas top Admirals during Vietnam. His son in turn John McCain III would be a naval aviator, shot down over Vietnam he would spend several years as a POW. He would be the longtime US Senator from Arizona. He was also one of the pilots involved in the Forrestal fire.

[@rickrogue6993]

I need a 3 hour movie for this. Any hollywood takers?

[@hankjones3527]

To think how easily this intel may have been not recovered or once delivered ignored/dismissed.

[@KimBedin]

The sheer amount of planes you have animated... Bravo, sir!

[@jayo3074]

It was only 30 calm down lol

[@tsardean7438]

@@jayo3074 try animating 1

[@jackof1]

You must not have seen the Gulf War video

[@sylvainprigent6234]

You know, You have also the copy paste system

[@nickjeffrey8050]

@@jayo3074pretty sure your blind, or your stupid and can’t count

[@ares6294]

"They attack the airfield to pass some time" That tickeled me

[@garyspeer7864]

Yeah, you know you're winning the war when you bomb an enemy target just because you're bored, lol!

[@davecrupel2817]

​@@garyspeer7864 "Why just buzz around in circles? The island's right there. Fvck it. Let's do something with these bombs." Lol

[@luckydog9809]

This former USN submariner appreciates your highlighting the significant contributions of US Navy Submarines to this decisive victory.

[@Jabarri74]

Taking 5 shots with no guidance and sinking a carrier must have earned the guy a medal?

[@ddegn]

Very cool you were a submariner. I've been on a USN sub (a tour while in port (San Diego)) and it was surreal. It kind of seemed like a spaceship.

[@Kumquat_Lord]

The submariners did an amazing job in the war, even with how horendous the Mk14 was

[@thegermanfool8953]

anyone who has the balls to operate a submarine has my respect.

[@dondelchulia3189]

PAC subs don’t get enough credit in the US victory in the east. I feel like more are starting to understand their importance now though.

[@maryambintghassani2341]

"I know we've been planning this attack for months, carriers are prime targets, and we rely completely on surprise, but let's just orbit and ponder the situation for ten minutes, gentlemen." - Japanese air boss.

[@CarlosRodriguez-rg2yv]

And half the time probably shooting the shit..."hey did you catch the game between Hiroshima and Nagasaki?.. it was the bomb!"

[@iankemp2627]

This was a tactic that had worked out well for them in the past. The problem was, in the past (e.g. Pearl Harbour) the USA hadn't had radar that was anywhere near as powerful, and as Japan's radar technology was comparatively limited they simply didn't realise that the Americans could pick them up from so far away. Essentially the IJN wrote the carrier combat book in the early 1940s, but by 1944 the USN had completely rewritten it using radar, and the Japanese never got that new edition.

[@maryambintghassani2341]

@@iankemp2627 It can hardly be considered to have "worked out for them in the past," considering they lost every carrier battle or suffered catastrophic losses in marginal victories (specifically at Eastern Solomons). They were also well aware of Allied radar capabilities having captured British radars in Singapore in Feb 1941, and they were consistently intercepted by the Cactus Air Force during the Solomons Campaign (they were aware that BOTH radar and coast watchers were the cause). The Japanese failure to adopt appropriate tactics was based on much deeper problems than a simple misunderstanding of radar (albeit, yes, their own radar was more limited, despite having invented the Yagi array).

[@christopherconard2831]

​@@iankemp2627 possibly also to get everyone back in formation. Japan had lost most of its experienced pilots. Those with fewer hours in the air would tend to wander. There were also reports of them swarming the first ship they saw instead of high value targets. So it was important to emphasize the need to follow their leaders, stay in formation, and not just attack targets of opportunity.

[@dudududu1926]

@@maryambintghassani2341 Coral sea work out fine.

[@monteharrison1478]

The submarine USS Cavalla, which sunk the carrier Shōkaku, is on permanent display at Seawolf Park at Galveston, Texas. You can even go inside and roam around.

[@traumajock]

Yep. I work on the peninsula. I see Cavalla all the time. It sunk that carrier on its rookie deployment.

[@splinky1633]

Thank you! Will have to check it out!😊

[@m00nsag3]

There's also a Destroyer with her. With Lexington in Corpus Christi and the Super Dreadnought, Texas still in dry dock.

[@davecrupel2817]

Finally a reason to visit Galveston!

[@thegreatmosquito1001]

Been there twice with my son. Also took him to Lexington and Yorktown. Good memories. Raising a proud American. Don’t mess with Texas!

[@TheOperationsRoom]

Part 2 will be released next Friday 14th April

[@oasis1282]

Ohhhhh this is yummy content. This is a battle i wanted to see animated for a long time.

[@oliverbenes6365]

Nice a week from now

[@popeo1973]

released on my birthday nice

[@yesyesyesyes1600]

We will looking forward to it!

[@PosisDas]

For the last couple days, I just got it in my craw to look up the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. Read a couple things, watched a couple videos, which is how I came across this video. At first, I was confused as to why I couldn’t find and watch part 2 - then I looked and saw this was only released 2 days ago 😂 Can’t wait to watch part 2!

[@pi1523]

"They got bored so they bombed guam" I love this.

[@seanbigay1042]

Really, this is one good example od how American flexibility and initiative often carried the day during World War II. An even better example came during the Battle of Midway, when Wade McClusky followed his gut to put his dive bombers in the perfect position to destroy the Kido Butai.

[@giantidiot31]

@@seanbigay1042 It's wild to compare the doctrinal differences. With Japanese airmen being too inexperienced or under equipped and German pilots being sortied to exhaustion/ too scared of reprimand to take that kind of initiative. Then again, just letting your guys do whatever when they aren't in the fight can lead to Soviet style atrocities. Giving soldiers that kind of freedom is walking a knife edge but the US Navy at least seemed to figure it out (after December 1941).

[@seanbigay1042]

@@giantidiot31 At the Japanese naval academy of Eta Jima, cadets were expected to endure brutal hazing. A similar hazing tradition existed at the U.S. naval academy at Annapolis ... except that freshmen were expected, if not outright encouraged, to favor upperclassmen with a knuckle sandwich. Thus, at Eta Jima cadets learned discipline. At Annapolis they learned discipline -- and to stand up for themselves.

[@mnguy98]

Imagine being the guy who decides to launch an attack on the enemy's airfield _and winning,_ with the entire reason behind it simply being "'cuz I was bored"

[@dereenaldoambun9158]

Ikr! What a madlad!

[@thecappeningchannel515]

They were not bored. They were the top weapon of the USA navy. Obviously they were capable of taking some initiative during the largest battle so far in the war.

[@danielsingeorzan2808]

@@thecappeningchannel515 of course they were, but they launched the attack because they had nothing else to do, not because they were ordered. so yeah, I would say they got bored and wanted to do something useful.

[@revon0521]

@@thecappeningchannel515 Indeed. In fact, Mitscher was Weymouth's CO and as an aviator himself, was fully aware of the value and capabilities of his best pilots and as such was willing to give them some freedom in the cockpit. Pilots were also aware of the risk of landing back on their carriers while fully loaded with bombs and torpedoes, making the Guam strike a very brave but practical thing to do.

[@wisconsinfarmer4742]

There was an indirect standing order to all personnel , "When in doubt, win the war"

[@tobiasGR3Y]

I had absolutely no idea that Filipino guerrillas were involved in this level of critical espionage before the Battle, and I've been a mostly naval history buff for years. Bravo Philippines, half this victory belongs to you. Edit: Got a good chuckle out of the idea of the bomber pilots getting bored of waiting and just wandering off to pound the island. Kinda like the British destroyers at Cape Matapan casually loitering around a wrecked Italian-cruiser, *'poking it with a stick'* and deciding whether or not to board it and take it as a prize like in the good ole' days.

[@dboi1656]

I had a solid laugh over that as well, but it makes sense. Especially in WW2, American units were pretty much encouraged to go find something to fuck up should they be awake without specific orders

[@NefariousKoel]

I hadn't recalled the plans washing up in the Phillipines until seeing this vid. Had unfortunately forgotten about it. The Filipino insurgency during the Japanese occupation should get some more attention. Some were originally part of the Phillipine-US army units who escaped capture into the wild after the invasion.

[@inhenyerongkalbo9382]

​@@NefariousKoelmy wife's grandfather and relatives were actually part of the guerrilla group in central visayas Philippines, when they heard that that the Japanese surrendered they were so happy that the war was over and headed down the mountain singing gleefully, unfortunately for them they were ambushed by Japanese soldiers that did get the news yet that they have surrendered, truly a sad story dying at the end of the war

[@supermarinespitfire3760]

Wait wait wait what what's the link to that? I wanna read that seems to funny to not read

[@buzz5969]

Coast Watchers…😊

[@ramal5708]

The fact that Albacore did not survived the war and later was sunk by a mine in November 1944 off Hokkaido, the wreck of the sub was found in 2022 by group of Japanese researchers. USS Albacore (SS-218) On Eternal Patrol

[@rewmeister]

the research that must go into these videos is astounding and to tie it all off with these animations is just perfect. thank you operations room team!

[@ebisu8824]

🤦🏻‍♂️

[@rewmeister]

@@ebisu8824 🤷‍♂️

[@ebisu8824]

@@rewmeister #sycophant

[@XxBloggs]

It’s not that astounding. There is a lot of info out there on this subject

[@XxBloggs]

He was an idiot. A pointless exercise.

[@steverogers8163]

For the Taiho the torpedo hit actually disabled the forward elevator bay leaving it stuck in a open position. The repair crew successfully boarded over the gapping hole in the flight deck to resume operations about an hour later. Which is pretty impressive. It was this elevator shaft that the fuel fumes came from. Oil leaked and mixed with seawater in the bottom of the shaft. The fumes got so bad they lowered the other elevator shaft, smashed out any portholes and turned on the ventilation system which was the only way to exchange air with the outside. So really they did the only thing they could in regards to the fumes. They did however open up other compartments that had not yet had fumes leak into in a attempt to gain more airflow. I imagine when the explosion happened lots of bulk head doors that should have been closed for battle were wide open. The part they really screwed up on was they failed to properly pump out the elevator shaft or to spray any fire suppression foam in the elevator shaft to try and pre smother the ship sized pressure cooker bomb they now had. This wouldn't have prevented the initial flash explosion from all the fumes in the hanger decks, but it probably would have stopped the ship destroying explosion in the elevator shaft. Though a flash explosion of that size probably would have crippled her, just not outright sunk her. I suspect the problem was the captain prioritizing maintaining flight operations at all cost rather than admitting the ship had suffered a critical hit that would have required them retiring from battle. Something that was unacceptable of the flagship at the very beginning of the battle from only a single torpedo hit. Another example of Japan prioritizing offense over everything else.

[@My-Name-Isnt-Important]

What you're describing is how you use an old wood burning stove. Open up the flue and increase the air supply, you can start a pretty big fire, which will allow you to cook for a long time and even heat a whole home.

[@wangoif7301]

excellent analysis.

[@KenjiHouston]

​@@My-Name-Isnt-Important but did they stop the fuel source?

[@DamonHowe7]

@Steve Rogers it wasn’t so much the captain as the training of the damage control team and it’s officers. Innovative thinking was highly discouraged on Japanese vessels, so if you weren’t in the exact position of “Damage Control Officer” you’d likely have no idea how to do anything damage control. This led to significant brain drain throughout the war as losses mounted and experienced officers died off. There’s a KZbin historian idk his name offhand but search “comparison Japanese American damage control teams” and you should find a VERY good video on the subject.

[@rajeshkanungo6627]

@@DamonHowe7 Yes!!!! I remembered that there was this video and, thanks to your search terms, I think I can find it.

[@tbrown5657]

"Frustrated and bored, some squadron leaders decide to attack the Japanese airfields on Guam to pass the time" As one does, of course

[@TrinityCore60]

Yup. Must be from the Marines.

[@miranda8636]

15:52 "the bastards have finally drawn blood, shoot them down!" Woooooow the disrespect, dear God😅

[@pigpig252]

I can't imagine the elation a submarine commander must have when they get an aircraft carrier in their sights. Such an incredibly rare opportunity

[@Mika-ph6ku]

Without any effort on their part too! Just so happen to surface right next to one, how lucky!

[@TonySpike]

When you manage it on Silent Hunter 4 its almost surreal ....i cant imagine what its like in real life

[@thedyingmeme6]

The sub commander: 0w0 whats this?¿? Oooo a _CARRIER_?!?! gimme gimme~~~

[@connerfarr8072]

That pilot that rammed the torpedo. Absolute hero.

[@atigerclaw]

He was the enemy, but respect.

[@stevemoore12]

The bravery, skill, and selflessness he demonstrated is extraordinary. What a shame his sacrifice was for the IJN.

[@yesyesyesyes1600]

Hitting a torpedo with an airplane ... just imagine what skill it takes to accomplish that.

[@nev6250]

@@yesyesyesyes1600 Japanese pilots were highly skilled veterans at the start of the war. That is until they got sent to the meat grinder.

[@nev6250]

Not a hero. Though very courageous, died for a madman that doesn't give a F about him. Would've fit as a hero only if he had served his interests and those in need of his help.

[@WestCoastMole]

The reason why the Hellcat was so dominant was the pilots had a big edge in training. The experienced Japanese Pilots from the days of Pearl Harbor were largely lost to attrition. Their Replacement Pilots were hurriedly rushed into service with minimal training. They were no match for the American Crews. The F6F was a much improved plane over the Wildcat it replaced. But the Japanese A6-M was still capable platform. The pilots flying them didn't know what they were doing.

[@D3R3bel]

It also helped that the Americans had a massive altitude advantage, american radar giving them a massive amount of time to setup an interception from superior altitudes. F6f being multirole also allowed carriers to carry less dedicated platforms, making it so in events like these more planes could be sortied for air combat. The f6f combined with American radar was pretty much the end of the IJN, but it had very little to do with the individual planes performance, but all the soft factors that came with them.

[@asteropax6469]

Another advantage the US had was an intact A6-M captured in the Aleutian Islands, often referred to as the Akutan Zero. The US was able to run the Akutan Zero through test flights, learning exactly what it’s strengths and weaknesses were. The technical data was also passed on to Grumman , the manufacturer of the F6F Hellcat. Since the Hellcat was in its prototype stages at the time of the find, several revisions were made to bolster their performance. Combining the veteran pilots returning to train newcomers, the F6F design updates to counter the A6-M, and the study of the captured Zero led to the Hellcat’s overwhelming performance during the war.

[@ramal5708]

I mean even the most rookie USN carrier pilot have that theoretical knowledge of air combat and experience learned from their battle hardened predecessors who were in combat with either Wildcats, SBDs and TBDs in the toughest period of Pacific War in 1942-1943. Upon learning the Zeroes weakness and advantages by their flight instructors the new pilots would put these new carrier fighters, the Hellcat, into good use against the Zeroes, since the IJN didn't really improve or upgrade the A6M that much since 1941

[@garrettwood201]

The F6F was leagues more powerful than the F4F. 800 hp more than the Wildcat, more .50 cal's and ammo generally. Much better energy retention and top speed. The perfect way to fight a low-energy turn fighter like the A6M. American pilots were also far better trained, absolutely.

[@haroldbenton979]

The F6F Hellcat was literally redesigned after we captured that zero intact at Ackutan. At first it was just going to be a larger F4F but after we found the weaknesses of the Zero those being no hydraulic controls hard to turn above 300 knots very little ammunition for it's guns try 10 secs for the Cannons and and 20 seconds for the machine guns. The zero armor for the pilot no seal sealing tanks it was literally a flying death trap after 42 for the pilot. What Grumman did was designed a fighter with lower wing loading faster tougher and more reserve horsepower and gave it hydraulic powered controls for high speed turning. Then told the navy here's what it will do and what we did to beat the zero. Vought had done the same with their F4U Corsair.

[@ternel]

The best thing about the Japanese Navy was their ship's names. Taiho means 'Great Phoenix' which is pretty cool

[@PancakeBoi]

it became like a phoenix too, so that's also something

[@ternel]

@@PancakeBoi Gonna disagree on that. While it did burst into flames, it did not come back reborn. Also a tip for all damage control officers out there: When dealing with toxic gas fumes, it is advisable NOT to vent the fumes throughout the ship and thus turn your ship into a floating fuel air bomb

[@yuyutopt]

@@ternel it was also the unintentionally closed hangar (no outside ventilation compared to american carrier open hangar design) , over-armoured design ( way too heavy just barely float, her stern elevator was operating under the waterline, which later trapped the fuel fumes in that sector) and the hull integrated fuel tank (both for the ship and aviation, any shockwave could cause crack and ruptures) of the Taihou contributing to her doom, it was practically a sealed pressure pot with dynamite inside. The fact the crew was only 6 months into servicing aboard her didnt help either, such an unfortunate chain of event leading to diaster. An officer on taihou bridge noted he saw the flight deck heaved up before an explosion bursting to the side of ship.

[@ternel]

@@yuyutopt yes there were design flaws with the ship. However, a skilled crew would have used the fire suppression systems to foam the leaking tanks and contain the fumes. Instead they vented the fumes and for a brief instance became a great Phoenix engulfed in flame

[@Wolfeson28]

Their carrier names were great. "Soaring Crane", "Blue/Green Dragon", "Auspicious Phoenix", just to name a few highlights. Interestingly, their battleship names were mostly names of ancient Japanese provinces, in almost the exact same way that we always named ours after states - seems to be a pretty classic naval tradition.

[@jordanvraptor]

My uncle Robert was a radioman/gunner on a SB2C Helldiver in this battle. He was MIA along with his pilot. I remember finding the telegram they sent to our family. It said other planes saw his Helldiver being attacked by an enemy plane after which, it started smoking and losing altitude. Their remains were never recovered.

[@MyLifeIsAFrickingMess_MRPOLSKA]

Losing altitude and never exploded (or at least wasnt verfied as exploded) I wonder if he ever found the chance to land or parachute out.

[@jerrycottrell302]

Respect's 😢 !!

[@lieutenantratman748]

the bombers literally went "feeling cute, might bomb guam"

[@willo7734]

This is by far my favorite military history channel on youtube. I’d love to see your treatment on even older battles and engagements too, maybe WW1, American Civil War, etc.

[@ThatSockmonkey]

They really do a great job of capturing the big picture of battle, without missing the all important individual actions that make or break battles. And they cover conflicts across all of modern history, including countries other than the USA, which as an Aussie I greatly appreciate. Definitely the best military history channel on KZbin.

[@naitnait00]

I'd say MonteMayor does the best, covering all the small details in the battlefield from intelligence to personal decision making while having detailed animations. However uploads are very rare.

[@willo7734]

@@naitnait00 Yeah Montemayor is a legend.

[@navyseal1689]

​@@naitnait00because of the rare upload, OperationRoom is the Goat

[@spingebill8551]

You know it’s a massive battle when it’s named after an entire sea instead of an Atoll or something.

[@mac_attack_zach]

10:45 My God it's like something out of a movie. The animation in this channel just keeps getting better and better, well done!

[@rg20322]

This is a great channel and love their content!

[@acbgames1766]

Great video. Just one point I want to mention is the identification insignia painted on Japanese carriers. 「ス」was for the Zuikaku. The Shokaku had a「シ」. These were the first characters of their ship names in the Kana letter system at the time. The placing of the insignia also differed slightly from ship to ship to ease identification. Those ships that were relatively easy to identify didn't have these characters written on, as the video depicts correctly. P.s. the Zuiho seemed to have a 「づほ」insignia near the stern of the ship on the starboard side.

[@VirgoShelter]

Isn't Zuikaku's katakana symbols ズ?

[@thelyfsoshort]

The base symbol would be ス (sound is "su") and it stands to reason the ten-ten (the double dots indicate voicing, leading to a sound of "zu") would not really be visible at any distance. Perhaps they were omitted.

[@collinwood6573]

@@thelyfsoshort ​ yes the two dots, which I believe are called dakuten, were not present on Zuikaku. This entire symbol was eventually removed late in the war when Zuikaku was repainted in a 2 tone green camouflage pattern. I assume that it wasn’t needed anymore as this pattern was unique to Zuikaku and Shōkaku had already sank so there were no carriers left that resembled Zuikaku. Also, similarly to Zuikaku, Shōkaku didn’t have ショ(sho), but rather used either ソ(so) or シ(shi), (I’ve seen her depicted with both, not sure which is correct) presumably because they only wanted to use a single character. At the same time Sōryū used サ(sa) for…reasons? They could have just used ソfor Sōryū and シfor Shōkaku. Unsurprisingly, Hiryū used ヒ, Kaga used カ, and Akagi used ア. Smaller, more distinct carriers such as Ryūjo and Shōhō didn’t use any characters. It seems that Jun’yō onwards also didn’t use any characters.

[@thelyfsoshort]

@@collinwood6573 They may also be called dakuten, yes. "The dakuten (Japanese: 濁点, Japanese pronunciation: [dakɯ̥teꜜɴ] or [dakɯ̥teɴ], lit. "voicing mark"), colloquially ten-ten (点々, "dots"), is a diacritic most often used in the Japanese kana syllabaries to indicate that the consonant of a syllable should be pronounced voiced, for instance, on sounds that have undergone rendaku (sequential voicing)." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakuten_and_handakuten

[@acbgames1766]

In the pre-war writing system, diacritic marks (dakuten) were often omitted.

[@MWSin1]

"Spruance fears the use of decoys to draw his fleet away from the invasion forces." Halsey: Should I be taking notes? Nah.

[@ISAF_Ace]

The Empire of the Rising Sun suffered exactly the same problems and downfall as Sparta. They relied too heavily on their extremely experienced and elite units. But in a long and drawn out attrition based conflict they failed to, or were unable to, replace the lost experience gained by years of training and refinement.

[@d.olivergutierrez8690]

Wait what happened to Sparta?

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

@@d.olivergutierrez8690 A slow burn population decline in their citizens due to war and disenfranchisement (property bequethal went to wives and then their daughters, not sons, which caused Spartans to lose their citizenship for being poor), a large population of non-citizens who seethed at lacking full rights (and thus, were happy to revolt when given the opportunity), a military whose biggest weapon is propaganda that their soldiers are the best (they weren't). Oh, and all the private wealth was held by a few old women (because of the aforementioned property bequethal).

[@FEDEXLuchs]

@@BoxStudioExecutive women *coffee mug*

[@dereenaldoambun9158]

At the end of the day, quantity > quality. Cheap replacable soldiers are the future of warfare. 😔😔😔

[@conservativedemocracyenjoyer]

​@Dereenaldo Ambun Your point is muddled by the fact that after '42 the Allied powers had easily matched the Axis in both quantity and quality

[@ThatChargerPursuitGuy]

This was my favorite mission in Battlestations: Pacific. You have great new aircraft, Enterpise, CVE Bunkerhill, (Which was new ship classification that wasn't really seen in game until now) a powerful ship screen, target rich environment, and Coral Sea tension and Action playing in the background. Combine that with still some of the best properly armed ships, with every AA gun working and it rapidly goes from video game to movie, to documentary, to real footage levels of realism.

[@benjibeatzz5096]

Love that game

[@haxavage156]

Such a great game, I want to play it again now

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

I wish I could get that game to run on a modern PC. GFWL doesn't work in Windows 10 and you can't just remove it like with Fallout as the save file is tied to that.

[@ThatChargerPursuitGuy]

@@scottthewaterwarrior There was a mod pack released for the game recently. It bypasses GFWL, and I'm pretty sure helps optimize it for Windows 10 computers It was made by Team Wolfpack, but they are now defunct so you gonna have to dig for it. (I believe it was internal drama that tore them apart) In addition, the sounds were updated to be more realistic, textures were imported from World of War ships and missions from Battlestations: Midway were imported too. (But no option to swap units) Also, extra custom missions were added to include some other battles that occured.

[@memecliparchives2254]

Now that you mentioned it, how realistic was the what if Japanese campaign if the US really lost at Midway?

[@Hassan_9]

I really wonder how much time and effort you guys put into making these brilliant animations with all these ships and planes.

[@chaosXP3RT]

18:00 This is why firefighting and control training is so important and must be taught to all crew. Drachinfel does a really great video comparing the Japanese Navy's rigid hierarchy to that of the US Navy's. Japanese ships were more likely to sink in WWII because when officers weren't around, crew members didn't know much about fighting fires or damage control. They wouldn't do anything unless told. In addition, inexperienced officers and crews unfamiliar with mechanics often made erroneous decisions. The Americans had another advantage because many sailors (and soldiers) had grown up on American farms where working on tractors and machines was common. Japanese society wasn't nearly industrialized, meaning fewer sailors and soldiers had any background dealing with pumps, engines, wiring, etc.

[@glenchapman3899]

The other important thing to remember is how quickly innovations were spread through the fleet. In desperation someone might try something on a ship and it worked. Within weeks the whole fleet was aware on the new technique and adopt it as standard practice.

[@pedrofelipefreitas2666]

I might be going a little far, but isn't it interesting how the ideologies affected the country's warmachines? The japanese had a "cog in the machine", extremely hierarchical view of society, the americans valued individuality and proactivity more.

[@glenchapman3899]

@@pedrofelipefreitas2666 I think there is some definite truth to your observation. National character definitely affects how a country approaches war

[@dannyzero692]

“When the punishment for disobedience is a literal beating stick to the back, you can start seeing why the Japanese sailors don’t usually dare to disobey orders from their superiors.” - Drachinfel on his video about damage control on naval warships

[@andriharir]

"Commander Brewer uses his superior maneuverability to get behind the Zero..." It's amazing that the words "superior maneuverability" was finally used by a plane against the Zero, not the other way around.

[@handlesarecringe957]

The F4F only had superior maneuverability when it had higher energy, otherwise getting into a dogfight would not be an issue

[@thew2646]

​@@handlesarecringe957 the planes here we're F6F Hellcats not F4F Wildcats

[@antred11]

Yeah, this one also made me pause the video and scroll down to the comments. :D Well, I suppose maneuverability may mean different things to people. Usually it's just taken to mean "superior sustained turn radius" ... in this aspect (i.e. flying tight turns at medium to low airspeeds), the Zeke would dominate the Hellcat. But I do believe that in other aspects, such as roll rate, instantaneous turn and high-speed handling, the Hellcat was superior to the Zeke (apart from also being faster).

[@edm240b9]

Imagine being one of those bomber pilots watching the dog fights and you’re just loitering in the air with nothing better to do, then you decide “fuck it, let’s bomb Guam.”

[@Broomtwo]

Towards the end of the war, it really seems like the Americans almost perfected naval aircraft carrier combat. An amazing display of competence.

[@goldenmoonhorizon4086]

It boiled down to resources and how much fat there is to spare. Had the Japanese got half the resources the Americans had, hell even the Nazi descendants would probably be speaking Nihongo to this day.

[@eodyn7]

@@goldenmoonhorizon4086 That's not even remotely true. The Japanese were grossly incompetent.

[@pedrofelipefreitas2666]

Nimitz wasn't called master of the pacific for nothing

[@michaelzomsuv3631]

Not really. It was more the Japanese being extraordinarily incompetent than anything. It doesn't take much skill to take down sitting ducks.

[@AlienWithInternetConnection]

I'm from Philippines, my grandfather was a fisherman during WW2, he told me how he saw airplanes falling out of the sky like fireflies at night while spear fishing.

[@ChinaChinaChinaChinaChinaChin4]

China will destroy your planes in Spratly's and feels like dejavu. 😂

[@PITZ24701]

​@@ChinaChinaChinaChinaChinaChin4 cope harder, wumao. And Taiwan is a country.

[@texhnlyze6892]

@@ChinaChinaChinaChinaChinaChin4 west taiwan wont do shit

[@kenneth9874]

@@ChinaChinaChinaChinaChinaChin4 china will fold like wet tissue, it's funny how Taiwan kicked their ass twice already 🤣😂

[@rikk319]

@@ChinaChinaChinaChinaChinaChin4 Um...no.

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

Excellent video. I have read/studied WWII since 1970. My Dad was a WWII army veteran in Europe. I have read about this battle countless times. When you were talking about Japanese casualties, I could see in my mind sailors trapped as the plunged to the bottom. Bulkheads imploding, the pressure and water rising. Sailor fighting just one more breath, one more moment of terror filled life. Pilots suddenly fighting for their lives. Many immolated before they crash into the sea. Most never seeing our carriers, their targets. There last earthly thought being hot metal slashing through their planes and bodies while surrounded by flames. Terrible for even an enemy to die.

[@scooterbob4432]

The shipwreck of US Destroyer Escort Samuel Roberts was recently discovered around 22,500 feet below the Philippines Sea. It's the deepest shipwreck discovered so far. The deepest part of the Philippine Sea is 34,500 feet.

[@duradim1]

Hell is much worse. Nope hope of ending. No reprieve from the suffering. Just memories of the past. God save us all from our own folly.

[@da4an1qu1]

Thanks

[@NickJohnCoop]

The assumptions on the part of the Japanese Navy wasn’t the first time that tendency preceded a heavy defeat. They had a war game prior to Midway that showed their carriers could be vulnerable in certain circumstances. Some didn’t like those results so they played again and changed the details so they won. There were too many times where the Japanese were their own worst enemy.

[@wisconsinfarmer4742]

but but but,... I am perfect. I can't lose.

[@CThyran]

And that's why American war games always result in their own loss no matter how unlikely they have to make the situation. Better to learn for the improbable than expect perfect performance.

[@thedyingmeme6]

​@@CThyran better to lose in practice than die in wartime

[@verro9153]

great improvement in the quality of the animations! This is one of my favorite history channels!

[@ph89787]

To add insult to injury for the Japanese pilots. Philippine Sea was also Air Group 10’s second carrier battle and in addition to the newer and better trained pilots. They still had a veteran core from Santa Cruz, Guadalcanal and Rennel Island.

[@MadilynnBrock-f5w]

That pilot that rammed the torpedo. Absolute hero.. The sheer amount of planes you have animated... Bravo, sir!.

[@p0xus]

I love the idea of some guys getting bored, going and bombing some enemy positions, and command being like "Oh yeah, thats a good idea, do more of that."

[@TheNobody1324]

Taiho: explodes from leaking fuel vapors USS Lexington CV-2: I know that feeling

[@ph89787]

Shokaku: Explodes by submarine torpedoes in the middle of flight ops. Wasp CV-7: Now you know how I feel.

[@Weegee246]

Zuikaku witnesses her elder sister sinking due to submarine attack... Enterprise: First time...? Now you know exactly how I FEELS Turkey. (Referring to to the loss of Yorktown and Hornet.) (Calling Zuikaku a Turkey for her lacklustre performance at Mariana.)

[@joselitostotomas8114]

One wonders if Ozawa was gripped by the same affliction as Kurita. Being forced to abandon your flagship must have rattled him. He still wanted to continue the fight though, even if 1st MF was down to around 100 aircraft. He was convinced there must be hundreds of aircraft around Guam and Tinian and was planning to launch another round of strikes.

[@warwatcher91]

It's less that then the fact the land based air commander basically lied about the amount of damage he was doing to the US fleet.

[@MyH3ntaiGirl]

​@@warwatcher91 IJN and IJA doesn't like each other

[@joselitostotomas8114]

@@warwatcher91 The land based air commander was Chuichi Nagumo, the carrier commander at Midway. I don't think it was lying as was there was no communication between either of them.

[@duogamers9617]

what does MF stand for

[@joselitostotomas8114]

@@duogamers9617 Mobile Fleet

[@Brl46574]

"im bored lets attack Guam" love it

[@Allnightgamer25]

I'm sure you're told this time and time again, but this is phenomenal work. I've read the flight reports, and the battle reports for many of the battles that you cover, and they are spot on. You hit the big points, and you hit the small testimonials that people often overlook. Keep up the good work :)

[@joelgonzalez9248]

I had a basic knowledge of what the Mariana's Turkey Shoot was, because of my joy for learning about WW2 history. But I enjoy this channel every week because of the little small bits of history such as a soldier's comment or in this case a pilot's comment. The pilot who said its like a turkey shoot. I learned something knew all the time thanks to this channel. Also, outstanding animation of all the planes!

[@TheMidwestMarvels]

I actually collect and sell newspapers for a living and the newspapers on the battle of the Philippine Sea are some of my favorite. The US press loved framing it as "revenge for Pearl Harbor".

[@christopherflanagan9626]

I just did a search, it was fun to look at one, thanks.

[@jamesliggins5631]

Your attention to detail in the animation is fantastic! brings it to life.

[@Epiderm91]

The number of casualties when a ship is sunk in WW2 is staggering...😅

[@piyh3962]

Wait until a modern carrier is sunk and 5k people die in one day

[@jacklucas5908]

Yup. Well into the thousands in the worst cases.

[@ace74909]

​@@jacklucas5908a few hundred at best

[@RW77777777]

this is true even today; prayers that it never be repeated

[@andrewklang809]

It speaks to reluctance to abandon ship. The only time the USN lost anywhere near that many sailors with the ship was the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, and that's because the magazine suffered a direct hit and exploded, taking the whole ship down at once. If you look at the loss of any of the USN's carriers (and they lost several), you don't see the same loss of life, because the captains ordered abandon ship to save as many people as possible.

[@SatelliteYL]

Japanese losses in this battle were horrendous… over 300 planes in a single day! TWO fully crewed carriers! IN A SINGLE DAY!!! Incredible

[@d.olivergutierrez8690]

Just wait for Leyte gulf, its pretty much the Americans pulling the whole final battle of the Japanese against them

[@CorePathway]

The carriers really didn’t matter once they had no more aircrews. At this point in the war the US wartime production of…everything including pilots was completely overwhelming.

[@ph89787]

Fun fact. This would be the last time the SBD Dauntless is used from US Carriers. VB-10 on Enterprise and VB-16 on Lexington and a small 5 plane flight from VB-1 on Yorktown for scouting.

[@weldinco]

SBDs were flown from carriers till the end of the war. They even flew sorties from carriers, including the Lexington, over Japan, long after this battle.

[@ph89787]

@@weldinco no. The Dauntless was still being used on the frontline after this Battle. But by the Marine Corps and the occasional USN land based squadron. But in terms of carrier use, the Dauntless was phased out by July 1944. When Enterprise and Lexington had their air groups swapped.

[@weldinco]

@@ph89787if you mean they switched from SBD 5s to SB2Cs then, my bad, I was lumping them all together generically as SBDs. I have been told by multiple pilots of Airgroup 16 that they were flying sorties from the Lexington up until close to when the atomic bombs were dropped. They were given orders not to drop any bombs on non specified targets on Japanese home islands a few weeks or so ahead of the nuclear bombs being dropped. In retrospect they learned that this was to prevent any firestorms taking out a major city to ensure the psychological effects of the atomic bombs taking out an entire city. At the time much of Japan’s cities were built primarily of wood. Often on the sorties prior to this order if they weren’t able to drop their bomb on the specified target they would jettison it on the way back to the carrier on potential targets. I do not recall any of air group 16 pilots mentioning switching ships towards the end of the war, do you have a source you could direct me to find out more about that? Thanks in advance!

[@malickfan7461]

This must have been a nightmare to animate. Great work as always.

[@animeyahallo3887]

Captain: Do you see those enemy ships on the radar gentlemen? Pilots: Yes sir! Captain: I don't want to. Pilots: Right away.

[@KokoroKatsura]

a n i m e n i m e

[@aegystierone8505]

Thanks!

[@jacobivy2854]

I love hearing the USS Alabama mentioned. It is such a beautiful and well preserved ship; my kids love visiting it!

[@CrystallineFoxCF]

Anywhere that the Enterprise went, death swiftly followed, especially after Midway, her Airwing was quite possibly one of the most experienced at this point in the war, with most of Kido Butai destroyed with the 1st Carrier Group's sinking at Midway, and also from the sheer amount of missions they participated in, I really wish they had been able to turn her into a museum ship, but at least her Legacy continues, both with the recently decommissioned carrier CVN-65 Enterprise, and now CVN-80 Enterprise

[@karlk5801]

Don't forget the USS Enterprise!

[@CrystallineFoxCF]

@@karlk5801 Which one, the US navy has had 8 ships with that name (Because I know someone out there isn't going to get it, this is a joke)

[@potato88872]

And, for a brief period, the USS Enterprise was the only carrier operating in the pacific The crew nickname it "Big E vs Japan" Japan nickname "The Ghost Ship" due to the amount of time they thought they sunk it

[@seanbigay1042]

Don't forget NCC-1701! (Also NCC-1701-A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J ...)

[@CrystallineFoxCF]

@@seanbigay1042 Unfortunately, I do not give them the honor of carrying on the legacy of the Carriers using the name Enterprise as those aren't carriers

[@T1UEscanor]

What I do like the most about ur vids are the precision of detail that are in there. With what I could see the most is the exact carriers that were in the task group, for example with TG 58.3 where u showed USS Enterprise CV-6, USS Lexington CV-16, USS San Jacinto CVL-30 and USS Princeton CVL-23. Not everyone would do that. Love the work. I'm excited to see part 2.

[@T1UEscanor]

The time where the example is seen is at 15:27

[@disbehaving9913]

This, by far, without even watching, already looks like one of your most ambitious projects, all the research you do on a topic to get us the most accurate view of what was going on at that time. Thank you, from us history nerds, to help us see the perspective we were only taught.

[@failtolawl]

Lol it's good but please chill tf out

[@disbehaving9913]

@@failtolawl OH MY GOD I LOVE THE OPERATIONS ROOM HES MY FAVORITE KZbinR I WISH HE SEES THIS COMMENT OH MY GOOD LOOK IM EARLY FOR ONCE AH PLEASE LOOK AT MY COMMENT. There, if it wasn't as chill for you as before. I hope, my good sir, that you find something to enjoy in your life. nothing I said was over the top crazy, and a history nerd who can name more battles, soldiers, planes, tanks, etc, than the "Average" person, and still acted professional with it, feel bad for you fr.

[@jeffpatterson2749]

The need for the Japanese fleet to use unrefined fuel that was more volatile was something I wasn’t previously aware of…..interesting

[@timmccarthy9917]

That dude straight kamikazed a torpedo, that's metal af

[@malickfan7461]

Finally! I’ve waited years for you guys to cover the Turkey shoot.

[@duderseb]

Just when I thought your visuals could not get better you deliver this! Missed your content but you more than made it worth the wait!

[@kevinzuniga4910]

Those U.S. Submarines took on the Japanese fleet by themselves and managed to sink 2 of Japans biggest aircraft carriers … hats off to those captains and well trained crew 🇺🇸

[@dereenaldoambun9158]

Also thank goodness the Japanese anti-submarine warfare sucked ass!

[@ternel]

Yes. Once the mark 14 torpedo was fixed, the submarines of the us navy began involuntarily converting most of the Japanese merchant fleet into submarines. By 1945 shipping in Japan had ground to a near total halt. It's why when the Americans began the occupation of Japan, the first thing they had to do was get food to a nation on the brink of starvation.

[@jacklucas5908]

​@@ternel Do you watch Drachinifel? Because your comment was poetry, and I can imagine him saying that perfectly! 😂

[@matthewschauenburg]

"To pass the time" LMAO, priceless.

[@coolthonix]

seeing the entire formation made me feel an immense sense of patriotism

[@jerry5876]

I feel the same, Tenno Heika Banzai

[@Tekisasubakani]

"The Fleet at Flood Tide" by James D Hornfischer is a fantastic read for anyone who wants to learn more about this battle [and more] after watching this excellent video.

[@indi8745]

15:58 A perfect use of the word ‘decimated’, going from 107 to 10 fighters. Exceptional diction

[@wisconsinfarmer4742]

by definition decimation is reduction by 10% not "to 10%. " so decimation of 107 would be reduction to 96. However, confusion with devastation hs changed the definition over time. Like flounder and founder.

[@kushangchu1506]

One of my most desired battles I hoped would be featured, and its finally here! Beyond impressed to say the least. Absolutely love this channel :D

[@AJxxxxxxxx]

8:26 holly hell this man literally sacrificed his life in an instant without any hesitation fighting the Japanese must have been almost impossible

[@PancakeBoi]

sure they had warrior spirit, but sometimes it would back fire on them, getting thousands of them killed, during the battle of Saipan 4,000 Japanese soldiers charged the Americans and lost everyone... they had guts, but machine guns cut through those.

[@nara6540]

Not really, this exact fanaticism more often than not backfired, you cannot beat technological superiority and better strategical and tactical capabilities and education with fanatics alone

[@AJxxxxxxxx]

@@nara6540 You are actually 100 percent correct, now that I think about it there may have been many situations in which they ran gladly into their own deaths

[@kimjunguny]

I thought it was an epic as fuck death for a second. But then the other torpedo hit so the dude legit killed himself for no reason.

[@terrypennington2519]

@@kimjunguny lmao fr. Dude might've bought the carrier more time, but that's all he did. He just bought more borrowed time for the carrier. Still, respect

[@TheHoldenmcgroin]

That Japanese pilot who dove into the Torpedo........ WOW!

[@phucvinh2883]

Pilots are trained to understand that carriers are the hearts of fleet that need to be protected at all costs. You live with carrier, you are ready to die for its life.

[@FoxtrotYouniform]

The line "(they) decide to attack the Japanese airfields on Guam, to pass the time" brought a grin

[@gregoryborton6598]

What's very interesting to note is that this is one of the last times the "Weather Gauge" had any impact on a naval battle. In the days of sailing ships, the exact same principle applied for a different reason. A ship sailing into the wind (well, tacked into it) had the same advantage of being able to end the engagement at their choosing, and give the defender no option than to stand and fight, assuming that their ship was slower than the attackers.

[@brianmessemer2973]

Absolutely, Age of Sail fans were all grinning and nodding their heads when the weather gauge was brought up! 😊😊😊

[@kevinrussell1144]

Not exactly, in this case; it's actually the reverse, in fact...........here, with winds out of the east, the Americans have the weather gauge (the Nips are to the lee), but it is a bit of a disadvantage for the US. The carriers have to sail into the wind to launch, so the Nips didn't have to lose separation (as did the Yanks) to send off their planes. Steaming into the wind (the carriers) avoids cross winds for the planes and provides added lift. In the age of sail, he who is to the windward controls the action; he can continue to tack (sail into the wind) to avoid his foe or force the issue by "having at him". The foe can try to run but if land is to lee, that doesn't work. At Trafalgar, Nelson and his BOB's had the weather gauge. At PS, after recovery the Americans had a long stern chase and never caught up with the Nips to finish them off. Still, the Turkey shoot proved that the Japanese had no answer (other than suicide planes) to the very unequal contest between carrier arms. Our planes, our pilots, and our systems were simply markedly superior; Japanese valor was not enough to balance the equation.

[@punishedsneed]

@@kevinrussell1144 Jesus Christ, did you just call them Nips?

[@kevinrussell1144]

@@punishedsneed How long have you had snowflake status, Sneed? Sorry if I bruised your tender ears. I was not aware that "Nip" had now joined the ranks of the derogatory. Nip, of course, derives from "Nippon", one form of the Japanese name for their country. Nip, to my ears, is no different from saying a Scot is from Scotland, a "Yank" (oh, no, I used THAT, too!!) is a Yankee Doodle from the north, an African is from .........Africa, and a Jerry is from Germany. All short-form (or longer-form) references are NOT disrespectful; some merely point to our delight in wordplay. When young, I was referred to as a little Okkie or a cracker urchin, although I have no connection with Oklahoma, and was born in California not the south. I laughed because someone actually looked at me and classified me, however inaccurately. Jesus was a Jew, by the way, and he related a parable about a good Samaratin (from Samaria) who did good by a Jew, although there was distrust between the two communities. Would a hearer have put a bad spin on JC's use of the label "Samaratin"? What did Jesus mean?

[@punishedsneed]

@@kevinrussell1144 Bud, nip has been a racial slur for the last 40 fucking years, maybe longer. Don't try and pull that shit on me. Grow the fuck up.

[@madmaximus2836]

It is a highlight of my day every time I see a new available Operations Room episode.

[@EchosTackyTiki]

8:23 Komatsu must've been a hell of a pilot to actually get in there and take out that torpedo. Didn't really do much in the end, but I suppose if the first torpedo had hit and exploded, those ruptured fuel lines would've turned that ship into a floating bonfire before the the engagement had even started. And because I like how the war ended I'm not complaining that his actions didn't have that much of an effect on the battle, but I can give credit and respect his sacrifice. The guy went below to go above and beyond.

[@mellon4251]

The guy diving into the torpedo to save his ship had some massive bravery and dedication to save his crew mates. Respect 😮

[@thecappeningchannel515]

Still a dirty criminal and part of a genocidal war machine of a monstrous regime.

[@jerrycottrell302]

Uncommon valor was common !!

[@bCKization]

The dude that flew into the torpedo, I was expecting him to say "and he radioed in a incoming torpedo" nah dude just flew into it....

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

It should be noted that the secret documents that were captured were captured from a 2nd plane carrying Koga's chief of staff, VAdm Fukudome, which crash landed near Cebu.

[@geohoundryudo4808]

You know it's a good day when a new Operations Room is up

[@shash22]

Best illustrated explanation of the Pacific battle out there ❤❤❤ Waiting for part 2

[@robwubbena4748]

This is outstanding. I’ll add a bit of color to the sinking of Taiho. The torpedo did indeed rupture fuel tanks, but it was aviation gasoline and not fuel oil for her boilers. Drachinfinel (spelling?) has a great video on the carrier and goes into additional detail on how she sank. I’m looking forward to part two!!

[@cptobvius]

I gotta say, hats off to Saiko Komatsu, thats a badass move to crash your own plane into an incoming torpedo to try to save your carrier. Not a big fan of the Japanese in WWII but you gotta give props where props is due!

[@Damorann]

Valor must be given wherever it may be found, even when it is found in one's enemies. I could say it's even MORE important to find it in one's enemies, for it means that there exists a commonality between you and them. Similarities create bridges that can prevent future wars.

[@limogesfarmer6326]

Top notch! I love how the animations are making it so easy to visualize what was happening. I've read accuonts of this battle and watched other videos, but none were able to illustrate it like this one: thank you!!! :)

[@Perichron]

Literally the best animated war history channel there is.

[@macicoinc9363]

He slammed his plane into a torpedo and destroyed it?! Goddamn, those Imperial Japanese pilots were something different.

[@Shimazusama]

The animation scale and quality of this channel has been amazing. Keep it up!

[@fearthehoneybadger]

We're all dressed up, we got bombs, ain't nothing to do: let's go f**k up Guam.

[@wisconsinfarmer4742]

Basically yes. And a tactical move that paid off.

[@Ceece20]

Typical American tactics demand aggression as default and to never waste an opportunity. In absence of command and with an identifiable enemy in range, engage the enemy and sort it out later.

[@cooled2169]

Ty for doing this. What you have shown isn't discussed on our Philippine history lessons back in school. Still waiting what part 2 will reveal.

[@jaymata1218]

8:32...I've never head of Sakio Komatsu. That was incredibly selfless, wow.

[@Techno_Idioto]

Selfless, but ultimately his sacrifice was in vain and foolish.

[@lars7935]

@@Techno_Idioto It's a better end than participating in the turkey shoot.

[@BirdieRumia]

​​@@Techno_Idioto I wouldn't say it was foolish. From his perspective, he was saving the ship full of his shipmates from taking twice as much damage as they otherwise might have. He couldn't know that the other torpedo would score a critical hit.

[@FlashPointHx]

Such a fascinating battle! Imagine being a naval aviator and realizing how you're a part of something so much greater than yourself.

[@FrozenzFirez]

That sub firing his torpedoes from so far away and still hitting his target .... thats genius level commanding.

[@andrewtaylor940]

Wonderful stuff. Although the video confuses the 2 types of fuel that the Japanese Carriers carried. The first is the ships Bunker Fuel. The oil that the ship itself burned for power and propulsion. The Japanese ships by this point in the war were using unrefined crude oil straight from the well heads. This was bad for a number of reasons. It reduced their speed, damaged their engines, and most importantly sent columns of thick black smoke from their ships stacks. Making them much easier to spot. The fuel oil would burn and is very difficult to put out. But it takes a lot to set it off. The ignition of this fuel is part of what killed Shokaku. But what killed Taiho is the other stuff. Aviation Fuel. High Octane gasoline. Aviation Fuel fires are what most carriers died from in WW2. As all of us know gasoline can be dangerous stuff if mishandled. It has a low vapor point, and gasoline vapors are highly combustable in confined spaces. Archerfish’s torpedo cracked Taiho’s aviation fuel bunkers, and the ships elevator shafts and bilges filled with gasoline. The proper damage control maneuver would have been to lay down a blanket of foam over the aviation fuel, to prevent vaporization, then figure out a way to get it out. But that was when they discovered a critical flaw in Taiho. Due to all of her armor the ship was massively overweight, and sat very low in the water. Much lower than she should. The bottom of her main elevator shafts were well below the waterline. And they had no mechanism to pump the volatile fuel out. Further unlike American Carriers Taiho’s hanger deck was not open to the outside air. It was a sealed metal box. The American Carriers could just open all the hanger doors to let the fumes naturally vent out to sea. The only option to move the air on Taiho was to turn on ventilation fans. Electric fan motors and gasoline fumes are a bad combination. Thus Boom! The Taiho had solved many of the damage control issues that plagued the early war Japanese Carriers. She had steel plumbing instead of cast iron. Her water mains were segmented into discreet zones that could be isolated. So the loss of one segment didn’t cripple all fire fighting. But in the process they created a whole new set of spectacular issues that ultimately doomed the ship.

[@maxn.7234]

Appreciate the explanation.

[@SoloRenegade]

people don't often stop to think that 1943 was only Just over 1yr after Pearl Harbor. The Zero's reign as a top fighter was very brief. The F6F Hellcat, P-38, and F4U all already existed or were in development prior to Pearl Harbor. And even the P-40, P-39, and F4F achieved favorable kill ratios over the Zero in the first year of combat.

[@PancakeBoi]

This battle puts into perspective just how much of a devastating loss japan faced during the first two years of air war... even with the planes, they had lost most of their aces, and can no longer challenge American fighters.

[@Jabarri74]

At the same time they were all in zeros and America innovated to outperform them in every way and 3 years in a war environment was a long time back then

[@lars611farmer3]

Its crazy how fast the Japanese fleet went from arguably the best in the world, to a pushover for TF 58.

[@gamewizardks]

A testament to the industrial might of the United States and to U.S. Military prowess and being able to adapt and innovate in a relative short period of time.

[@miquelescribanoivars5049]

@@gamewizardks More of a testament to Japan not having the industrial capacity or man power to keep up with the attrition rates throught the war, to the point most pilots in the battle were rookies that had between 100 to 150 hours of flight training compared to USN pilots having over 600.

[@gamewizardks]

@@miquelescribanoivars5049 Yes, a superior war machine built through superior industry and a superior economy. The 'sleeping giant' the Japanese awakened. Their words, not mine. As I understand quite a few things, the Japanese couldn't defend their warships as well as Americans because American warships had way more flak and AA simply because America's industry could produce it. Also, damaged fighter planes that successfully made it back to American carriers were often just discarded off the side of ships because replacements were so easy to come by for America. Japan never suffered any delusions that they could win a longer-term conflict, though. The Japanese weren't stupid. They sought a 'decisive engagement' during the entire war to bring about a negotiated peace with terms favorable to them. It was a longshot and, ultimately, they failed.

[@kickassssnation027]

I think the biggest mistake that Imperial Japan made here was that they never presented or acted themselves as Asian liberators. If they had an image of acting like freedom fighters to the Chinese they would have made up more than a match for the Americans in terms of industry. They would have a much easier time defending SEA with more manpower. The only thing that they would have fallen to was the atomic bomb

[@pedrofelipefreitas2666]

​@@gamewizardkseven if the americans had the same production as the japanese they'd still have won, although maybe less decisively. Their strategy, tactics, intelligence and logistics were superior to the japanese. In fact, the US probably had the best admirals and overall organisation in the world at the time.

[@alpha001ful]

No unnecessary background music, do distracting expressions - just pure knowledge.