Let us pause for a moment and reflect on a truly “gutsy” decision. President Obama is often compared against Franklin Roosevelt as a leader in that mold. I beg to differ. Roosevelt was a known quantity when he came into office. His programs were undeniably Liberal-Left in many respects, and he was certainly high-handed. The Republicans, however, gave him his due. He had beaten Herbert Hoover in a landslide of epic proportions, his inspiring speeches and chats, and his confident style won him trust among the population. His own adoration for America and his fellow Americans was obvious. The New Deal was a “Questionable Deal” to the GOP, but they gave FDR much leeway. Besides, they could not stop it.
However, when the Attack on Pearl Harbor drew America into the Second World War, Democrats and Republicans were one in sentiment to defeat the Axis powers. It was only the small Socialist/Red factions, avowed pacifists and convinced isolationists that opposed the war against the Axis Powers. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, FDR ordered his Military Chiefs to find a way to strike back and give America a victory; to deliver pain and payback to the Japanese and raise American Morale. It was to be a joint Navy and Army Air Corps effort: The famous “Doolittle Air Raid on Japan.”
Now let us return for a moment to that thrilling day of yesteryear, April 18, 1942: “You Are There”
President Franklin Roosevelt virtually crowed and his countrymen cheered about the successful surprise bombing raid against Tokyo. Sixteen B-25s twin engine bombers flew from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, April 18, 1942, in a highly symbolic bombing raid on Tokyo. It was sweet bit of payback and a serious morale booster for American Forces and American civilians alike. This blow was delivered to Japan less than six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941
The plan called for the intrepid and dauntless Army Air Force Lt. Colonel James H. Doolittle to lead sixteen medium bomber aircraft, weighing thirteen tons each, from the deck of the USS Hornet some 500 miles from Japan on a bombing run of selected targets. No aircraft this heavy had ever launched from the heaving deck of an aircraft carrier. After completing the mission, the aircraft were to land in [then] Nationalist China to be rescued by friendly partisans in that occupied territory. Returning for carrier deck landings on the Hornet were deemed impossible.
Preparations for the raid had begun months earlier. There was meticulous planning. Training of the all-volunteer crews was exhaustive. Every foreseeable contingency provided alternatives. Airplanes and crews loaded, the Hornet made a rendezvous with the ever feisty Admiral Halsey and his Task Force Sixteen and made way for Japan. However, 700 miles from Japan and still 200 miles from the targeted launch coordinates, Halsey’s Task Force was spotted by a Japanese boat. The Japanese trawler was quickly dispatched to the briny deep. But now, Halsey had to determine to launch early or to scrub the mission. It was unknown whether the Japanese ship had radioed their discovery. The seas were heavy and the flight crews were at their outermost range for success. After conferring with Doolittle, and other planners, it was unanimous sentiment that the Doolittle’s crews launch immediately.
Japan was now officially served notice: “We’re coming after you!”
Halsey gave the order to launch; but, secrecy was no longer guaranteed. The mission was “a go.” As history is witness: the attack was a total surprise. Bombs were delivered on Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kobe. While the actual damage was light, the psychological blow to the Japanese Empire was devastating. The Emperor’s own palace had been exposed to the danger of a direct attack. Japan was now officially served notice: “We’re coming after you!”
But due to the unforeseen early launch and other factors, eleven bomber crews crashed in the interior of China, and four others crashed into the East China Sea. One crew landed in Vladivostok, Russia where the aircraft was seized and her crew imprisoned by our “ally” Stalin. Chinese civilian support to aid the downed fliers resulted in retribution by the Japanese. Chiang Kai Shek reported to FDR that thousands of Chinese were killed by the Japanese. Eight crew members were captured and tried in a Japanese Kangaroo Court. Three were executed, one died of disease, and four made it back to the US after the war. The rest were rescued and repatriated from China. Those in Russia were held until they escaped miraculously to freedom 14 months after being interned.
Doolittle feared that he had failed. He was certain that he would be tried by Court Martial for losing his planes and his crews. Instead the flyers were awarded the Distinguished Flying Crosses, and Lt. Colonel Doolittle was advanced two grades to Brigadier General. Doolittle and his crews had no idea how much they had accomplished. Americans were enthralled by the boldness of what had secretly been a Roosevelt pet project since the attack on Pearl Harbor. One press reporter asked FDR where the bombers had launched from and FDR grinned and replied, “Shangri-la!”
I cite this historical example of “gutsy” decision making and apparent derring-do to make some points:
First and foremost: “Loose lips sink ships.” Roosevelt, his commanders, and virtually all Americans took seriously operations Security [OPSEC]. No one but FDR and his chosen few Commanders, Primary Staff and operators knew what he was cooking. Have you seen the photo of how many people were watching the streaming live video of the take down? How in the world could that diverse crowd, many of whom are appointed political hacks with no experience in security operations, be fully indoctrinated on how to keep their mouths shut. In 1942, “Leakers” would have been locked up. Those spokespeople giving out confusing and conflicting information would have been looking for a new job. President Obama likely had a small window before this operation leaked. He had to act or forever be a goat.
Secondly, it was predetermined in FDR’s War Department which press release would be issued in case of success or failure. Information in either case would have been minimal but accurate, because it was understood that there was a wider ongoing war and that information could be linked to other operations and compromise our war effort. Contrast this mindset to the Obama team. They hem and haw, extemporize, spout misstatements, or fail to answer even with a “no comment.“ What can we expect from an Administration that even denies our efforts are war. Instead they describe our efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan as “Overseas Contingency Operations". The Media today feels free to press, to pursue, and to publish information even if it harms our forces or our overall war efforts. The Media seems eventually to get what they want, even when there is no need to know.
Thirdly, any narrative or photo that would rally Americans was also viewed by FDR as a propaganda tool to discourage the enemy. Lowell Thomas Reports would have been on newsreels in all theaters the following weeks. There were no efforts to sanitize our enemy. We ridiculed them. We marginalized them. We threatened them. We resolved to “hold them by the nose and kick them in in the #…. To grease our tank treads with their guts!” [kudos to General Patton]. Today there is guarded caution and political correctness. “We don’t want to upset the Jihadists.” … “We are not at war with Islam.” We don't want our actions to be a recruiting tool for their cause,” etc. Nonsense! Memo to Obama - These people want to kill us…all of us … you too. You had better get serious. Short example: FDR specifically targeted Admiral Yamamoto the master Planner of Pearl Harbor and Midway. Major John W. Mitchell, Army Air Corps, leading his 339th P-38 Fighter Squadron flying out of Guadalcanal shot down Yamamoto while that Admiral was flying over Bougainville in the South Pacific. Their orders: "TOP SECRET" -"SQUADRON 339 P-38 MUST AT ALL COSTS REACH AND DESTROY. PRESIDENT ATTACHES EXTREME IMPORTANCE TO MISSION."]. The jubilation over Yamamoto’s death, exactly one year after Doolittle’s raid on April 18, 1943, was not minimized by the President, the Press, or the Public. Political correctness did not exist then, thank God.
Finally, America mobilized for victory over the Axis Powers. There were War Bonds, scrap metal drives, rubber drives, penny [copper] drives, food and commodity rationing. There is no shared sacrifice today. If FDR got away from the war at all, it was for a short visit to Warm Springs Georgia to get some relief from the excruciating pain of his polio. Through it all, FDR was re-elected again and again, and the GOP was frustrated domestically, but everyone knew that FDR was out to beat the Empire of Japan [and Nazi Germany who would later declare war on the US from the moment he asked Congress to declare war in his famous “Day of Infamy” Speech:
“As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.”
FDR rarely wavered. He did not dither in matters of war. He trusted his subordinates and allowed them to lead. Special Advisor Harry Hopkins would not easily isolate him from Secretary of State Cordell, Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall, or Secretary of War Henry Stimson. Contrast that to a variously reported eight months of debate and sixteen hours of dithering before Secretary Clinton, Director Panetta, and General Petraeus are able to prevail over Valerie Jarrett’s and President Obama’s delays and the operation is finally ordered. Some reports speculate that CIA Chief Panetta ordered the Operation to begin himself.
FDR understood the threat to America and that war is war. Barack Obama did not understand this as a candidate, and likely still does not as President understand that we are at war, else he would at last concede it. And what about a hat tip to his predecessor President George W. Bush who laid the necessary groundwork for this action? Perish the thought. It would never cross Obama’s mind.
I have quarrels with a few of FDR’s wartime decisions. We waited too long to mobilize and missed many signals that war with Japan was imminent. Certainly FDR’s illnesses were affecting his judgment by the time of the Yalta Conference. His misplaced attempts to ever mollify Stalin and Molotov and calling Stain “Uncle Joe” is curious at best. His failure to read Vice-President Truman in on Foreign Policy, War Plans, and the A-Bomb was a large error. These and other missteps aside, Franklin Roosevelt was accepted as the leader of all the American People in World War II. FDR most judiciously used the best talent he could muster, Republican or Democrat, to get the job done and win the victory.
President Obama can only see the world through his ideologically rose-colored glasses: looking over his shoulder one second and looking forward to 2012 the next. How sad. My, how the Presidency in America has changed.
