History of the United States Naval Operations in World War II
The History of the United States Naval Operations in World War II examines the comprehensive role of the U.S. Navy during the conflict, starting with the undeclared war against Germany in late 1941. This period encompasses various naval engagements across multiple theaters, including significant amphibious landings and submarine campaigns. Key battles in the Pacific theater, such as the carrier battles and nighttime operations in the Solomon Islands, are highlighted, alongside lesser-known events like the Komandorski Islands encounters. The narrative also touches upon earlier naval disarmament treaties and strategic planning efforts.
The coverage is marked by a critical examination of operational decisions and leadership, offering both praise and critique. Notably, it addresses the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack and contemplates the roles of key figures such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Admiral Husband Kimmel. While the history is presented in an objective and fair manner, it acknowledges the complexities and challenges faced by naval leadership. This overview serves as a foundational resource for understanding the multifaceted nature of U.S. naval strategy and operations during a pivotal period in global history.
History of the United States Naval Operations in World War II
Identification Officially sponsored naval history
Author Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976)
Date Published in 1947-1962
Morison’s multivolume history is thorough, informative, and sufficiently entertaining that he later put out a one-volume popular abridgement. His work is a model of official history worthy of emulation by later historians.
Morison provides careful, detailed coverage of United States naval operations throughout World War II, including the undeclared war against Germany in late 1941. This includes landings in both theaters (with brief coverage of land operations), the various submarine campaigns, and all the naval actions in the Pacific—not only major ones, such as the carrier battles and the many night actions in the Solomons, but obscure ones such as the Komandorski Islands. He briefly discusses the earlier naval disarmament treaties and strategic plans. He readily expresses his own opinions of operations and other issues—defending President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s undeclared war against Adolf Hitler because of the latter’s treatment of neutrals, but also arguing that Admiral Husband Kimmel and General Walter Short deserved another chance after Pearl Harbor.
Morison sought to be extremely fair in these assessments, readily admitting embarrassments such as the 1943 Battle of the Pips (which led to the greater embarrassment of attacking Kiska in the Aleutian Islands without realizing that the Japanese had already evacuated it). For both sides, he praises some operational decisions and criticizes others. This often displeased his targets; Admiral William Halsey was livid about the discussion of Leyte Gulf, arguing that Morison failed to differentiate adequately between the information available at the time and what was known in hindsight.
Impact
Morison’s history is remarkably accurate and objective for a government-sponsored publication. Although dated in some aspects, it has remained a useful source and a model for future historians.
Bibliography
Dunnigan, James, and Albert A. Nofi. The Pacific War Encyclopedia. New York: Checkmark Books, 1998.
Morison, Samuel E. History of the United States Naval Operations in World War II. 15 vols. Reprint. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2002.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. The Two-Ocean War: A Short History of the United States Navy in the Second World War. 1963. Reprint. Annapolis, Md.: U.S. Naval Institute Press, 2007.
Potter, E. B. Bull Halsey. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1985.