Unity of Command in the Pacific during World War II

Abstract

Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines have strong opinions on how the Pacific War was fought and how victory was achieved over Japan. Too often these views have been shaped by service parochialism dressed up in the guise of war principles. Regarding the issue of unity of command, there was actually more unity in the Pacific theater than there was in Europe. Strategy is similarly seen through parochial lenses and usually breaks into three camps: sailors and sea power advocates trumpet the importance of the Central Pacific thrust commanded by Admiral Chester Nimitz. Soldiers and land warfare historians instead hail General Douglas MacArthur’s island-hopping campaign in the Southwest Pacific Area. Airmen applaud the strategic bombing campaign culminating in the atomic bombs. In truth, it was a joint effort by all the services that defeated Japan.