Stephen L Wolborsky

Choke Hold: the Attack on Japanese Oil in World War II Stephen L Wolborsky

Publisher Marketing: This bureaucratic agenda colored almost all decisions by AAF leaders concerning the war against Japan, especially regarding the B-29. Believing strategic bombing to be decisive in modern warfare, but only if strategic bombers remained under the centralized control of airmen, AAF leaders fought to apply this approach against Japan's home islands. The AAF's long-term political objective, achievable if strategic bombing proved decisive, was post-war service independence. Thus, B-29 strategic bombing promised independent air power application, centralized control by the AAF, and visible demonstrations of effect against the Japanese homeland. Conversely, increased blockade support seemed only to offer a role secondary to the Navy, possible subservience to non-AAF theater commanders, and the often ephemeral and slow effects of maritime missions, all conducted on the periphery of the Japanese empire. Along with political factors, doctrinal and operational forces influenced the AAF's decision to bomb home island oil targets, as well as the AAF's ambivalence toward B-29 aerial mining. AAF doctrine identified refineries and storage as the best targets in an enemy's oil system. The US Strategic Bombing Survey's preliminary report on the European bombing campaign seemed to justify this belief, despite its inapplicability toward Japan. Doctrine also downplayed the potential effectiveness of missions like aerial mining. Operationally, the AAF saw Japan's home island oil industry as an ideal target to validate precision radar bombing, important to air power's claims as an independent war winner. Finally, strategic intelligence shortfalls increased planners' uncertainty as to the true state of Japan's home island oil, as well as the nature or intentions of Japan's government. Hence, since they had abundant resources, AAF leaders saw little reason not to bomb home island oil facilities and possibly shorten the war.