The Japanese imperial Marine (大日本帝國海軍 Dai-Japanese Teikoku Kaigun or 日本海軍 Japanese Kaigun and also 連合艦隊 Rengō Kantai ) was the Navy imperial Japan of 1869 with 1947. Its adaptation to the most modern techniques was done very quickly at the time of the opening of the country on the Occident with the assistance of the European powers. At the dawn of the Second world war, it was essential like the third military navy on the world, and the first of the Pacifique zone. It nevertheless will be confronted with the first two naval forces in the world, the US Navy and the Royal Navy, and after some great initial successes, it will see its forces almost destroyed at the time of a long war of attrition extending on all the Pacific Ocean. Japan, after its final defeat and peace, must give up the existence even of armed forces, in particular naval, and their substitutes forces of “self-defense”.

Origins

The long story of the relations between Japan and the continent of Asia implied the transport of troops between Korea and Japan at the beginning of the Period Kofun, at the 3rd century. The first important reference to Japanese naval actions is in the reports/ratios of the Mongolian invasion of Japan by the marine of Kubilai Khan in 1281. Japan did not have a navy comparable with the Mongolian navy. The major part of the engagements took place on the Japanese ground. But, on this occasion, a group of Samurai S Japanese, transferred onto small coastal boats, approached and took the control of several boats of the Mongolian navy.

Japan made a main effort of naval construction at the 16th century, when the feudal lords fights about it for supremacy built a vast coastal marine made up of hundreds of boats. Largest of these boats were called “Atakebune” (安宅船). It seems that it is at this period that Japan developed the first ships Cuirassé S of war of the history, when Oda Nobunaga, a Daimyo Japanese made build, in 1576, six Ōatakebune (大安宅船), armoured iron. These ships called Tekkōsen (鉄甲船, literally “armoured iron boats”) were barges armed with multiple guns and rifle S of great gauge, able to overcome largest of the enemy vessels. With them, in 1578, during a naval Blockade, the marine of the Clan Mori was overcome with the mouth of the Kizu river, with Ōsaka. These boats were regarded as floating fortresses, rather than like genuine warships and were used only in coastal actions.

Japan built its first oceanic ships at the beginning of the 17th century, following the period of bringings together with the Occident. In 1614, the Daimyo of Sendai, in agreement with the Bakufu Tokugawa built the San Juan Bautista , a ship similar to a Galion of 500  barrels, which transported the Japanese ambassador to America, and which, from there, left for Europe. Always with the same period, 350  ships shuinsen were ordered in Bakufu, equipped with a traditional armament, but incorporating some of European technologies; they were to be used for the trade with Asia. At all events, little time afterwards, and for two centuries, Japan chose a political isolationist who prohibits the construction of ships able to face the ocean.

The study of the Western techniques of naval engineering started again in the years 1840 and intensified at the rate/rhythm of the growth of Western forwardings along the coasts of Japan, due to the trade with China and the development of the Chasse for the whale. In 1852, Bakufu, fearing foreign incursions, began the construction of the first warship in the Western style, the Shohei Maru .

In 1854, the Commodore Perry of the the United States of America obtained the opening of the country to the international business and the establishment of foreign concessions. From there, the Tokugawa government supported a policy of active assimilation of the Western naval techniques. In 1855, a school of naval formation is founded with Nagasaki, and of the candidates were sent in Western schools, marking the beginning of a tradition of large military chiefs trained abroad, whose admirals Takeaki Enomoto, Heihachirō Tōgō and later Isoroku Yamamoto were the brilliances representatives. French engineers were solicited to build building sites like Yokosuka and Nagasaki.

Before the end of the “mandate” of Shogun Tokugawa, in 1867, the Japanese navy had eight warships to vapor of the Western type, supported by the Kaiyo Maru which were used against the pro-imperial forces during the Guerre as Boshin, with the orders of the admiral Enomoto.

Other ships were famous: the Jho Sho Maru , the Ho Sho Maru and the Kagoshima, all built by Thomas Blake Glover with Aberdeen.

Birth of the imperial Navy

Starting from 1868, date on which begins the era Meiji, Japan does not have of cease to be industrialized and to be militarized to protect itself from the European powers and the United States. January 17th 1868 is created the ministry for the military businesses, whose Iwakura Tomomi, Tadayoshi Shimazu and the prince Komatsu Yoshiakira is the first secretaries. The organized naval review the next on March 26th, in bay of Osaka, makes become aware with the Japanese of their delay. The six Japanese ships of the domanial private fleets, namely Saga, Choshu, Satsuma, Kurume, Kumamoto and Hiroshima participants have only one total tonnage of 2252 tons, much less than the only French ship present.

The Japanese imperial Navy officially is established in July 1869, two months after the last combat of the Guerre of Boshin. In 1871, the private navy is dissolved and their eleven ships are added to the seven of the old fleet of Bakufu Tokugawa, to form the framework of the new navy. Into 1872, the military ministry for the businesses, is divided into two entities, the ministry for the army and that of the marine, in October 1873, Katsu Kaishu takes the head of this last. The new government launches out an ambitious challenge then: to have 200  boats organized in 10  fleets. This program is quickly given up, at the end of one year, because of the lack of industrial resources and of the need for the development of the terrestrial forces, to face rebellions, like that of Satsuma, in 1877. The maritime policy is then marked by two principles, Shusei Kokubō (in Japanese 守勢国防, literally “static Defense”) and Rikushu Kaijū (陸主海従, the army in first then navy), one thus supports coastal defenses and the ships of small tonnage.

Foreign assistances and influences

Very late technologically, Japan decides to take as a starting point the example of the Western navy and to resort to the purchase of boats produced abroad, to modernize its fleet. Quite naturally, the choice is made on the Royal Navy, which dominates the seas then, and which an imperial decree of 1870 imposes like model on the new imperial navy. In 1869, Thomas Blake Glover supervises construction, in Scotland, of the first warship modern Japanese, the Jho Sho Maru (famous thereafter Ryujo Maru), and an English military mission, directed by the Commodore Douglas, visit Japan in 1873, to help with the development of its marine. Thereafter, the commodore Willan was him engaged to train the juniors by the marine in 1879. Regularly, because of weakness of national industry, Japan calls upon the British shipyards to equip the fleet. This practice will last until in 1913 and the purchase of the four buildings of the class Kongo. The British have also an unquestionable influence on the development of local industries like Ishikawajima-Harima and Kawasaki.

Another influence was the Jeune French School , which after its victory at the time of the war which had opposed it to China, starts to also interest Japan. The use by Courbet of the torpedo as arms decisive growth the Japanese government to be obtained twenty-two Torpilleur S. One can find this French influence, also, in acquisition, dice 1869, of its first battleship able to face the ocean, the Kotetsu , 10  years only after the introduction of these boats in Occident ( Glory being the first French battleship), or the use of marine mines, but also for the preference granted to the ships fast and enduring. In 1886, the admiral Louis-Emile Bertin was charged to reinforce the imperial navy, and directed the construction of the arsenals of Kure and Sasebo.

Towards a navy of high-sea

During the Years 1890, the foreign politics of Japan starts a turn. The growth of its national industry incipient, on the archipelago, at low prices makes essential the contribution external of raw materials, and thus the creation of colony S. It first of all throws its reserved on the Korea, then with the hands of the Dynastie Qing. The Chinese fleet is also in the course of modernization, it, for example, got in Germany two battleships of 7335 tons, Ting Yüan and Chen-Yüan, which exceed in power all that Japanese can align. After some naval skirmishes, the war is declared officially, the 1894, and a month later, on September 1st, the Japanese navy crushes the Fleet of the north of Qing to broad of the mouth of the Yalu, running eight Chinese ships over the twelve present. This battles naval decisive combined with that terrestrial quickly put China at knees and this one must sign the Traité of Shimonoseki, who grants independence to Korea, and gives to Japan the peninsula Liaodong. However, this victory causes the intervention European nations, which oblige the Japanese to restore Liaodong in China. The Russian Empire, particularly anxious on the rise to power of Japan in Mandchourie, then decides to occupy this territory immediately, and the concession in from it 1898 obtains.

The Japanese feel humiliated by this affront, and decide to launch a ten years program, named “perseverance and determination” (臥薪嘗胆, Gashinshōtan ), which must give them the means of fighting their new and powerful European adversary. Purchases and new naval constructions are decided, to reinforce the fleet, in addition to the recovered Chinese units. The manpower of the imperial navy passes then from 15  100 with 40  800 men. In 1905, the fleet is made up of six battleships (all manufactured in England), eight armoured Croiseur S (4  British, 2  Italian, 1  German and 1  French), nine cruisers (5  manufactured with Japan, 2  British and 2  American), twenty-four Destroyer S (16  manufactured in England and 8  in Japan) and sixty three destroyers (26  manufactured in Germany, 10  in England, 17  in France, and 10 with the Japan). In addition to the increase in manpower, it is also the first navy in the world to have a communication system without cable (radio), and a pionnière in the use of artillery with great range.

The war is started this same year, the Japanese fleet first of all will crush, by surprise, the Russian fleet of the Pacific, based with Port-Arthur, which allows the investment of the fortress. Thereafter, it also demolishes, the fleet of help of the admiral Rojdestvensky, which after its long voyage starting from Europe, is almost destroyed at the time of the Bataille of Tsoushima. This victory is regarded as one of most decisive of the history, because the Russian fleet was practically destroyed: on 38  ships, 21  were run, 7  captured and 6  disarmed. 4  545  Russian sailors perished, 6  106  prisoners were made; whereas the Japanese losses were limited to 116  sailors and 3  destroyers. It also marks, the first important victory of a nonEuropean power. The victory of Japan, allows him finally, to transform Korea into colony in 1910, and to make sure of the full control of the China Sea, which becomes to some extent its inland sea. After this success, the imperial navy, become one of the first in the world, will seek, to acquire its complete independence in the field of naval construction. It starts to produce its first large units, like the battleship Satsuma, brought into service in 1909, which miss little becoming, the first building monocalibre in the world, in front of the Dreadnought. The last important purchases carried out abroad, will be the four cruisers of battle of the Classe Kongo, ordered with the the United Kingdom in 1913. Not only, Japan constituted a powerful and many fleet, but it succeeded in setting up industry able to equip it. This one, very dynamic, often carries out the first world ones, as the adoption of the gauge of 356 mm on the battleships of the Classe Fuso, then of 406 on those of the Classe Nagato.

The First World War, during which, Japan, combined British Empire, entered in war to the sides of the Allies, the August 23rd 1914, will still make it possible to reinforce the position of Japan on the international scene. It recovers there the control of the German colonies of Oceania, namely the Marshall Islands, the Mariannes, and the islands Carolines, as well as German concessions and economic interests in China. Paradoxically, the Japanese navy, after the destruction of the squadron of admiral Von Spee, and the catch of Tsingtao, is found without real enemy with his range, and must be satisfied to keep trade route of the Pacifique and the Indian Ocean. It sends even some destroyers to title symbolic system in Mediterranean to make anti-submarine Lutte. The largest loss of the Japanese marine, during the war, will be due to an accident, the Kawachi battleship explodes on September 2nd 1918, following a spontaneous combustion of its ammunition, causing the death of 621 men.

Competition and the fight with the US Navy

At the end of the First World War, Japan became one of the two powers of the zone of the Pacific, it has a whole of colonies, which feeds its raw material industry, to protect its shopping streets, it has a navy, which became, in a few years, the third of the world. Its industry become powerful, makes it independent of the purchases carried out abroad. A new turn will be started, with the rupture with the Great Britain, on August 17th 1923. The first two fleets of the world, which are at the time, respectively, the Royal Navy and the US Navy are then likely to become hostile and to threaten the Japanese interests. Because of its proximity, American is of course, more threatening. Its economy requiring more and more resources, Japan turns to the continent, which gives initially the invasion of the Mandchourie, in 1931, giving rise to the vassal state of the Manzhouguo, then, in 1937, the second war Sino-Japanese.

However, this expansion towards the east, mainly constant by the mediums close to the army, will encounter several difficulties. First of all Chinese resistance, makes the conflict long and expensive, consequently obliging to obtain even more resources, then the Japanese undergo several failures against the Soviet , which dissuade them to continue an expansion towards the Siberia, finally certain essential resources, like the Pétrole or the rubber, is available only in Southeast Asia. This whole of factors, thus will give rise to a strategy of expansion towards the south, to which are opposed the American and British interests.

In the years which precede the Second world war, the Japanese imperial Navy, hitherto still simple auxiliary of the army for the continental conquests, starts to be specifically structured in the objective to fight the United States, for the control of the Pacific. In 1934, Japan denounces the Traité of Washington of 1922, which limited its fleet to the 3/5e that of the the United States and the United Kingdom. It then starts many constructions of very offensive ships, to manage to dominate its future adversaries.

The Japanese fleet at the entry in war

In 1937, the imperial navy is placed under the orders of the imperial District-general ( Daihonei ), a structure independent of the government which chapeaute also the armed . At the beginning of the Sino-Japanese war, it has the role of supporting the continental invasion of China by imposing a maritime blockade by the conquest of the main ports of the country.

The September 27th 1940, with the signature of the tripartite pact, the navy has:

• 10  Battleship S;
• 10  Aircraft carrier;
• 36  Cruiser S;
• 113  Destroyer S;
• 63  Underwater S.

At the end of 1941, Japan has one of the best fleets of the war of the world, and surely most aggressive. It bases its strategy on doctrines, that of the decisive battle, strongly anchored in its recent history since the battles of the Yalu river and Tschoushima. Naval superiority having to be obtained by forcing the opposing navy with a series of fast and fatal engagements, where the concentration and the superiority of the Japanese forces must be determining. Moreover, a long time limited in tonnage to the three fifths of the US Navy and Royal Navy by the naval treated of Washington, it was to compensate while returning each one of its ships, more powerful than the equivalent ship of its future adversary. All the buildings of its fleet are thus built consequently: they must be fast, equipped with a large operating range and strongly armed. In the same way the crews and officers are animated of an offensive spirit which makes them hold in poor regard of the tasks as the escort of its convoys where the attack of those of the adversary.

However, if the effect were devastator during engagements against the enemy forces, these doctrines had through: it left the tradind ships exposed to the blows of aviation and the enemy submarines whereas the supply of this same enemy was not him not worried. Other weaknesses rose from this offensive will: a tendency to overload the hulls of the combat buildings, by installing too many armament and equipment, sometimes until the limits of buoyancy. This way of designing the ships made the control of the damages more delicate and made problematic the installation of new equipment. For example, the Japanese engineers had sometimes to unload part of the armament anti-surface when it became necessary to reinforce that with anti-aircraft vocation.

Nevertheless, the largest handicap of the Japanese navy was the oil supply what returned the idea of an impossible long war. Time was counted to him, it was to gain a decisive victory at the time of the first year. If not, its exhausted reserves, it would be at the thank you of its opponents who equipped with a higher industrial capacity would increase the tonnage and the power of their fleet more quickly. Japan however had the enormous advantage of being able to concentrate all its forces in the Pacific, whereas the the United States and the the United Kingdom were to also support an intense fight in Atlantique and the Mediterranean, which gave to the Japan one crushing regional superiority in the first times of the conflict.

To implement, the doctrines of the decisive battle, two schools of thought clashed, then within the Japanese navy. One traditional, hoped to rest on a powerful fleet of ship of battle and Croiseur S, which supported by many destroyers of squadron and submarines, was constantly to continue the enemy groups of surface then to destroy them. The second, more innovative, preached the use of the naval Aéronautique, at the same time embarked and based with ground, to work towards the same end. The debate was really distinct only after the first experiments of the conflict, which rather gave reason to the second, and Japan with its limited resources carried out face at the same time the construction of powerful surface vessels like the battleships of the class Yamato or the cruisers of the class Chokai, and that of Porte-avions, of which the first, the Hosho had been launched in 1922.

Forces of surface

The ships of combat was the component, oldest from the imperial marine, it still profited from an unquestionable prestige, the battleships being regarded as the kings of the seas. Faithful to their offensive traditions, the Japanese units and crews were among best world. In the field of the linerships, one counted ten operational units. The Yamato which would be joined soon by two others then in construction, which by its dimensions and its armament of 457 mm exceeded any other battleship in the world, but also both Nagato, armed with eight guns with 406 mm, and protected well. These three modern units could be supported by four older of the classes Fuso and Ise armed them with 356 mm, but also by the four old cruisers of battle of the strongly modernized class kongo, which with their eight 356 mm, could sail at 30 knots.

With dimensions one of the Cruiser S, a series of heavy cruisers built since the beginning of the years 1930, symbolized well the Japanese doctrines, the three classes of four ships, Myoko, Takao and Mogami, carried all ten guns of 203 mm and was capable of a speed of at least 34 nodes, the four Furutaka, older carried them than six guns of the same gauge and was a little slower, as for both Tone, most recent they had reduced their principal battery to eight guns, to improve their protection. All these cruisers in addition to their battery of 203, and a powerful secondary artillery, generally of eight parts with dual employment of 127, embarked also many torpedo tubes, able to be reloaded with the sea, which were going to appear very often extremely destroying. Generally older, the light cruisers were twenty, they were armed with gun of 140 mm in simple mounting, generally seven and of torpedo tubes, often eight. They were most frequently useful like drivers of flotilla of the Destroyer S, which they supported with their powerful artillery with fast shooting.

The fleet of the destroyers counted at the time the best ships of this type in the world, armed very well with four or six guns with 127 mm out of double turrets, but especially eight or nine torpedo tubes. Since the middle of the years 1930, the Japanese indeed acquired a superiority expresses in the field of the Torpille S, arms which corresponds well to their offensive doctrines. Hitherto, they used already models larger than those of the other navy, with a diameter of 640 millimetres, against traditional the 533, but still will improve their advance, while developing their torpedo Type 93, called thereafter Long Launches . The secrecy of this weapon, lies in the use of the pure Oxygène like Comburant, instead of the compressed air much more cumbersome, which allows them an unequalled range and a speed (20  000  meters with 48  nodes or 40  000 with 36  nodes), with the secondary advantage to decrease their wake thanks to the absence of Nitrogen. All the ships cruisers or destroyers, except the oldest models, embark this type of torpedo whose explosive load of almost a half ton is extremely destroying. The Japanese crews are involved to use it in a systematic way during the engagements, and very often the attack by a salvo of torpedes is preferred with the artillery battle because the effect is more expeditious. This weapon and its aggressive employment by the imperial marine, had a determining influence at the beginning of the conflict. Later in the war, that will remain an important threat for the ships of the US Navy which will then endeavor always to be maintained remote.

Air and sea

Another Japanese, more recent naval pride however, its Naval Aviation, with ten aircraft carriers. It is largest and more modern fleet of this type of ships at the time. The Japanese are also innovators in this field because their first ship of this type, the Hosho, is the first ship Porte-avions specifically designed for this role, all the precedents having been more or less successful adaptations of cruisers, it is nevertheless displaced in 1941 and is not used any more but for the drive. It is followed by two linerships, that Japan cannot finish as such, during the Années 1920, because of signature of the Traité of Washington, the Akagi and Kaga, which keeps their protection of battleship, in spite of their new function, they embark each one 90 planes. The Ryujo which follows them is a light model, carrying approximately forty planes. It precedes both Soryu, more important with their 70 aircraft which inaugurate them it concept of the opposed small island aircraft carriers, where the ships are supposed to operate per pair, the two bridges aligned in the center and the small islands towards outside. After these tests the result with both arrives Shokaku, built after the denunciation of the treaty of Washington, carrying all two more than 90 planes. Rapids with 34 nodes and protected extremely well, these two ships will be exceeded only by the American Essex class.

Japan began the war with embarked naval air forces very qualified, built around the best fighter plan of the time, the Mitsubishi A6M, known as the “Zero”. The body of the Japanese pilots at the beginning of the war was, thanks to an intense drive and with an experiment in first line at the time of the Sino-Japanese war, of a level much higher than their foreign counterparts. The dive bombing is assured him by the Aichi D3A Val, which although slow and vulnerable, is able to conduct extremely precise attacks. More effective still, the plane destroyer Nakajima B5N Kate, is the spearhead against the enemy ships. It embarks either a torpedo Type 91 or a bomb of 800  kg, which it uses at the time of master key to the horizontal one. All these apparatuses have the advantage of a great autonomy what makes it possible their aircraft carrier to very often remain safe from a counter-attack.

The navy has also its own aviation based with ground, equipped with bomber S Mitsubishi G3M and Mitsubishi G4M, them also with great autonomy, and able to carry either of the bombs or of the torpedes. These planes astounded the world by running, for the first time, two enemy battleships at sea, HMS Prince off Wales and HMS Repulse of the Royal Navy, whereas those were believed out of reach any attack. A great number of these planes are gathered within the 11th air fleet, which is with the 1st air fleet embarked on the aircraft carriers, one of the two spearheads of the imperial navy. Aviation based with ground has also hunters of the type Mitsubishi A5M or A6M and large seaplanes of recognition like the Kawanishi H8K. On the whole, the navy aligns 660 embarked hunters, 330 bombers, 240 twin-engine bombers and 520 seaplanes.

Underwater forces

Contrary, to the crews of German submarines for example, the objective of the Japanese submariners is the enemy body of battle and not its merchant fleet. They regard as not very glorious being caught some with a cargo liner, they will run only 184 during the war of them, and prefer to keep their torpedes to tackle the best unfavourable units. This attitude will evolve/move during the war but it will be then too late for really endangering the allied transportation routes, those being organized in convoys and being protected effectively by the warships and aviation. Moreover they will always miss a suitable tactic like that of the pack, development by the German admiral Donitz, the Japanese submarines operative as a recluse without real coordination, and often in operations of scout of the fleet where they constitute a curtain.

The Japanese navy entered in war with a fleet of submarines adapted well to the Pacific, in term of autonomy, and she did not suffer from a crisis of the torpedes like US Navy. Their models, in particular those derived from the Long Launches also functioning to pure oxygen had a good range and an excellent speed, and equipped with traditional detonators, appeared highly reliable. Japan was characterized also by employment from “dwarf” submarines KB-hyoteki, intended to make short missions starting from other submarines which conveyed them in the zone of operation, but also of seaplanes embarked on some of its larger underwater units. During the war, the diversity of this fleet still increased, with the appearance of the controlled torpedes Kaiten and the “dwarf” submarines Kairyu intended for the missions - suicides, but also of the three Sentoku (I-400, I-401 and I-402), genuine underwater aircraft carriers, of 6.500 tons displacement, and three Sentaka (I-200, I-201 and I-202) smaller but able to slip by to 19 nodes in diving. In a general way, the Japanese underwater weapon was of very good quality and it does not succeed in weighing on the course of the conflict, only because of its doctrines of employment, which made him seek the fleet of unfavourable combat whereas the German submarines spent their time trying to avoid it. It however had an major importance at the end of the war by carrying out missions of supply and connection with the isolated garrisons, but also with Germany, at the time of the Yanagi missions.

Terrestrial forces

Having many bases and other installations, the navy also maintained many terrestrial troops, indicated under the name of Rikujo Butai . Those were divided into various specialized units, it existed as follows:

• the Keibitai , of the detachments from 200 to 500 men, in charge of the guard of the terrestrial installations.
• the Tokabetsu Konkyochitai , which gathered the units of services of these installations.
• the Bobitai or Boei-han , of the units of defense from 200 to 400 men.
• the Setsutai , of the units of genius specialized in the construction of bases, such as for example the runways, located in the isolated islands.
• the Kaigun Kenchiku Shisetsu Butted , of the units which filled of the similar tasks but using civil personnel.
• the Tsushintai , of the units gathering between 600 and 1000 men, dealing with the transmissions, in particular the coding and the decoding of the messages.
• the Tokeitai , of the units which filled the tasks of military police force but also some related to the information.

For the operations amphibians, until the end of the Years 1920, the Japanese navy, influenced by the British example, used only detachments of circumstance known as rikusentai , organized with sailors who had received a training of infantryman. Thereafter were added to it permanent Régiment S, formed in each one of the metropolitan naval bases, Kure, Maizuru, Sasebo and Yokosuka. The number of these units increased then up to sixteen, at December 7th 1941, five others being still formed during the war. These regiments, nearer in manpower to a Bataillon were composed pre-war period of approximately 1.200 men, thereafter manpower often decreased with 650 men. They were equipped like the infantrymen with the army, being characterized only by the greener color from their uniform and an anchor placed on their helmet. A good part was also trained for parachuting, so that the rikusentai ended up carrying out more jumps than the 1st brigade parachutist of the army.

Initial successes

Conscious of its long-term weakness, because of its weaker industry, Japan will leave in war against the the United States with a plan conceived by a man, the admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who had opposed of long time the idea of this conflict. Its opposition was due to the conscience that it had short initial superiority of which was going to lay out Japan which according to him would last only six months. It succeeded in influencing the strategy initially envisaged by the Japanese staff, who envisaged to attract the US Navy, while weakening it, in a trap in the zone ranging between the Îles Ryukyu with the west and the the Northern Marianna Islands in the east, and to destroy it there, at the time of a decisive battle. Yamamoto, inspired by the British raid of Tarente of November 1940, rather suggests striking as of the opening of the hostilities the fleet of the Pacific in its home port to Pearl Harbor to prevent it from interfering the conquests under consideration by Japan, i.e. the Filipino , Singapore and the the Indies Dutchwomen. It thus hopes to benefit from the advantage which it has in the air and sea field. Indeed, vis-a-vis its ten aircraft carriers, the US Navy could align only seven of them including only three in the Pacific and the Royal Navy three of which nearest operative in the Indian Ocean.

This surprised attack succeeds beyond the Japanese hopes. However, which Yamamoto was unaware of, it is which the American plan Dog in any event did not consider that a careful defensive on the east of the Pacific and the maintenance of the communications with the Australia. Any really offensive action was not considered before at least several months, including with the Filipino . Nevertheless, with the major part of their fleet out of combat, US Navy is from now on out of the play. The three other obstacles drawing up itself on the road of the Japanese will be them also eliminated quickly. A few hours after the Attaque on Pearl Harbor, the bombers of the 11th Japanese air fleet tackle the 7th American fleet of the Air Force based in Philippines and British force “Z”, which opens the way with the capture of the two primary goals concerned. Thereafter, the imperial navy still gains a decisive victory, with the battle of the Mer of Java, the February 27th 1942, which allows the catch of the the Indies Dutchwomen. All the conquests of territories coveted by Japan were practically carried out in a few months, only remains to take Port Moresby in New Guinea. But the operation which must lead to its capture is opposed by the reappearance in force of the US Navy during the Bataille of the Coral sea. This intervention, as well as the Raid of Doolittle on Tokyo, shows in Yamamoto and the staff of the fleet that a new decisive offensive against the Americans is necessary, to leave time in Japan to consolidate its profits. Then selected Yamamoto to carry this new blow on the Atoll of Midway.

Slow anguish

The Bataille of Midway will be a true catastrophe for the Japanese imperial navy, following a series of errors and bad lucks, it loses four of its invaluable aircraft carrier there, and especially the pilots who were embarked there. The replacement of the aircraft carriers will be difficult and Japan makes fire of any wood, transforming several ships into aircraft carrier, such as for example the two battleships of the Classe Ise. The replacement of the pilots is him impossible because there is no time to form new the also qualified ones. the United States them lost one aircraft carrier and their situation is much less critical because a massive construction schedule is in hand. Moreover their planes more powerful and are used especially better, able to compete well with those of the Japanese. This battle is true turning of the war, certainly US Navy would have laid out early or late of the air and sea superiority but Midway the process accelerates. Instead of gaining time, at the time of its operation, Yamamoto lost some. Deprived of its offensive main force, Japan is constrained with a defensive posture, without having really time to prepare there.

The Americans assemble soon their first offensive to Guadalcanal, which gene their communications with the Australia. The quality of the Japanese forces of surface first of all causes many worry in US Navy which cannot prevent the Japanese ships supplying and from reinforcing the garrison of the island, to even bombard the American troops. The American cruisers undergo several defeats, as the Bataille of the island of Savo, where the superiority of the Japanese sailors in the combat of night plays full. But, they remain the Masters the day, thanks to their more powerful Naval Aviation, and can be measured soon of night to the convoys of the Tokyo Express, compensating for their relative inexperience by the use of more powerful Radar S. American rise to power becomes irresistible then and the last voyages from Tokyo Express are used to evacuate the Japanese troops which are beaten on the island. The Campagne of the Solomon Islands all the same will last until the end 1943, but with its conclusion, the Japanese base vital of Rabaul is neutralized, which finally makes it possible American to advance in the central Pacific. What they will make on two axes, one on the basis of Solomon and of the New Guinea aims at the Filipino and Borneo, which isolates Japan from its resources of the Indies Dutchwomen, in particular of its supplies oil. The other, more to north, passes by the Marshall Islands and the islands Gilbert, then Guam and the Mariannes, approaches the Japanese archipelago gradually, to prepare the capture of it.

The imperial navy lost the possibility of influencing the course of the events. She manages to reconstitute, thanks to a great industrial effort, a fleet of aircraft carrier, but the experienced pilots disappeared. Engaged again massively with the Battle of the sea of Philippines, it will know catastrophic losses, three of its aircraft carriers being run and 395 shot down planes. The whole of the imperial navy, will provide a last effort at the time of the Bataille of the gulf of Leyte but without success, and there still at an appalling price, losing four aircraft carriers, three battleships and ten cruisers. This battle also sees, for the first time, the appearance of tactics despaired with the use of attacks suicides. These Kamikaze S is the last attempt of the Japanese soldiers to fight against an inescapable defeat, they seems to them that it is the only way of using their inexperienced pilots. The recourse to these desperate measurements still will intensify, with the battles of the end of the war, in addition to the planes, they will imply also large ships, like the battleships Yamato and Musashi. The Japanese fleet is indeed then unable to fight in a traditional way. It is with fuel course, it is divided into two by the catch of Philippines, it is attacked effectively by aviation allied in its ports, including of Japan, and as soon as it leaves at sea, it is badgered by the submarines with US Navy, which then gain great successes against the military buildings. It is thus forced with the inaction and must leave the control of the seas to the allied fleets. The two atomic bombardments and the invasion of the Mandchourie, by the the USSR, will avoid to him having to fight again to protect its own territory.

Forces of self-defense

After the defeat of the Japanese imperial army at the time of the Second world war, and the occupation of Japan by the Americans, the Japanese imperial army is entirely dissolved and in the new constitution of 1947 precise that “the Japanese people give up for always the war”. Japan has right only to one army intended to defend and not to attack: they are the Japanese forces of self-defense.

Principal actions

• Battle of the river Yalu: naval victory of 1894, against the Chinese.

• Battle of Tsushima: naval victory of 1905, against the Russians.
• Battle of Port-Arthur: Japanese naval victory over Russia.
• Battle of Chemulpo: Japanese naval victory over Russia.
• Battle of Ulsan: Japanese victory over Russia.
• Attack on Pearl Harbor: attacks against the American fleet of peaceful, on December 7th, 1941.
• Battle of the Coral sea: short victory against the American Navy.
• Battle of Midway: loss of 4 aircraft carriers in an American air attack.
• Battle of Guadalcanal: place of seven battles against the United States.
• Battle of the sea of Philippines: end of the Air and sea Japanese
• Battle of the gulf of Leyte: the greatest naval battle of the history and end of the Japanese navy as an actor whom can modify the exit of the conflict

See too

Sources

This article is the translation of an article of quality of Wikipédia Italy. The primary sources used by the Italian authors are:

Part of this article is resulting from the translation of an article of quality of anglophone Wikipédia. The sources used by the anglophone authors are:

• Tōgō Shrine and Tōgō Association (東郷神社 ・ 東郷会), Togo Heihachiro in images, it Meiji Navy (図説東郷平八郎、 目で見る明治の海軍)
• Collective, 潜水艦大作戦 “underwater Japanese”, 新人物往来社, s.l., 2003,123 p.

The sources used by the French-speaking authors are:

Internal bonds

Body

• Armed imperial Japanese Japanese woman
• Armed current
• Dai-Japanese teikoku tikugun kōkū hombu (aviation based with ground)

Engagements

• Attack on Pearl Harbor
• Battle of Midway
• Battle of Guadalcanal

External bonds

• Site on the Japanese navy at the time medieval
• Site on the Japanese imperial Navy during the Second world war
• Another site on the Japanese imperial Navy during the Second world war