The U.S. At War: Fort by Fort, Port by Port

The first crashing blows were so widespread that it looked as if the Japanese were trying to realize their "Heavensent," Hell-patented ambition of dominating the Pacific all at one fell shock. Actually they had no such crazy plan. They had, instead, a pattern of attack for a first move which was brilliant, thorough, audacious, and apparently in its first two days, successfully carried through.

Japan's gambit had two essentials: 1) strike at the heart of the main U.S. force and split it from the Allied forces to the East; 2) lay the groundwork for...

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