World Battlefronts: COMMAND: Still Going On

Before the Tenth Army (under General MacArthur’s command) on the island of Okinawa (supposedly under Admiral Nimitz’ command), Lieut. General James H. Doolittle of the Eighth Air Force (under General Spaatz’s command) made a brash speech. He said the naming of a single, overall commander for ground, sea & air forces in the Pacific was essential for victory over Japan. The confused command situation surrounding Doolittle gave his remarks added point.

A few hours before Doolittle spoke, command of the U.S.-held islands in the Ryukyu chain, including Okinawa, had passed in part from Admiral Nimitz to General MacArthur. But no word of this change had come from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who made the decision. Not until week’s end did MacArthur’s headquarters proclaim: the Ryukyus, with the Philippines, “form a great semicircular base from which a mighty invasion force is being forged under the primary responsibility of General MacArthur for the final conquest of Japan.”

The Joint Chiefs, dividing the Pacific command by function rather than by area, had said in April that they might designate either MacArthur or Nimitz as commander of any future offensive. But MacArthur’s statement provoked Nimitz to the mildest of replies. For the record, he pointed out, “Control of all naval and naval air forces, naval bases and naval installations” in the Ryukyus remains in his command; the strategic bombers remain under Spaatz’s command. Spelling it out, Nimitz emphasized that naval commanders in the Ryukyus report direct to him—not through MacArthur.

The pulling & hauling over command, supposed to have been ended in April, was still going on.