USAAF During WWII Volume 5 - The Pacific - Matterhorn to Nagasaki Jun 1944-Aug 1945 AFD-101105-012

IN March 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget ordering each war agency to prepare "an accurate and objective account"of that agency's war experience. Soon after, the Army Air Forces began hiring professional historians so that its history could "be recorded while it is hot and that personnel be selected and an agency set up for a clear historian's job without axe to grind or defense to prepare." An Historical Division was established in Headquarters Army Air Forces under Air Intelligence, in September 1942, and the modern Air Force historical program began. With the end of the war, Headquarters approved a plan for writing and publishing a seven-volume history. In December 1945, Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker, Deputy Commander of Army Air Forces, asked the Chancellor of the University of Chicago to "assume the responsibility for the publication" of the history, stressing that it must "meet the highest academic standards." Lieutenant Colonel Wesley Frank Craven of New York University and Major James Lea Cate of the University of Chicago, both of whom had been assigned to the historical program, were selected to be editors of the volumes. Between 1948 and 1958 seven were published. With publication of the last, the editors wrote that the Air Force had "fulfilled in letter and spirit" the promise of access to documents and complete freedom of historical interpretation. Like all history, The Army Air Forces in World War II reflects the era when it was conceived, researched, and written. However, these books met the highest of contemporary professional standards of quality and comprehensiveness. They contain information and experience that are of great value to the Air Force today and to the public. Together they are the only comprehensive discussion of Army Air Forces activity in the largest air war this nation has ever waged. RICHARD H. KOHN Chief, Office of Air Force History Front......Page 1 Foreword......Page 3 Contents......Page 29 List of Maps and Charts......Page 33 List of Illustrations......Page 35 I. The Twentieth AF and Matterhorn......Page 39 1. The VLR Project......Page 41 2. The Twentieth AF......Page 71 3. MATTERHORN Logistics......Page 96 4. XX Bomber Command Against Japan......Page 134 5. Exit MATTERHORN......Page 173 II. Aid To China: The Theater Air Forces in CBI......Page 219 6. Ways and Means......Page 221 7. Delay In Burma, Disaster In China......Page 246 8. The Liberation of Burma......Page 279 9. Victory In China......Page 300 III. Return To The Philippines......Page 321 10. Prelude To Invasion......Page 323 11. Men and Weapons......Page 373 12. Leyte......Page 391 13. Mindoro......Page 440 14. Luzon......Page 463 15. The Clean Up......Page 502 16. Cutting The Enemy's Lifeline......Page 524 IV. Strategic Bombardment From Pacific Bases......Page 563 17. Preparation For Combat......Page 565 18. Precision Bombardment Campaign......Page 604 19. Iwo Jima......Page 635 20. Urban Area Attacks......Page 670 21. The All-Out B-29 Attack......Page 711 22. Reorganization For Victory......Page 744 23. Victory......Page 773 Notes......Page 837 Glossary......Page 919 A......Page 923 B......Page 926 C......Page 927 D......Page 930 E-F......Page 932 G......Page 933 H......Page 935 I-J......Page 937 K......Page 938 L......Page 940 M......Page 941 N......Page 943 O-P......Page 945 Q-R......Page 947 S......Page 948 T......Page 951 U......Page 953 V-W......Page 954 X-Y-Z......Page 956 v. 1. Plans and early operations, January 1939 to August 1942. v. 2. Europe: Torch to Pointblank, August 1942 to December 1943. v. 3. Europe: Argument to V-E Day, January 1944 to May 1945. v. 4. The Pacific: Guadalcanal to Saipan, August 1942 to July 1944. v. 5. The Pacific: Matterhorn to Nagasaki, June 1944 to August 1945. v. 6. Men and planes. v. 7. Services around the world.