The hometown of Isoroku Yamamoto, born April 4, 1884, was Nagaoka, located in Niigata Prefecture. The future admiral came from a poor samurai family. Since childhood, the boy dreamed of serving on the ship and, having matured, entered the Academy of the Navy. Isoroku Yamamoto was educated in 1904 when the Russo-Japanese War broke out.
Service start
At the beginning of the armed confrontation, the sailor hit the armored cruiser "Nissin", which took part in the Tsushima battle. In that battle, May 28, 1905, the Japanese defeated the 2nd squadron of the Pacific Fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky. A significant number of Russian ships were sunk. That battle was the culmination of the war. For Isoroku Yamamoto, victory came at a high price. He was injured by losing his middle and forefinger.
Continuation of the military career
Despite the injury, Yamamoto’s service did not just continue, but went uphill. He entered the Naval College, which formed the cadres of the high command of the fleet. The officer graduated at age 30, and at age 32 (in 1916) he became lieutenant commander. But Yamaroto did not stop there. In the years 1919-1921. He was educated abroad, enrolled at American Harvard University.
Yamamoto served as a naval attaché in Washington twice. Life in the New World affected his political views. At that time, the military established himself as a supporter of a peaceful settlement of any world conflicts and a sharp opponent of the war against the United States. In 1923 he was promoted to captain.
New challenges
At the age of 40, the future admiral Isoroku Yamamoto became interested in naval aviation, preferring her to his previous specialization in naval artillery. First, he tried himself in command of the Isuzu cruiser, and then - the Akagi aircraft carrier. Seeing the future of the army and navy in aviation, the military also ruled in the aeronautics department.
In the interval between the two world wars, Japan, along with other influential powers, tried to follow the course towards disarmament. In order to work out general measures in this direction, maritime conferences were convened twice (in 1930 and 1934) in London. Having become Vice Admiral, Yamamoto participated in them as a career military officer who accompanied Japanese diplomats.
Despite these pacifist gestures, the government in Tokyo gradually worsened the situation in the Far East. In 1931 there was an invasion of Manchuria, in 1937 a war broke out with China, and in 1940 Japan signed an allied pact with Germany and Italy. Isoroku Yamamoto, whose photographs then often began to get into the Western press, consistently opposed the militaristic decisions of his authorities. Supporters of the war (of which there were much more) harshly criticized the vice admiral.
Assignment to Fleet Commander
In 1940, Isoroku Yamamoto, whose quotes from the Navy spoke from mouth to mouth, received the rank of admiral and became commander in chief of the United Fleet. At the same time, the military continued to receive threats from Japanese nationalists, who considered him a traitor to the interests of the homeland. In 1941, the militarist Hideki Tojo became Prime Minister . It seemed that Yamamoto's career was in the balance. The admiral was almost the main hardware opponent of Tojo.
However, despite everything, Yamamoto managed to maintain his ranks and position. Affected by his widespread popularity among his subordinates (both officers and sailors treated him with unlimited respect). In addition, the admiral had a personal friendship with Emperor Hirohito. Finally, Isoroku Yamamoto, quotes from theoretical works of which became the bible for the entire fleet, was one of the most competent people in all the armed forces. Having a Western education and unique work experience, only he could consistently carry out the ongoing reform of the Japanese armada of Japan.
Conflict with the militarists
The governing Tojio government set about preparing for war against the United States of America. Yamamoto was skeptical of a possible conflict with the United States. He believed that Japan would not be enough to defeat the enemy in the Pacific Ocean, capturing the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii and other islands. The war with America was to end only after the surrender of Washington. The admiral did not believe that Japan had enough resources for such a march, and, as further developments showed, it turned out to be right.
Nevertheless, while remaining in his position as fleet commander in chief, Yamamoto took part in the preparation of the imminent campaign. With his direct participation, preparations were under way for an attack on Pearl Harbor. The admiral opposed Kantai Kassen, a strategic doctrine according to which Japan was to wage war with the United States in a defensive position. Yamamoto, on the contrary, believed that his country had only one opportunity to defeat the States - to shock the American public with a lightning attack and force politicians to immediately sign the peace.
Preparation for war
Since the attack on Pearl Harbor was carried out using aircraft, special attention should be paid to the development of aviation. This is what Isoroku Yamamoto did. The film “Attack on Pearl Harbor” clearly demonstrates his contribution to the success of that operation. The admiral also cared for aviation operating in coastal operations. With his patronage, the development of the G3M bomber and the G4M torpedo bomber was carried out. These models were distinguished by an increased flight range, which gave the Japanese command an additional significant advantage. The Americans called the G4M a “flying lighter.”
Yamamoto Isoroku, whose biography was largely associated with aircraft, raised the task of creating a new long-range fighter. They became the model A6M Zero, which received a significantly lightweight design. The admiral initiated the reorganization of aviation and the formation of a new First Air Fleet. It was this formation that participated in the raid on Pearl Harbor. In preparing the operation, Yamamoto hoped for a surprise factor. A surprise attack would give the Japanese a few more months of freedom in the Pacific until the U.S. fleet arrives there.
Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, 6 Japanese aircraft carriers, on board of which there were about 400 aircraft, approached Pearl Harbor. An attack followed, as a result of which 4 battleships and 11 other large ships of a different type were sunk. Many auxiliary and secondary vessels were also destroyed. The Japanese lost a total of 29 crews.
Although the successful attack was planned by Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Fleet, it was carried out by Tuichi Nagumo. It was this vice admiral, frightened by too much loss, who ordered the planes to retreat. Yamamoto criticized a similar decision. He accused Nagumo of not fulfilling important tasks: the bombing of the American military infrastructure on Oahu and the destruction of enemy aircraft carriers that were absent in the harbor. Vice Admiral, however, was not punished. The authorities were pleased with the result of the unexpected raid.
Campaign Continuation
After the events in Hawaii, the Japanese armed forces continued to implement the empire's strategic plan. Further battles were led by Dzisaburo Ozawa, For Takahashi and Nobutake Kondo. They were all subordinate to Isoroku Yamamoto. A brief biography of this commander is an example of a naval commander who had to perform an incredible task.
The Japanese set out to subjugate all the Pacific islands. Yamamoto developed a plan whereby the fleet and aircraft were to destroy numerous bases of the British and Dutch. The main fights unfolded over the Netherlands-owned East Indies (present-day Indonesia).
The first thing the Japanese occupied the north of the Malay Archipelago. Then in February 1942, a battle took place in the Java Sea. The Japanese fleet defeated the combined fleet of the USA, the Netherlands, Australia and England. This success allowed the occupation of the Dutch East Indies. A little later, the resistance of the Americans in the Philippines was localized.
Disputes about the future
The successes of Japanese weapons did not bother the allies. Neither the UK nor the United States were going to agree to peace. In Tokyo, they took a break in order to decide in which direction to move on. Most military leaders advocated an offensive in Burma and exit through it to India, where, with the help of local nationalists, it was planned to overthrow the British metropolis. Admiral Yamamoto, however, had the exact opposite opinion. He proposed attacking the remaining US positions in the Pacific Islands.
The 2011 film “Isoroku Yamamoto” (another name is “Attack on Pearl Harbor”) clearly shows how unyielding the admiral was. So this time he did not give up his point of view. During one of the headquarters discussions, Tokyo was bombed by American aircraft. This incident forced the Japanese command to reconsider their plans. Soon, the idea of Yamamoto with an attack on Midway Island formed the basis for a strategy for a new phase of the war. The admiral was appointed commander in chief of the upcoming operation.
Midway operation
According to Yamamoto’s plan, the Japanese fleet was to be divided into two parts. He was going to send one group to the shores of Alaska to distract the Americans, and the second to attack Midway Atoll. The operation was carefully prepared. It seemed that the admiral had provided all the details. If everything went according to his plan, the Japanese at a decisive moment would have gained a significant advantage in strength and defeated the Americans in parts.
However, events on the eve of the Battle of Midway overturned all of Yamamoto's hopes. US intelligence was able to decipher the secret Japanese cipher with which secret data was transmitted. The success of cryptographers gave the enemy a tremendous advantage.
When the battle at Midway began on June 4, 1942, American ships unexpectedly dodged all Japanese attacks and organized their own ambush. In the decisive battle were destroyed 248 aircraft and 4 aircraft carriers Yamamoto. Although the Japanese pilots took to the air, they were able to flood only one enemy ship (Yorktown). The admiral, realizing that the battle was lost, ordered the remaining forces to retreat.
Defeat lessons
The failure of the Midway operation was the turning point of the entire war in the Pacific. The Japanese lost their best technology and human resources. The combined fleet lost initiative and since then has only fought defensive battles. At home, the admiral was subjected to widespread criticism.
Was Isoroku Yamamoto's fault in the defeat? Book after book on this subject is being published today both in Japan and in other countries. Supporters and defenders of the military believe that his plan was no worse than the plans for similar operations among opponents of the Axis countries. The main reason for the defeat of the Japanese was the luck of the Americans, who read the secret code and found out the plans of the United Fleet.
Battles in the Solomon Islands
In the second half of 1942, the war in the Pacific moved to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Although Japan had more resources, they smoldered day after day. Yamamoto, having lost a significant part of his reputation, took over the management of minor operations. In August, he personally led the battle near the eastern Solomon Islands, and in November - the battle for the island of Guadalcanal.
In both cases, the Americans and their allies won. The Japanese were defeated primarily due to the inability of the army to act effectively on the coast of the islands. Large losses were mowed by the ranks of destroyers, torpedo and dive bombers. In February 1943, Japan lost control of the Guadalcanal. A series of battles in the Solomon Islands remained with the Americans.
Death
Despite defeat after defeat, the admiral did not give up. He continued to inspect the troops and raise the morale of the fleet. On the eve of one of these trips, the Americans again intercepted a secret message that contained detailed information on the Yamamoto route. The find was reported to the White House. President Roosevelt demanded the liquidation of the Japanese military leader.
On the morning of April 18, Yamamoto flew from Rabaul, a port on the island of New Britain. His plane was supposed to travel almost 500 kilometers. On the way, the admiral's bomber was attacked by the Americans, who had arranged a well-planned ambush. A Yamamoto plane crashed over one of the Solomon Islands.
After some time, a Japanese rescue squad arrived there. The admiral's body was found in the jungle - during the fall he was thrown out of the fuselage. The naval commander was cremated and buried in Tokyo. Posthumously he received the rank of Marshall, the Order of Chrysanthemum, as well as the German Knight's Cross. During the war, the figure of Yamamoto became truly legendary. All of Japan was shocked by his death, and the country's leadership recognized the death of a national hero only a month after the American operation.