wildWolverine
L'Etat, c'est moi
This is my first attempt at a [short] article here at CFC... Be nice!
The Flying Tigers
For most of the nineteenth century, the United States focused on domestic affairs, occupied first by westward expansion, followed by the bitter debates over slavery, culminating in the Civil War. Late in the century, it demonstrated a slightly imperialistic stance, gaining sovereignty over islands ranging in location from the South Pacific to the Caribbean. The country reluctantly participated in World War I, entering late in the conflict: 1917. The powerful feelings of isolationalism were still evident in the 1930s when the American public expressed extreme reluctance to militarily chastise Hitler or Tojo as they expanded their nations boundaries by force. Many military officials were wary of the new power in the Pacific represented by Japan, but were unwilling to fight a war before it was absolutely necessary when Japan prepared to assault the United States. The American Volunteer Group was composed of a group of men who felt that the Japanese threat had to be dealt with directly and immediately.
In October, 1940, Claire Chennault, an ex-Army Air Force officer and personal friend of Chiang Kai-shek began his desperate crusade to create a volunteer air wing for the defense of China. He faced much opposition to his plan, both in Washington and in the various branches of the military. His opponents argued for the conservation of American pilots for the inevitable time when the United States itself would be thrust into the conflict. Finally Chennaults quest gained the attention of President Roosevelt, who gradually became convinced of the urgency of slowing the advance of Japanese forces in Asia. With the presidents approval, Chennault recruited volunteers from the Army Air Force, the Navy, and the Marine Corps. After securing a force of one hundred P-40 Tomahawks, he transported his small force, the American Volunteer Group, back to China.
Chennault trained his pilots to use the extremely unorthodox tactics that Chennault had personally developed while fighting the Japanese Zeros earlier in the war. The techniques utilized the Tomahawks few strengths to give the American pilots an edge against their faster and more maneuverable opponents. While training, the men painted the noses of their planes like tiger sharks as a symbol of their unit. By the beginning of December, 1941, the Flying Tigers were prepared for combat.
On December 20, 1941, soon after the surprise assault on Pearl Harbor, the Flying Tigers fought their first battle, turning back a bomber raid over southeast China. Soon the squad was embroiled in a furious aerial conflict over the skies of Burma. Every day the Tigers kept the Burma Road open and drivable, thousands of tons of vital equipment and supplies were shipped to the advance Chinese armies.
The Flying Tigers also faced a second enemy: attrition. Because of their remote airstrips and unofficial status (not a part of the U.S. military), they had trouble stocking spare parts. The ground crews were forced to use ingenuity and the few parts they had available to maintain the operability of the dwindling number of P-40s. The pilots flew missions almost constantly, and often suffered from exhaustion. However, despite these significant difficulties, they continued to fight, fending off seemingly insurmountable bombing raids containing hundreds of Japanese planes with the twenty-five odd Tomahawks still flyable. Their desperate struggle gained worldwide attention; Winston Churchill personally compared their courage and efforts to those of the vaunted RAF fighting over Britain.
On July 4, 1942, the American Volunteer Group, or the Flying Tigers, was officially reincorporated into the United States military (they became the China Air Task Force, and continued to fight until VJ-Day, 1945 under their new designation). In a little less than one year, they had accrued incredible records. They had recorded 297 official enemy kills, although in reality, they probably shot down close to 600, killing more than 1,500 skilled Japanese aviators. Their bombing and strafing missions caused tremendous damage to Japanese equipment and supply depots. Their efforts with the small British RAF contingent delayed the fall of the port of Rangoon by several months. They single-handedly stopped the Japanese offensive at the Salween River, saving all of China from annihilation. Their constant vigilance saved many eastern Chinese cities from the ubiquitous Japanese bombing raids, raising the morale of both the Chinese armies and citizenry.
Not all Americans believed in isolationalism. Whether done for adventure, ideals, or for a sense of duty, the brave men of the Flying Tigers performed a tremendous service to the Allies and the defense of freedom from tyranny. They fought a virtually hopeless battle against better and more numerous enemy planes, and still managed to help turn the tide of the war against Japan. If it were not for General Claire Chennault and his squad, the war in the Pacific could have turned out radically differently. As Madame Chiang wrote of Chennault, He performed the impossible.
The Flying Tigers
For most of the nineteenth century, the United States focused on domestic affairs, occupied first by westward expansion, followed by the bitter debates over slavery, culminating in the Civil War. Late in the century, it demonstrated a slightly imperialistic stance, gaining sovereignty over islands ranging in location from the South Pacific to the Caribbean. The country reluctantly participated in World War I, entering late in the conflict: 1917. The powerful feelings of isolationalism were still evident in the 1930s when the American public expressed extreme reluctance to militarily chastise Hitler or Tojo as they expanded their nations boundaries by force. Many military officials were wary of the new power in the Pacific represented by Japan, but were unwilling to fight a war before it was absolutely necessary when Japan prepared to assault the United States. The American Volunteer Group was composed of a group of men who felt that the Japanese threat had to be dealt with directly and immediately.
In October, 1940, Claire Chennault, an ex-Army Air Force officer and personal friend of Chiang Kai-shek began his desperate crusade to create a volunteer air wing for the defense of China. He faced much opposition to his plan, both in Washington and in the various branches of the military. His opponents argued for the conservation of American pilots for the inevitable time when the United States itself would be thrust into the conflict. Finally Chennaults quest gained the attention of President Roosevelt, who gradually became convinced of the urgency of slowing the advance of Japanese forces in Asia. With the presidents approval, Chennault recruited volunteers from the Army Air Force, the Navy, and the Marine Corps. After securing a force of one hundred P-40 Tomahawks, he transported his small force, the American Volunteer Group, back to China.
Chennault trained his pilots to use the extremely unorthodox tactics that Chennault had personally developed while fighting the Japanese Zeros earlier in the war. The techniques utilized the Tomahawks few strengths to give the American pilots an edge against their faster and more maneuverable opponents. While training, the men painted the noses of their planes like tiger sharks as a symbol of their unit. By the beginning of December, 1941, the Flying Tigers were prepared for combat.
On December 20, 1941, soon after the surprise assault on Pearl Harbor, the Flying Tigers fought their first battle, turning back a bomber raid over southeast China. Soon the squad was embroiled in a furious aerial conflict over the skies of Burma. Every day the Tigers kept the Burma Road open and drivable, thousands of tons of vital equipment and supplies were shipped to the advance Chinese armies.
The Flying Tigers also faced a second enemy: attrition. Because of their remote airstrips and unofficial status (not a part of the U.S. military), they had trouble stocking spare parts. The ground crews were forced to use ingenuity and the few parts they had available to maintain the operability of the dwindling number of P-40s. The pilots flew missions almost constantly, and often suffered from exhaustion. However, despite these significant difficulties, they continued to fight, fending off seemingly insurmountable bombing raids containing hundreds of Japanese planes with the twenty-five odd Tomahawks still flyable. Their desperate struggle gained worldwide attention; Winston Churchill personally compared their courage and efforts to those of the vaunted RAF fighting over Britain.
On July 4, 1942, the American Volunteer Group, or the Flying Tigers, was officially reincorporated into the United States military (they became the China Air Task Force, and continued to fight until VJ-Day, 1945 under their new designation). In a little less than one year, they had accrued incredible records. They had recorded 297 official enemy kills, although in reality, they probably shot down close to 600, killing more than 1,500 skilled Japanese aviators. Their bombing and strafing missions caused tremendous damage to Japanese equipment and supply depots. Their efforts with the small British RAF contingent delayed the fall of the port of Rangoon by several months. They single-handedly stopped the Japanese offensive at the Salween River, saving all of China from annihilation. Their constant vigilance saved many eastern Chinese cities from the ubiquitous Japanese bombing raids, raising the morale of both the Chinese armies and citizenry.
Not all Americans believed in isolationalism. Whether done for adventure, ideals, or for a sense of duty, the brave men of the Flying Tigers performed a tremendous service to the Allies and the defense of freedom from tyranny. They fought a virtually hopeless battle against better and more numerous enemy planes, and still managed to help turn the tide of the war against Japan. If it were not for General Claire Chennault and his squad, the war in the Pacific could have turned out radically differently. As Madame Chiang wrote of Chennault, He performed the impossible.
