'The Most Dangerous Moment of the War': Japan's Attack on the Indian Ocean, 1942“A well-detailed account of the [World War II] raid, which badly stung the Royal Navy but which the Japanese failed to exploit to a strategic advantage” (Seapower). In early April 1942, a little-known episode of World War II took place. Said by Sir Winston Churchill to be “the most dangerous moment of the war,” the Japanese made their only major offensive westwards into the Indian Ocean. As historian Sir Arthur Bryant said, “A Japanese naval victory in April 1942 would have given Japan total control of the Indian Ocean, isolated the Middle East and brought down the Churchill government.” Having crippled the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese turned their sights on the British Eastern Fleet based at Ceylon. Occupation of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, would not only provide the Japanese a springboard into India but also control of the essential convoy routes to Europe and the Western Desert. And aside from the British Eastern Fleet, the Indian Ocean lay undefended. In April 1942, a Japanese fleet led by six aircraft carriers, four battleships, and thirty other ships sailed into the Bay of Bengal. In the ferocious battles that followed, the British lost a carrier, two heavy cruisers, and many other ships; however, the Japanese eventually turned back, never to sail against India again. John Clancy, whose father survived the sinking of HMS Cornwall during the battle, “masterfully combines the strategic overview, the tactical decision making and many personal experiences to bring this episode of the war to life” (WWII Today). “Absolutely enthralling.” —Books Monthly “Well researched . . . a balanced view of men acting under the stress of war during a critical time.” —WWII History |
Contents
1 | |
11 | |
2 The Allied Response | 31 |
3 Political Divisions as Ceylon Prepares | 49 |
4 The Events of Easter 1942 | 67 |
5 The Loss of the Cornwall the Dorsetshire and Other Ships | 96 |
6 Survivors Stories | 116 |
7 Nagumo Follows up with Trincomalee and More Ships are Sunk | 131 |
8 The Sequel and its Aftermath | 149 |
9 Victory or Defeat? | 160 |
A Poem by Emlyn Parry a former seaman of HMS Dorsetshire | 172 |
173 | |
175 | |
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The Most Dangerous Moment of the War: Japan's Attack on the Indian Ocean 1942 John Clancy No preview available - 2017 |
Common terms and phrases
aboard action Addu Atoll Admiral Somerville Admiralty aircraft carriers Albacore Allied American April attack on Colombo attack on Pearl base battle battleships Bay of Bengal Birchall Blenheims bombers bombs Britain British Eastern Fleet Burma Captain Agar Catalina China Bay Churchill coast Colombo command Cornwall crew cruisers damage deck defences destroyers dive-bombers Dorsetshire Eastern Fleet escort fighter aircraft fighting Fleet Air Arm flying boat Fuchida Fulmars guns Hermes HMS Cornwall HMS Dorsetshire Hurricanes Imperial Japanese Navy Indian Ocean Indomitable invasion island Japan Japanese aircraft Japanese attack Japanese carriers Japanese fleet Japanese forces Japanese Navy Japanese pilots Kendari later Lieut Madagascar Malaya miles Nagumo naval night operations Pacific Paladin patrol Pearl Harbour port position racecourse airstrip radar raid Ratmalana reconnaissance ship’s Singapore sinking Somerville’s spotted strike force submarines sunk survivors Swordfish target Teddie took torpedo Trincomalee Vampire Vice-Admiral Warspite whilst Zero fighter