Downfall Strategic Plan: Scope, Objective and Command

Scope and Objectives:

This plan is formulated pursuant to directives contained in JCS 1259/4, 3 April 1945 and JCS radiogram WX 87938, 26 May 1945.  It covers operations of United States Army and Naval Forces in the PACIFIC to force the unconditional surrender of JAPAN by invasion of the Japanese Archipelago.

The following over-all objective for the operation is assigned by the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

“To force the unconditional surrender of JAPAN by:

(1)      Lowering Japanese ability and will to resist by establish sea and air blockades, conducting intensive air bombardments and destroying Japanese air and naval strength.

(2)      Invading and seizing objective in the industrial heart of JAPAN”

(Taken from the Plan) http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/cdm/ref/collection/p4013coll8/id/3387

Command Relationships:

The following basic command relationships are established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

(1)      Command of all United States Army resources in the PACIFIC (less the Twentieth Air Force, Alaskan Department, and Southeast Pacific) is vested in the Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Forces in the Pacific.  (General of The Army MacArthur)

(2)      Command of all United States Naval resources in the PACIFIC (less Southeast Pacific) is vested in the Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet.  (Fleet Admiral Nimitz)

(3)      The Twentieth Air Force, for the present, continues operations under the direct control of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to support the accomplishment of the over-all objective.

(4)      The Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Forces in the Pacific is charged with making plans and preparations for the campaign in JAPAN.  He cooperates with the Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet in the plans and preparations for the naval and amphibious phases of the invasion of Japan.

(5)      The Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet is charged with making plans and preparations for the naval and amphibious phases of the invasion of Japan. He cooperates with the Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Forces in the Pacific on plans and preparations for the campaign in JAPAN. 

(6)      The Commanding General, Twentieth Air Force (General of the Army Arnold) cooperates with the Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Forces in the Pacific and with the Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet in the preparation of plans connected with the invasion of JAPAN.

(7)      The Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Forces in the Pacific is charged with the primary responsibility for the conduct of the operation OLYMPIC including control in case of exigencies of the actual amphibious assault through the appropriate naval commander.  The land campaign and requirements therefore are primary in the OLYMPIC operation.  Account of this will be taken in the preparation, coordination, and execution of plans.

(8)      The Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet is charged with the responsibility for conduct of the naval and amphibious (subject to paragraph (7) above) phase of the OLYMPIC operations and correlates his plan with the Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Forces in the Pacific.

(9)      The Commanding General, Twentieth Air Force cooperates in the plans, preparations and execution of operation OLYMPIC and in the continuance of the campaign in JAPAN.  At appropriate times, to be determined by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Twentieth Air Force comes under the direction of the appropriate commander for support of operations directed above.

Notes in italics are added for clarity.