Quote:
Originally Posted by mac_bolan00
keeping to my original course, halsey said coast watchers saved guadalcanal and guadalcanal saved the south pacific. i say wrong in both points. the initial success of operation watchtower was in achieving complete surprise in both the first-day landings themselves and the destruction of the japanese flying boat flotilla. there followed a naval war of attrition that drained japanese human and hard resources. strategically, it diverted japanese attention from new guinea and indonesia but even of guadalcanal didn't happen, the japanese would have reached the end of their line in the other places mentioned, much the same way as the solomons.
|
Okay, I get your drift. However, I have to respectfully disagree with how you view the Coast Watcher's role.
They acted as eyes and ears in areas that wouldn't be readily accessible to regular recon or intel units. Their reports, even if these reports are negative sightings of the enemy, are valuable. Negative sightings tell the commander where the enemy are not.
Also they were instrumental in saving a number of Guadalcanal pilots, which were in pretty much short supply. Vandegrift's book point out that this was due to fatigue and disease. For me, the coastwatchers acted as the pesky irritating ant crawling on the Japanese forces' skin and keeping them distracted. It may be small but its bite still leaves a tell tale welt.
Anyway, I'll think about other spec-ops more appropriate to your suggestion, which I say again, is a good one.