Cataclysm: General Hap Arnold and the Defeat of Japan

339 Pages·2010·2.05 MB·English

by  Herman S. Wolk

Cataclysm: General Hap Arnold and the Defeat of Japan

General Hap Arnold
and the Defeat of Japan
Herman S. Wolk
University of North Texas Press
Denton, Texas
Cataclysm
©2010 Herman S. Wolk
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Permissions:
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336
Denton, TX 76203-5017
The paper used in this book meets the minimum requirements of the American
National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, z39.48.1984.
Binding materials have been chosen for durability.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wolk, Herman S., 1931-
Cataclysm : General Hap Arnold and the defeat of Japan / Herman S. Wolk. -- 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-57441-281-9 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Arnold, Henry Harley, 1886-1950. 2. Arnold, Henry Harley, 1886-1950--Military
leadership. 3. Bombing, Aerial--History--20th century--Japan. 4. B-29 bomber. 5.
World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, American. 6. United States. Army Air
Forces. Air Force, 20th--History--20th century. 7. Air power--United States. I. Title.
UG626.2.A76W65 2010
940.54’4973092--dc22
2009053828
Dedicated with Much Love
to
My wife Sandy
Elliot, Vera and Henrietta
who lived through it all
Our children, Jill and Traci
And our grandchildren, Julie, Michael, Kelsea and Dalton

Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 3
Chronology 11
Roosevelt and Arnold 15
Planning for the Defeat of Japan 57
Arnold Forms the Twentieth Air Force 77
Arnold Places LeMay in Command 103
1
June 1945: A Meeting at the White House 135
2
Arnold, Potsdam, and the Atomic Bomb 163
3
Who Was Hap Arnold? 207
4
Endnotes 239
5
Glossary 263
6
Bibliographic Note 265
7
Selected Bibliography 269
Index 275
vii

List of Illustrations after Page 162
1. General Arnold, making an address
2. Arnold inspects Boeing plant in Wichita
3. Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson
4. Harry L. Hopkins
5. Kenneth B. Wolfe
6. The Quebec Conference
7. President Roosevelt presents the Medal of Honor to Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle
8. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur
9. Casablanca Conference
10. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
11. Brig. Gen. Haywood S. Hansell, Jr.
12. Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, August 1944
13. Home for the B-29s
14. Truman presents Arnold with Distinguished Service Medal
15. Maj. Gen. Curtis E. LeMay
16. President Harry S. Truman
ix