Execute Against Japan: The U. S. Decision to Conduct Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

List of IllustrationsIntroduction 11 Freedom of the Seas, the Submarine, and the First World War 52 The U.S. Navy and the Submarine Question 193 The Failure of International Law in the Interwar Period 294 Legislating Away Freedom of the Seas 485 The Accidental Commerce Raider: U.S. Submarine Development, Strategy, and Tactics 636 Laying the Strategic Groundwork 847 Debating Law, Ethics, and Strategy 978 "Immediately upon the Outbreak of War" 1209 Day of Infamy, Day of Decision 13910 Unrestricted Warfare and the Civilian Chain of Command 15011 The Victory of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare 162Conclusion 181Notes 185Bibliography 229Index 237

\ Williamson Murray"Joel Holwitt's ‘Execute Against Japan' is a wonderful military history that examines with sophistication the development of ideas within the U.S. Navy about unrestricted submarine warfare. It is a major contribution to the history of World War II." —Williamson Murray, author of The Iraq War,: A Military History\ \ \ \ \ Thomas E. Crew"'Execute Against Japan' is the first military history book I can remember reading in which the whole story was a revelation. It has completely changed the way in which I now view many of the most significant events of the 20th Century. By laying down a framework that explains how advances in technology made certain aspects of International Maritime Law irrelevant it bursts the bubble of precedants upon which some past conflicts were justified, including World War I. This book is a true ground breaker and something that any academic press should be delighted to have its brand on."—Thomas E. Crew, author of Combat Loaded: Across the Pacific on the USS Tate\ \ \ ". . . Holwitt, a U.S. Navy submariner, delivers an impressive account. . . although the policy of unrestricted air and submarine warfare proved critical to the Pacific war's course, this splendid work is the first comprehensive account of its origins—illustrating that historians have by no means exhausted questions about this conflict."—World War II Magazine\ \ \ \ \ ". . . Holwitt has filled an important gap in World War II history with his well-written and well-researched exploration of this major American policy shift."—Proceedings\ \ \ \ \ "The radical change in U.S. warfare policy discussed in this book has been noticed a number of times before, but this study is without doubt the most comprehensive and compelling analysis yet published. The heart of the book is a finely detailed and carefully nuanced analysis of the development of ideas and policy in the critical years before the U.S. entered the Second World War. . . The carefully researched narrative of this book makes it more suited for academic readers, although general readers with an interest in the subject will undoubtedly find it interesting as well. This worthwhile book also deserves the attention of scholars not only of naval and military policy, but those with an interest in civil-military relations."—International Journal of Maritime History\ \ \ \ \ "Holwitt’s conclusions are provocative, nuanced, and convincing... The depth of its scholarship and breadth of its conclusions make this book a “must” read not only for historians and naval professionals but also for Americans citizens in general." - Roger Dingman, Pacific Historical Review\ — Roger Dingman\ \ \ \ \ \ “Holwitt has meticulously researched a study of the legal history relating to the order given on 7 December 1941 and it should be included in a collection of anyone who is seriously interested in either naval warfare or the issue of warfare and the legal attempts to restrict it. The fact that the book aims itself at arguably the most important issue related to the submarine war, one not really discussed or understood, makes this a must-read for anyone interested in this field.” - Robert M. Dienesch, The Northern Mariner\ — Robert M. Dienesch\ \ \ \ \ \ “… until now how the Navy managed to instantaneously move from the overt legal restrictions of the naval arms treaties that bound submarines to the cruiser rules of the eighteenth century to a declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare against Japan immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor has never been explained. Lieutenant Holwitt has dissected this process and has created a compelling story of who did what, when and to whom.” - Rear Admiral Jerry Holland, The Submarine Review\ — Rear Admiral Jerry Holland\ \ \ \ \ \ "Execute Against Japan should be required reading for naval officers (especially in submarine wardrooms), as well as for anyone interested in history, policy, or international law." - Admiral James P. Wisecup, President, U.S. Naval War College (Naval War College Review)\ — Rear Admiral James P. Wisecup\ \ \ \ \ \ "Lieutenant Joel Ira Holwitt of the U.S. Navy's submarine force has written a useful analysis of how American naval leaders discarded long-standing American notions of freedom of the seas for the sake of strategic advantage against Japan through unrestricted submarine warfare against Japanese merchant shipping. . . Holwitt has made an able contribution to the history of his service." - Wayne Wei-Siang Hsieh, Military History of the West\ — Wayne Wei-Siang Hsieh\ \ \ \ \ \ "U.S. Navy submarine officer Joel Ira Holwitt has performed an impressive feat with this book. . . Holwitt is to be commended for not shying away from moral judgments. . . This is a superb book that fully explains how the United States came to adopt a strategy regarded by many as illegal and tantamount to 'terror'." - CDR John T. Kuehn, Ph.D., USN Retired, Military Review\ — CDR John T. Kuehn, Ph.D., USN Retired\ \ \ \ \ \ "It is a complex story of diplomacy, politics, and doctrinal debate, involving strong personalities and powerful intellects. It is well told and will reward the general reader and the specialist in naval history alike." —John F. Guilmartin Jr., professor of history, Ohio State University\ \ \ \ \ Pacific Historical Review - Roger Dingman\ "Holwitt’s conclusions are provocative, nuanced, and convincing... The depth of its scholarship and breadth of its conclusions make this book a “must” read not only for historians and naval professionals but also for Americans citizens in general." - Roger Dingman, Pacific Historical Review\ \ \ \ \ The Northern Mariner - Robert M. Dienesch\ “Holwitt has meticulously researched a study of the legal history relating to the order given on 7 December 1941 and it should be included in a collection of anyone who is seriously interested in either naval warfare or the issue of warfare and the legal attempts to restrict it. The fact that the book aims itself at arguably the most important issue related to the submarine war, one not really discussed or understood, makes this a must-read for anyone interested in this field.” - Robert M. Dienesch, The Northern Mariner\ \ \ \ \ The Submarine Review - Jerry Holland\ “… until now how the Navy managed to instantaneously move from the overt legal restrictions of the naval arms treaties that bound submarines to the cruiser rules of the eighteenth century to a declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare against Japan immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor has never been explained. Lieutenant Holwitt has dissected this process and has created a compelling story of who did what, when and to whom.” - Rear Admiral Jerry Holland, The Submarine Review\ \ \ \ \ Naval War College Review - James P. Wisecup\ "Execute Against Japan should be required reading for naval officers (especially in submarine wardrooms), as well as for anyone interested in history, policy, or international law." - Admiral James P. Wisecup, President, U.S. Naval War College (Naval War College Review)\ \ \ \ \ Military History of the West - Wayne Wei-Siang Hsieh\ "Lieutenant Joel Ira Holwitt of the U.S. Navy's submarine force has written a useful analysis of how American naval leaders discarded long-standing American notions of freedom of the seas for the sake of strategic advantage against Japan through unrestricted submarine warfare against Japanese merchant shipping. . . Holwitt has made an able contribution to the history of his service." - Wayne Wei-Siang Hsieh, Military History of the West\ \ \ \ \ Military Review - John T. Kuehn\ "U.S. Navy submarine officer Joel Ira Holwitt has performed an impressive feat with this book. . . Holwitt is to be commended for not shying away from moral judgments. . . This is a superb book that fully explains how the United States came to adopt a strategy regarded by many as illegal and tantamount to 'terror'." - CDR John T. Kuehn, Ph.D., USN Retired, Military Review\ \ \ \ \ "An important contribution to the literature of the Pacific War."—A.A. Nofi, review editor for Strategy Page\ \ \ \ \ "Joel Holwitt''s ‘Execute Against Japan'' is a wonderful military history that examines with sophistication the development of ideas within the U.S. Navy about unrestricted submarine warfare. It is a major contribution to the history of World War II." --Williamson Murray, author of The Iraq War,: A Military History\ \ \ \ \ \ ". . . Holwitt, a U.S. Navy submariner, delivers an impressive account. . . although the policy of unrestricted air and submarine warfare proved critical to the Pacific war's course, this splendid work is the first comprehensive account of its origins--illustrating that historians have by no means exhausted questions about this conflict."--World War II Magazine\ \ \ \ \ \ "The radical change in U.S. warfare policy discussed in this book has been noticed a number of times before, but this study is without doubt the most comprehensive and compelling analysis yet published. The heart of the book is a finely detailed and carefully nuanced analysis of the development of ideas and policy in the critical years before the U.S. entered the Second World War. . . The carefully researched narrative of this book makes it more suited for academic readers, although general readers with an interest in the subject will undoubtedly find it interesting as well. This worthwhile book also deserves the attention of scholars not only of naval and military policy, but those with an interest in civil-military relations."--International Journal of Maritime History\ \ \ \ \ \ ". . . Holwitt has filled an important gap in World War II history with his well-written and well-researched exploration of this major American policy shift."--Proceedings\ \ \ \ \ \ "''Execute Against Japan'' is the first military history book I can remember reading in which the whole story was a revelation. It has completely changed the way in which I now view many of the most significant events of the 20th Century. By laying down a framework that explains how advances in technology made certain aspects of International Maritime Law irrelevant it bursts the bubble of precedants upon which some past conflicts were justified, including World War I. This book is a true ground breaker and something that any academic press should be delighted to have its brand on."--Thomas E. Crew, author of Combat Loaded: Across the Pacific on the USS Tate\ \ \