The U.S. Navy's Greatest Defeat: The Battle of Savo Island, 1942 - Animated

In the dead of night, August, 1942, Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa led the Japanese Eighth Fleet toward Savo Island, relying on human lookouts and spotter planes. He was fully aware of the nearby Allied fleet that vastly outnumbered his own. As his fleet neared, the silence was broken by the bursting of parachute flares, casting an eerie light over the unsuspecting Allied ships. Some American picket destroyers, confused and misidentifying aircraft, failed to sound the alarm.

With guns at the ready, Mikawa's fleet prepared to unleash chaos. The First Battle of Savo Island was about to begin…

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🧾 Chapters:
0:00 Introduction

📚 Sources:

Written by House of History

🎵 Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound

🖼 Photos, paintings and imagery: Public Domain, Wikicommons
🧾Machinima: Total War, Creative Assembly

#HouseofHistory #History

[lomax]

I read somewhere that at least one US ship picked up the advancing Japanese ships on their radar, but since radar was very new to them, their captain declined to act upon the information until it was confirmed by visual sighting - by which time it was too late.

[PeterOConnell-pqio]

A textbook example of how a related series of minor failures (reconnaissance), inexperience (communication), overconfidence (they wouldn't dare attack us), fatigue (48+ hours on high alert) pure bad luck (Turner's leadership's staff meeting, defeat in detail (night attack on split up defenses) can synergize into a major disaster.
If Mikawa had been aware Fletcher had already withdrawn his carriers, and that he was free to turn his guns on the transport fleet, it would have been a catastrophe. Since no good deal goes unpunished, Mikawa's failure to do so ended up getting him relieved.

[barsnack]

Forgot to mention it could've been much worse if Mikawa decided to strike the transports

[Jadegreif]

The battle animations were well done. What I missed: Emphasis on the fact that at this point in the war IJN had very good night fighting capabilities, much better then the US thought they were capable of. And I would have liked a few more thoughts on Mikawas choice to retreat instead of going for the transports and the effects if he would have pressed the attack.

[danielsantiagourtado]

Thanks For this House of History! Never miss a video of Yours❤❤❤❤

[jamesfagan]

Your picture of Frank Jack Fletcher at 2:25 is actually Admiral Kinkaid

[Applekrate]

nicely done. Have read numerous books on the subject and learned a lot. This video added to that- recommended.

[franksposato]

Whenever you finally get to the Nov 13th Cruiser action, I hope you have the chance to first read Robert Lundgren's Article because it is the newest in depth look at exactly happened in the fight with many newer undiscussed details that are very interesting. Thank you for making these.

[mikewilson]

Well done! It would be great if you follow up with the videos of the subsequent naval battles of the Guadalcanal campaign.

[bradkempton]

When your battle plan works so good that you're convinced it's a trap....

[sheperdprice]

Enemy spy planes, tremors in the water, search lights, plane flares...

Greenman: "mmmm... It's probably nothing haha"

*Gets hit*

Probably friendly fire. Let's ceasefire ourselves" 💀

[daniellucas]

Another excellent post sir - well done yet again!

[hazchemel]

Though expounded by savant Homer Simpson, that to ensure nobody ever makes a mistake, and no personal danger is ever ventured that Bart should never do anything, .... even so forewarned you have made a brilliant battle video. Many thanks and encore :)

[SamBroadway]

Good video! But, I still miss the coffee cup and the big desk

[mohammedsaysrashid]

It was a wonderful historical coverage episode about Japanese naval assaults (victory)in 1942 in Savo Islands on Allies fleets defeated ...thank you 🙏 (house of history )channel ..

[eri]

Technically HMAS Canberra was Australian not American but otherwise great content, keep up the good work.

[freddiefredson]

The subsequent investigation put alot of blame on Capt Bode on the Chicago as he was acting commander and had orderred the radars turned off as thought it worked like a search light and the Japanese would be able to track them, aswell as taking Chicago north out of the fight without sending any warnings. He subsiquently commited sucide. It was also found that USN battle station procedures caused alot of problems as crew had to change stations, some of which maybe at the other end of the ship, compared to RNAS which followered RN procedures that all stations are the same no matter what, which is why Canberre reacted so quickly.

[Bravo]

Best book I ever read on the Guadalcanal campaign is " Neptune's Inferno "

[TheJunior]

LEARN from your mistakes……. Things like this was the beginning of the us navy’s learning curve.

[christianmartires]

Radar was the serious game changer. Without it, they would've seen losses almost almost nearing their adversaries since they where adept in nighttime raids.