Battle of Kula Gulf - Pacific War #85 DOCUMENTARY

Kings and Generals' historical animated documentary series covering the Pacific War week by week continues. Last week, we covered the epic start to the New Georgia Campaign, as the Americans carried out a total of four naval landings that took the Japanese defenders completely by surprise. MacArthur also carried out the occupation of the Kiriwina and Woodlark Islands, and landed at Nassau Bay. Yet the action in the South and Southwest Pacific Areas is far from over, as the fierce Allied forces are prepared to continue with their Salamaua and New Georgia offensives. Welcome to our video on the Battle of Kula Gulf.

#Documentary #PacificWar #worldwar

[Maverick]

This is a perfect example of one of my favorite parts of this entire series!! Often times in the more generic history documentaries, they will give intense coverage to several of the largest naval engagements of the Pacific, but there are so many other smaller actions, such as Kula Gulf in this video, that are just glossed over and never even mentioned!! This account of the war in the Pacific is by far the most comprehensive historical analysis I have ever seen of this entire conflict in video format!! I cannot say enough, thank you for this brilliant series!!

[michaellaramee]

This series really makes me appreciate the role of helicopters in combat. The ability to quickly ferry troops around to bypass defenses, take advantage of openings, or secure key objectives or terrain features cannot be understated. I keep thinking to myself "three helicopters and they could have avoided all these problems". Keep up the great work!

[--panda--]

honestly, this is the first channel or even piece of western media to cover the New Guinea campaign and I thank you because it has been really interesting!!

[atakorkut]

I like that they cover a large portion of even lesser known battles

[minoru-kk]

Brilliant as always. Cannot but marvel at achievements of the Commonwealth armies in land

[jackson]

I think it's incredible how long those Australian Commandos have been in the field. Still going after all this time.

[MrGksarathy]

Lol, there's literally an Australian Lieutenant-Colonel named Patrick Starr.

[ms.gregoria]

The fact that we get free videos on YouTube by Kings & Generals is truly a gift. 👏👏👏👏👏

[LoneWanderer]

The battle for the islands around New Georgia really shows the 5d chess that is war. The Allied forces had such a detailed plan of multiple landings to spread the Japanese thin and hit them all across their defenses (with mixed success). But the Japanese still fought back and responded back across the entire island. And even their navy, which has suffered some major defeats in recent months, still came out to make some maneuvers.

It really shows why the Pacific theater was some of the most brutal fighting in WW2. Even when outgunned & outmanned, the Japanese never gave up on the chess match.

[petestorz]

Speaking of old 1920s vintage ships, USS Hopkins was commissioned in 1921, a Clemson call destroyer (aka "four-piper). By the 1940s Clemson and Wickes class destroyers were no longer adequate for front-line service, but were too useful to send to the scrappers. So many were converted to other uses, USS Hopkins being one such. Conversions often entailed losing an engine and reducing speed from ~35 knots to ~25 knots, but that was still high speed for a mine sweeper or transport.

[patrickblanchette]

Thank you for the informative video. I really liked the music you played near the end of the naval battle.

[petestorz]

Re "old" light cruiser Yubari, most IJN light cruisers were fairly old, 1920s vintage. They often were used as destroyer squadron leaders and were sort of armed like super-destroyers. IJN light cruisers more or less all did front-line service (the 4 Katori-class ships were for training). Only a few of the USN's 1920s vintage Omaha class light cruisers did likewise (e.g. USS Richmond). Most did convoy escort and hunted raiders in the Atlantic and Caribbean, valuable, but second-line service.

[pepagacy]

19:30 You tagged the USS Helena as a Brooklyn-class Destroyer, but in other parts of this you have this ship marked appropriately as a Cruiser.

Other than that, this was an excellent installment of this series.

[loupiscanis]

Thank you , K&G .

🐺 Loupis Canis .

[brokenbridge]

I like it when I hear about the nitty gritty parts of a campaign. They're usually not mentioned or smoothed over.

[blockmasterscott]

Wow, I had no idea that things were so back and forth in the Georgia Islands.

[youtube_omaro]

I like how this series highlights that sometimes the actions of 17 men or 20 pilots are as influential as a division

[richardmeo]

Few understood how effective the Japanese torpedoes were, though the evidence from many battles was there to see. The many simultaneous attacks by the Allies worked in tandem to confuse and dilute the Japanese attacks. Facing so many threats at once was a huge change from what they had seen the past 2 years. And American war production was now in full swing.

[jcohasset]

One thing that wasn't mentioned (though may be in next week's or the following) is that the Coastwatchers are credited with rescuing 165 of Helena's survivors. Entire native villages aided in feeding and housing the survivors until they could be evacuated off Japanese held Vella Lavella by two American destroyer-transports. Admiral Turner sent 8 destroyers as escorts since they were penetrating deep into Japanese held waters for the rescue but he felt it was hugely important for the Navy's morale and is quoted with "It means a lot to know that if the worst happens and you get blown off your ship and washed ashore somewhere, the Navy isn't going to forget about you."

[BatmanSeRiedeTi]

This was a long one! Such quality! 11/10!!