ong). Due to the effective air, sea, and land blockade that was in progress, Japan was unable to “…maintain their industry, maintain their shipbuilding, and carry on their commercial life…”(Alp 327). Also, there was a heavy destruction of machinery and equipment, which were impossible to replace because of the blockade. Japan was defeated from all possible angles, according to Captain Robert Dornin, “We had then on their knees…”(Alp 329). Japan was devastated, all that the American forces had to do was to hold out the blockade, Dornin states, “…why not wait for three or four months and then if they didn’t [surrender], drop the [atomic] bomb”(Alp 329). In the course of time, the effective naval blockade would have starved the Japanese into submission through a lack of oil, rice, medicine, and other essential materials, according to Chief of the U.S. Fleet and Naval Operations, Ernest King. The Allied forces were defeating Japan in every way possible. The fall of Saipan in early July of 1944 and of Tinian and Guam one month later, provided base which brought the homeland into much closer range for B-29 conventional bombings. In September, Lieutenant General George C. Kenney, Commander of the Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific, was able to tell General “Hap” Arnold, Commander of the Army Air Forces:“the situation is developing rapidly and there are trends which indicate that the Jap is not going to last much longer.His sea power is so badly depleted that it is no match for any one of several task forces we could put into action.His air power is in a bad way. He has a lot or airplanes- probably more than he had a year ago- but he has lost his elements, flight, squadron and group leaders and his hastily trained replacements haven’t the skill or ability or combat knowledge to compete with us….Without the support of his sea power and air power, his...
