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