Latest news with #JimmyDoolittle
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Opinion - What the US can learn from Ukraine's remarkable Operation Spider Web
Operation Spider Web, the brilliantly audacious Ukrainian drone attack on several Russian airbases located thousands of miles from the battlefield, has been largely lauded as a major tactical and strategic success. Many supposed lessons are being drawn — some, no doubt, applicable, but others hastily jumped to and unwarranted. The spycraft involved in this attack was extraordinary — hiding drones in the tops of boxes loaded on Russian trucks whose drivers were unaware of their cargo and then released on signal ranks with the greatest of exploits. While Pearl Harbor is an inappropriate comparison, as Ukraine has been at war for over three years, Jimmy Doolittle's daring B-25 raid over Tokyo in April 1942 is a good parallel. After all, who would have thought B-25 bombers could fly off a carrier deck? Perhaps the best analogy is Britain's Special Air Service, created in 1941 by then-Major David Stirling to conduct hit and run raids on Nazi bases in the North African campaign. Mounted in jeeps, the Special Air Service crisscrossed the desert delivering not just one but multiple surprise attacks on German airbases, physically destroying with bullets, hand grenades and explosive charges more enemy aircraft than the Royal Air Force would ultimately shoot down. To begin, the lesson learned was that the process must distinguish between what may be valid or not in the attacks against five Russian airbases: Olenya, Belaya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo Severny and an attempted strike on Ukrainka. The real damage was reportedly done at Olenya, where eight Tupolev TU-95-MS bombers loaded with KH-101 stealth air-launched cruise missiles were destroyed. This struck at the heart of the Russian strategic air force. Given the low operational readiness rates due to maintenance issues, this may have crippled about 70 percent of the force, even though only about one third of the aircraft were physically destroyed. While the other raids reportedly accounted for seven TU-22M3 bombers, two A-50 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft and one An-12 transport aircraft, the operational impact was not nearly as great. But no matter: Spider Web was an instant victory. However, the larger consequences are yet to take hold. In a phone call with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin vowed revenge. The question is, short of nuclear weapons, what more damage can he inflict on Ukrainian cities than he is doing now? In 1940, to save the Royal Air Force that was being eviscerated on the ground and in the air by superior Nazi numbers, Winston Churchill ordered the bombing of Berlin. Enraged, Hitler ordered the bombing of British cities and a 'Blitz' that would continue with V-1 and V-2 rockets until the war's end in 1945, thus saving the Royal Air Force's air bases and enabling the winning of the Battle of Britain. It is not clear what Putin will do. There is talk in Ukraine of a major Russian summer offensive. If true, that offensive could fizzle as the others have. Or it could succeed. Success could be Putin's means of retaliation and vengeance for Operation Spider Web. While it is unlikely Russia's summer offensive will lead to the destruction or neutralization of the Ukrainian military, it could achieve one major breakthrough: surrounding and blockading Odesa. Closing the port and, in essence, sealing off Ukraine from the Black Sea, would have major implications, and not only for Kyiv, which is dependent on the trade and export of its grain. Importers of grain would also be hit hard. That might give Putin added leverage because outside states could impose pressure on Kyiv to negotiate and thus lift its blockade. Since Ukraine has no navy and Russia's is hiding out of range, it would be drones and missiles designed to attack the bridges of cargo ships that would be the deus ex machina, along with sea mines to close the port. This would be followed by or preceded with massive attacks on Odesa and its port. One knee-jerk reaction is to sound the alarm over U.S. military bases' vulnerability to this form of attack. But didn't 9/11 teach us anything? Surprise works. And attacking U.S. bases from within would be a given in time of war. In fact, we have seen shootings and other acts of violence taking place on many bases. But let's not panic. Common sense prevails. Let's not isolate the military even more because of this alleged vulnerability and the Ukrainian raid. What should be taken from Operation Spider Web is how we might shock and awe our potential adversaries through innovative actions. That is the place to focus. But will we? Harlan Ullman, Ph.D., is UPI's Arnaud deBorchgrave Distinguished Columnist, a senior advisor at Washington, D.C.'s Atlantic Council, the chairman of two private companies and the principal author of the doctrine of shock and awe. He and David Richards are authors of a forthcoming book on preventing strategic catastrophe. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
09-06-2025
- The Hill
What the US can learn from Ukraine's remarkable Operation Spider Web
Operation Spider Web, the brilliantly audacious Ukrainian drone attack on several Russian airbases located thousands of miles from the battlefield, has been largely lauded as a major tactical and strategic success. Many supposed lessons are being drawn — some, no doubt, applicable, but others hastily jumped to and unwarranted. The spycraft involved in this attack was extraordinary — hiding drones in the tops of boxes loaded on Russian trucks whose drivers were unaware of their cargo and then released on signal ranks with the greatest of exploits. While Pearl Harbor is an inappropriate comparison, as Ukraine has been at war for over three years, Jimmy Doolittle's daring B-25 raid over Tokyo in April 1942 is a good parallel. After all, who would have thought B-25 bombers could fly off a carrier deck? Perhaps the best analogy is Britain's Special Air Service, created in 1941 by then-Major David Stirling to conduct hit and run raids on Nazi bases in the North African campaign. Mounted in jeeps, the Special Air Service crisscrossed the desert delivering not just one but multiple surprise attacks on German airbases, physically destroying with bullets, hand grenades and explosive charges more enemy aircraft than the Royal Air Force would ultimately shoot down. To begin, the lesson learned was that the process must distinguish between what may be valid or not in the attacks against five Russian airbases: Olenya, Belaya, Dyagilevo, Ivanovo Severny and an attempted strike on Ukrainka. The real damage was reportedly done at Olenya, where eight Tupolev TU-95-MS bombers loaded with KH-101 stealth air-launched cruise missiles were destroyed. This struck at the heart of the Russian strategic air force. Given the low operational readiness rates due to maintenance issues, this may have crippled about 70 percent of the force, even though only about one third of the aircraft were physically destroyed. While the other raids reportedly accounted for seven TU-22M3 bombers, two A-50 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft and one An-12 transport aircraft, the operational impact was not nearly as great. But no matter: Spider Web was an instant victory. However, the larger consequences are yet to take hold. In a phone call with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin vowed revenge. The question is, short of nuclear weapons, what more damage can he inflict on Ukrainian cities than he is doing now? In 1940, to save the Royal Air Force that was being eviscerated on the ground and in the air by superior Nazi numbers, Winston Churchill ordered the bombing of Berlin. Enraged, Hitler ordered the bombing of British cities and a 'Blitz' that would continue with V-1 and V-2 rockets until the war's end in 1945, thus saving the Royal Air Force's air bases and enabling the winning of the Battle of Britain. It is not clear what Putin will do. There is talk in Ukraine of a major Russian summer offensive. If true, that offensive could fizzle as the others have. Or it could succeed. Success could be Putin's means of retaliation and vengeance for Operation Spider Web. While it is unlikely Russia's summer offensive will lead to the destruction or neutralization of the Ukrainian military, it could achieve one major breakthrough: surrounding and blockading Odesa. Closing the port and, in essence, sealing off Ukraine from the Black Sea, would have major implications, and not only for Kyiv, which is dependent on the trade and export of its grain. Importers of grain would also be hit hard. That might give Putin added leverage because outside states could impose pressure on Kyiv to negotiate and thus lift its blockade. Since Ukraine has no navy and Russia's is hiding out of range, it would be drones and missiles designed to attack the bridges of cargo ships that would be the deus ex machina, along with sea mines to close the port. This would be followed by or preceded with massive attacks on Odesa and its port. One knee-jerk reaction is to sound the alarm over U.S. military bases' vulnerability to this form of attack. But didn't 9/11 teach us anything? Surprise works. And attacking U.S. bases from within would be a given in time of war. In fact, we have seen shootings and other acts of violence taking place on many bases. But let's not panic. Common sense prevails. Let's not isolate the military even more because of this alleged vulnerability and the Ukrainian raid. What should be taken from Operation Spider Web is how we might shock and awe our potential adversaries through innovative actions. That is the place to focus. But will we? Harlan Ullman, Ph.D., is UPI's Arnaud deBorchgrave Distinguished Columnist, a senior advisor at Washington, D.C.'s Atlantic Council, the chairman of two private companies and the principal author of the doctrine of shock and awe. He and David Richards are authors of a forthcoming book on preventing strategic catastrophe.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
White House marks 83rd anniversary of Midway victory in WWII
June 4 (UPI) -- Wednesday is the 83rd anniversary of the Battle of Midway, which turned the tide against the Japanese during World War II, the White House announced. The attack by the Japanese Navy on Midway Island marked its last in the Pacific Theater of operations and occurred 1.5 years after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. "After the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Imperial Japan surged across the Pacific -- dealing Allied forces a series of defeats, from the fall of the Philippines to the capture of Hong Kong and Singapore to devastating air raids over Australia," the White House announced in an unattributed online statement. "With the U.S. Navy still reeling from the surprise attack, Japan's ruthless push for regional dominance seemed unstoppable," the statement said. A surprise attack led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle that dropped bombs on Japan on April 16, 1942, prompted the Japanese to expand their territorial gains in the Pacific Theater of Operations, including targeting Midway Island for occupation. Occupying Midway would have given Japan a military base that was within striking distance of Pearl Harbor and the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet by land-based bombers. U.S. codebreakers, though, had broken Japan's Purple Code, and the Navy sent an uncoded message saying Midway Island's desalination facilities were down. It was a ruse that prompted the Japanese to say that its next target had problems with its fresh water, which the U.S. codebreakers intercepted. "The Japanese plan was clear: lure what remained of the battered U.S. Pacific Fleet out of Pearl Harbor, destroy it and capture Midway, from where they would launch further offensives across the Pacific," the White House announcement says. Knowing Midway was the intended target, newly appointed Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Chester Nimitz dispatched the USS Enterprise, USS Hornet and the USS Yorktown aircraft carriers and supporting vessels to lay a trap for the Japanese Navy. Admirals Chester Spruance and Jack Fletcher commanded the tactical fleet during the Midway operations. Japan sent four of its best fleet aircraft carriers to draw out the U.S. Pacific Fleet and destroy it in a decisive battle. Instead, the Japanese fleet was surprised by U.S. attack aircraft on the morning of June 4, 1942. "In the course of 24 hours, they sank four Japanese aircraft carriers, destroyed a heavy cruiser and crushed Japanese hopes of advancing deeper into the eastern Pacific," the White House said. The U.S. lost the Yorktown during the battle, but the United States was able to replace its losses and grow its fleet. The Japanese Navy continued to decline in size and effectiveness while trying and failing to defend its prior gains in the Pacific Theater. "Today, former enemies stand united as allies," the White House said. "The United States and Japan have forged an enduring partnership built on the shared values of freedom, sovereignty and an abiding commitment to peace across the Indo-Pacific." The White House statement says the United States and Japan "are advancing the causes of safety, security, prosperity and liberty ... while confronting threats from China and North Korea." The Battle of Midway serves as a "glorious reminder" that "no challenge is too great for the strength of the American spirit," the White House said.
UPI
04-06-2025
- General
- UPI
White House marks 83rd anniversary of Midway victory in WWII
June 4 (UPI) -- Wednesday is the 83rd anniversary of the Battle of Midway, which turned the tide against the Japanese during World War II, the White House announced. The attack by the Japanese Navy on Midway Island marked its last in the Pacific Theater of operations and occurred 1.5 years after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. "After the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Imperial Japan surged across the Pacific -- dealing Allied forces a series of defeats, from the fall of the Philippines to the capture of Hong Kong and Singapore to devastating air raids over Australia," the White House announced in an unattributed online statement. "With the U.S. Navy still reeling from the surprise attack, Japan's ruthless push for regional dominance seemed unstoppable," the statement said. A surprise attack led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle that dropped bombs on Japan on April 16, 1942, prompted the Japanese to expand their territorial gains in the Pacific Theater of Operations, including targeting Midway Island for occupation. Occupying Midway would have given Japan a military base that was within striking distance of Pearl Harbor and the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet by land-based bombers. U.S. codebreakers, though, had broken Japan's Purple Code, and the Navy sent an uncoded message saying Midway Island's desalination facilities were down. It was a ruse that prompted the Japanese to say that its next target had problems with its fresh water, which the U.S. codebreakers intercepted. "The Japanese plan was clear: lure what remained of the battered U.S. Pacific Fleet out of Pearl Harbor, destroy it and capture Midway, from where they would launch further offensives across the Pacific," the White House announcement says. Knowing Midway was the intended target, newly appointed Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Chester Nimitz dispatched the USS Enterprise, USS Hornet and the USS Yorktown aircraft carriers and supporting vessels to lay a trap for the Japanese Navy. Admirals Chester Spruance and Jack Fletcher commanded the tactical fleet during the Midway operations. Japan sent four of its best fleet aircraft carriers to draw out the U.S. Pacific Fleet and destroy it in a decisive battle. Instead, the Japanese fleet was surprised by U.S. attack aircraft on the morning of June 4, 1942. "In the course of 24 hours, they sank four Japanese aircraft carriers, destroyed a heavy cruiser and crushed Japanese hopes of advancing deeper into the eastern Pacific," the White House said. The U.S. lost the Yorktown during the battle, but the United States was able to replace its losses and grow its fleet. The Japanese Navy continued to decline in size and effectiveness while trying and failing to defend its prior gains in the Pacific Theater. "Today, former enemies stand united as allies," the White House said. "The United States and Japan have forged an enduring partnership built on the shared values of freedom, sovereignty and an abiding commitment to peace across the Indo-Pacific." The White House statement says the United States and Japan "are advancing the causes of safety, security, prosperity and liberty ... while confronting threats from China and North Korea." The Battle of Midway serves as a "glorious reminder" that "no challenge is too great for the strength of the American spirit," the White House said.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Glory to Ukraine, bravo Odesa
ODESA, Ukraine, June 4 (UPI) -- Spending four days in Odesa has been remarkable for many reasons. The main purpose was to attend the Black Sea Forum, largely sponsored by the very successful English businessman and philanthropist Lord Michael Ashcroft. This is one of the few if any Black Sea conferences actually held on the Black Sea. The forum was intended to inform as many people as possible about the reality of this illegal war started by Russia and the consequences, good and ill, for the Ukrainian people. Odesa is an extraordinary example of the positive side of the war. Ravaged by Russian attacks in early 2022, it is the quintessential example of a city seemingly not at war. Virtually all the damage has been repaired, thanks largely to courageous efforts of its residents, aided by many contributions from outside donors and non-governmental offices. The few signs are a couple of bombed-out buildings and the presence of plywood replacements where glass windows were shattered by shrapnel or blasts. The streets, unlike many in the United States, are immaculate. However, it is the spirit and morale of the Odesa public that are extraordinary. While not necessarily a cross-section of Ukrainian society, the people we met outside the conference, from cab drivers and hotel workers to waiters and barkeeps in restaurants, showed no sign of faltering under the weight of relentless Russian aggression. How long this will last may be an open question. But if Americans saw this city and their inhabitants, it would be impossible not to be impressed. Given this testimony to human resilience and the can-do spirit, unfortunately, reality must take hold. No matter the courage and endurance Ukraine shows, unless the West and the United States are to expand military and financial support, possibly by an order of magnitude, time and numbers favor Moscow. While in Odesa, four Russian drones were shot down outside the city and Operation Spider Web was carried out against Moscow's strategic bombers deep inside the country. In tactical terms, this was the equivalent of Jimmy Doolittle's famous raid over Tokyo in April 1942 and the Special Air Services destruction of more Nazi fighters on the ground than had been shot down in the north African desert the same year. Apparently, the operation was a year and one-half in planning and brilliantly carried out. No doubt it was more than a pinprick, and it damaged or destroyed a significant percentage of these bombers. But make no mistake: Vladimir Putin will retaliate. The more likely time frame will be in the so-called Russian summer offensive likely to start within a month or two. My concern is this: Despite Russian tactical and operational incompetence at every level, that cannot be assumed to be the norm. Russia has made enormous advances in drone technology and other forms of war. The use of extremely light fiber optics to control drones out to 10 miles or more is exceptional. And the Russians have innovated in many other ways regarding improving drone lethality. If launched properly, this offensive could drive south from Nikolayev in the east through Odesa and then west. In such an attack, the port would be shut and merchant ships attacked. There is evidence that Russia has a drone weapon that can target the bridge and pilot houses of ships, thereby knocking out command and control and effectively disabling each vessel. It is impossible to know what the United States and its allies are doing to prepare for this Russian offensive, if anything, and if and how this will affect the thinking and decisions of President Donald Trump, who is, as George W. Bush proclaimed about himself, the "decider." At the conference, the mayor of Odesa showed a nine-minute film that graphically portrayed the initial destruction of the city in 2022 and its remarkable rebuilding. Whether it would make a difference if the film could be presented to Trump and his advisers, it is compelling in the extreme. The audience of some 1,000 conference attendees was moved. This film would be a prime candidate for an Academy Award as best short documentary. The war in Ukraine may be -- and may be is too strong a phrase, perhaps -- at a turning point with the forthcoming offensive looming. If the offensive does not falter as those in the past have, the United States and the West will have to decide: Is it "slava" Ukraine -- glory to Ukraine -- or "dasvidaniya," or goodbye? I fear it will be the latter. Harlan Ullman is UPI's Arnaud de Borchgrave Distinguished Columnist; senior adviser at Washington's Atlantic Council, chairman of a private company, and principal author of the doctrine of shock and awe. His next book, co-written with General The Lord David Richards, former U.K. chief of defense and due out next year, is Who Thinks Wins: Preventing Strategic Catastrophe. The writer can be reached on X @harlankullman.
