Chapter Summaries

German carrier-based aircraft sank eleven American aircraft carriers before running out of ordnance and returning to rearm. Nimitz ordered the surviving American fleet to retreat, while the German fleet commanders ordered pursuit and prepared another air attack.

• German carrier-based aircraft continued attacking the American fleet, sinking Hornet and Belleau Wood among other ships.
• Nimitz learned that eight American aircraft carriers had been sunk and recognized the fleet had lost the battle.
• German attacks sank Cowpens, Yorktown, and Ranger, bringing the number of American carriers sunk to eleven.
• The German aircraft ran out of bombs and torpedoes and returned to their carriers.
• Nimitz ordered the American fleet to retreat at full speed, leaving a few destroyers to rescue sailors in the water.
• The commanders of the three German fleets ordered pursuit and planned another carrier-based air attack after refueling and rearming.

The German Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets launched a second carrier-aircraft strike against the retreating American fleet, while the distant Home Fleet could not join in. The attack sank four more American carriers, leaving the American Navy with fifteen carrier losses in the battle.

• The German carrier groups recovered their second wave and prepared for another attack, with about 380 aircraft available to the Atlantic Fleet.
• Admiral Rolf Kars ordered a second strike after Lieutenant General George Fredberg estimated that thirteen or fourteen American carriers remained.
• The Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets sent more than 500 aircraft against the American fleet, while the Home Fleet stayed beyond striking range.
• Admiral Nimitz ordered the American warships to resist and protect as many carriers as possible as they attempted to escape.
• German aircraft sank Enterprise, Wasp, Independence, and Monterey, bringing American carrier losses to fifteen.

Admiral Rolf Kars and Marshal Lütjens tallied the German Navy’s decisive victory over the American fleet, including the destruction of fifteen American aircraft carriers and numerous other ships. They left the battle confident that Germany could gain command of the Atlantic Ocean, and planned for Marshal Lütjens to report the victory to Germany.

• Lieutenant General George Fredberg reported that the second wave of attacks had ended, and Admiral Rolf Kars decided the exhausted aircraft crews would not launch a third sortie.
• Lieutenant General George Fredberg reported that the attacks had sunk the Enterprise, the Wasp, the Independence, and the Monterey, bringing the German fleets’ aircraft-carrier tally to fifteen.
• Lieutenant General George Fredberg added that the German Navy had sunk more than twelve American heavy cruisers, twenty light cruisers, and fifty destroyers; Admiral Rolf Kars ordered the victory news sent to the Poseidon for Marshal Lütjens to report home.
• Marshal Lütjens and Lieutenant General Karl Witzel discussed the American Navy’s losses and concluded that it could no longer challenge Germany for command of the Atlantic Ocean.
• Lieutenant General Karl Witzel reported that German land-based aircraft had sunk the American battleships New Hampshire and Louisiana, bringing the battle’s total to nine American capital ships, along with numerous cruisers and destroyers.

Marshal Lütjens reviewed the German Navy’s losses after its victory over the American fleet and ordered rescue efforts for downed pilots. He then asked for a victory report to be sent to Berlin.

• Marshal Lütjens asked Marshal Karl Witzel about the Aircraft Carrier Formation’s losses, including one sunk Sovereign-class carrier and three heavily damaged carriers.
• Lieutenant General Karl Witzel reported cruiser and destroyer losses and said the three fleets had lost more than seven hundred carrier-based aircraft.
• Marshal Lütjens ordered seaplanes and destroyers to rescue pilots who had parachuted into the sea, and Karl Witzel confirmed rescue operations were underway.
• Karl Witzel reported that the Capital Ships formation had lost one Battleship, while five Capital Ships were damaged, and that Azores-based units had lost more than four hundred aircraft.
• Marshal Lütjens ordered a victory report sent to Berlin.

Berlin remained confident in Germany’s victory as Emperor Qin Tian and senior officials awaited news of the naval battle with the United States. The Home Fleet sent word that it had defeated the Americans, leaving the Supreme Command with news of a German victory.

• Berlin’s citizens continued to support the war, confident that Oscar would lead Germany to victory.
• Qin Tian and senior officials gathered at the Supreme Command to await the outcome of the naval battle.
• Manstein, Kesselring, and Raeder considered how victory or defeat at sea would affect Germany’s military plans.
• Qin Tian assured the officials that the Imperial Navy would win.
• A general reported that the Home Fleet had sent a victory telegram and defeated the Americans.

After the German Navy defeated the American Navy, Emperor Qin Tian and his ministers celebrated the victory and assessed the fleets’ losses. Qin Tian ordered rescues and repairs, then formally declared war on the United States.

• A general confirmed that the German Navy had won the naval battle, and Oscar and the ministers celebrated.
• The general reported that Germany had sunk fifteen American aircraft carriers and nine Capital Ships, leaving the American Navy with only nine aircraft carriers and six Capital Ships.
• The general reported Germany’s losses, including one aircraft carrier, one Battleship, and more than seven hundred carrier-based aircraft.
• Oscar ordered Marshal Raeder to rescue sailors and pilots, repair damaged warships, and remain alert to the American Navy’s remaining strength.
• Ribbentrop urged an immediate declaration of war, and Qin Tian formally declared war on the United States in a television and radio address that afternoon.

Admiral Nimitz and Lieutenant General Halsey reviewed the American Navy’s catastrophic losses after its defeat by the German Navy. They concluded that the United States could no longer contest the Atlantic soon and would have to focus on defending its homeland and rebuilding its fleet.

• Lieutenant General Halsey reported that the Americans had lost fifteen aircraft carriers, nine Capital Ships, nineteen heavy cruisers, twenty-eight Light Cruisers, sixty-three destroyers, and nearly all carrier-based aircraft aboard twenty-four carriers.
• Lieutenant General Halsey estimated that the Germans had lost one aircraft carrier, one Battleship, several other warships, and hundreds of aircraft, but said American losses were far greater.
• Admiral Nimitz agreed that the Germans’ damaged ships would soon return to the Atlantic and remain a major threat.
• Lieutenant General Halsey said the Americans could not defeat the German Navy or threaten Europe anytime soon.
• Admiral Nimitz resolved to prioritize homeland defense and accelerate warship construction, while Lieutenant General Halsey urged faster production and development of carrier-based fighters.
• Admiral Nimitz called for a dedicated anti-aircraft cruiser to counter the German Navy’s effective defenses against carrier aircraft.

Admiral Harold Stark, Admiral James Richardson, and Admiral Ernest King waited in Washington for news of the decisive battle between the American and German fleets, confident that American industry could eventually secure naval supremacy. An officer then delivered General Nimitz’s message that the American fleet had suffered a crushing defeat.

• Admiral James Richardson and Admiral Ernest King argued that the American Navy could defeat Germany if luck favored it, while Admiral Harold Stark warned that defeat would leave the United States unable to challenge Germany in the Atlantic.
• Admiral James Richardson cited the construction of Essex-class aircraft carriers as a way for the Navy to recover, and Admiral Ernest King said American shipyards could build replacements faster than German shipyards.
• Admiral Harold Stark said work on the next carrier class was more than halfway complete, and Admiral Ernest King predicted that the United States would surpass Germany.
• A Navy officer delivered General Nimitz’s telegram, reporting that the American fleet had lost its decisive battle against the Germans.
• Admiral Harold Stark collapsed onto the sofa, while Admiral James Richardson and Admiral Ernest King stared in shock.

Admiral Harold Stark reported the American Navy’s crushing defeat against Germany to President Roosevelt, detailing the fleet and aircraft losses. Roosevelt was left uncertain how the United States could continue the war and achieve its objectives.

• An officer told Admirals Harold Stark, James Richardson, and Ernest King that the United States had lost fifteen aircraft carriers, nine battleships, and many other ships in the battle.
• The officer reported that fewer than two hundred carrier-based aircraft remained, while Germany had lost one carrier and one battleship, with several other ships damaged or sunk.
• Harold Stark ordered James Richardson and Ernest King to speed up warship construction, aircraft production, and pilot training.
• Harold Stark went to the White House and told President Roosevelt that the American Navy had suffered a disastrous defeat.
• Roosevelt heard the full losses and wondered how the United States could still defeat Germany and achieve its aims in the war.

After the American Navy suffered a crushing defeat against Germany, President Roosevelt faced the collapse of his plans to seize the Atlantic and called for a meeting to decide America’s next steps. He backed Admiral Harold Stark’s effort to defend the eastern coast and rebuild the Navy, while insisting that the United States still had to defeat Germany.

• Admiral Harold Stark apologized to President Roosevelt for the American Navy’s defeat, and Roosevelt acknowledged that Germany’s superior strength had overwhelmed the fleet.
• Hopkins urged Roosevelt to devise new plans because America could no longer seize control of the Atlantic or carry out its intended operations in Europe.
• Roosevelt ordered a meeting with Cabinet ministers and Army and Navy generals, declaring that the Republic of America had reached its most critical hour.
• Admiral Harold Stark said the Navy would defend the eastern coast and accelerate warship construction after losing its main force.
• Roosevelt promised additional support for the Navy and told Admiral Harold Stark to learn from the defeat, while maintaining that America had to defeat Germany.

President Roosevelt and senior US leaders confronted the American Navy’s devastating defeat in the Battle of the Azores and resolved to resist Germany rather than seek peace. Roosevelt left the meeting by ordering priority resources for rebuilding the navy as the leaders prepared for a possible German attack on the American homeland.

• US officials discussed the navy’s defeat, and President Roosevelt reassured them that German strength—not a lack of courage—had caused the loss.
• Admiral Harold Stark reported that the US had lost fifteen aircraft carriers, nine Capital Ships, and many other vessels, while inflicting limited damage on the German fleet.
• Roosevelt and Secretary of State Hull warned that Germany might soon launch a larger offensive or invade the United States, and General Marshall insisted the country must resist without compromise.
• Stark and the naval commanders pledged to keep fighting as long as the navy had ships remaining.
• Roosevelt asked the leaders to prioritize naval ships, aircraft, sailors, and pilots, and the meeting raised no objections.

After its disastrous naval defeat, the United States rushed to rebuild its Navy and upgrade its carrier aircraft. Roosevelt warned that the Navy might have only one more chance to stop Germany, and sought the Army’s support in preparing for the worst.

• The US government ordered shipyards to accelerate construction of Essex-class carriers, capital ships, cruisers, and destroyers.
• The American Navy praised the F4U and increased its production, while the German Navy planned to replace its carrier-based BF-109s with FW-190s; US development of the F6F also sped up.
• Roosevelt kept Stilson, Marshall, and Arnold after a meeting and said the German Navy’s victory had exposed the gap between the two navies.
• Roosevelt urged the Army to accept the Navy’s priority in military spending so it could recover and protect the homeland.
• Marshall assured Roosevelt that the Army supported strengthening the Navy and hoped it would eventually allow the United States to land in Europe.

President Roosevelt ordered the US Army to prepare for a German invasion in case the Navy suffered another defeat. General Marshall and General Arnold sought more armored and mechanized forces and advanced aircraft, and Roosevelt approved plans to strengthen them and defend the East Coast.

• President Roosevelt asked General Marshall and the other officers to prepare for the possibility that the Navy could not stop the Germans.
• General Marshall said the Army would have to fight the Germans on American soil and requested more armored and mechanized forces.
• General Marshall estimated that the Army needed at least twenty-five Armored Divisions and fifty Mechanized Infantry Divisions to hold back Germany’s forces.
• General Arnold requested P-47 fighters, P-51 fighters, and Dive Bombers to challenge the German Air Force and attack enemy ships and ground forces.
• President Roosevelt approved the aircraft procurement and ordered preparations along the East Coast to defeat any German landing.

After Germany defeated the U.S. Navy near the Azores, Island Nation's leaders met in Tokyo to assess the threat and plan their response. They resolved to accelerate naval construction and use the Dutch East Indies to expand into Indochina and Australia before Germany reinforced the Pacific.

• Prime Minister Mitsumasa Yonai summoned Island Nation's Cabinet officials to discuss the German victory, which had shaken their confidence in the war.
• Admiral Yoshida Zengo described the unprecedented scale of the battle and the American Navy's losses, noting that Island Nation's own fleet had already been gravely weakened by its earlier defeat against Germany.
• Foreign Minister Hachiro Arita questioned whether Island Nation could defeat Germany, while officials acknowledged that its forces had occupied the Dutch East Indies and were exploiting its oil and rubber.
• Admiral Yoshida Zengo urged the Navy to accelerate shipbuilding and destroy German forces in the Pacific before reinforcements arrived.
• Prime Minister Mitsumasa Yonai ordered shipyards to work in three shifts and directed the Army to use the Dutch East Indies as a base for attacks on Indochina and Australia.

Prime Minister Mitsumasa Yonai and his officials discussed Island Nation’s resource shortages and plans to expand its military to fight Germany. Yonai ordered resource requisitions and faster warship production, then assured General Yoshida Zengo that the government would strengthen the Navy.

• General Yoshida Zengo warned Yonai that accelerating warship construction would require resources Island Nation lacked.
• Hachiro Arita proposed negotiating with the Americans to use Philippine resources, and Yonai assigned him the task.
• Yukio Sakurai recommended requisitioning supplies in occupied territories, and Shunroku Hata backed seizing local wealth to sustain the war.
• Yonai ordered the shipyards to speed up warship production and the Southern Army to requisition more resources.
• Yonai told Yoshida that the government would strengthen the Navy so it could contend with Germany, and Yoshida pledged the Navy would give everything it had.

As German forces devastated Moscow, Marshal Shaposhnikov told Joseph that the American Navy had suffered a crushing defeat in the Azores, leaving Russia with little hope of relief. Joseph was left confronting the possibility that Russia might collapse before the Americans could rebuild their strength and challenge Germany again.

• German forces and their allies advanced through Moscow, inflicting heavy losses on Russian defenders who fought for every position.
• Marshal Shaposhnikov reported to Joseph that the Americans had lost fifteen aircraft carriers and many other warships in the Azores, leaving their navy unable to threaten Germany soon.
• Joseph questioned how the powerful American Navy could have lost, and Shaposhnikov blamed the German Navy's overwhelming strength.
• Marshal Voroshilov suggested that the Americans might prepare for another challenge, and Joseph hoped they would win next time.
• Shaposhnikov warned that rebuilding would take a long time and asked whether Russia could hold out until then, leaving Joseph faced with Russia's worsening crisis.

As Russian forces suffered mounting losses in Moscow and Yuzefgrad, Zhukov urged Joseph to stop sending reinforcements and leave Moscow before the Germans encircled it. Joseph thanked him but said he would consider the proposal, still wary of losing his power if he left the capital.

• Joseph complained that the Americans had drawn Russia into war with Germany but had failed to provide effective support.
• Zhukov reported that Russian troops were suffering enormous casualties and could not replace the forces being destroyed in Moscow and Yuzefgrad.
• Zhukov warned that Germany had slowed its offensive to draw in Russian reserves, but could soon encircle both cities.
• Zhukov proposed halting reinforcements to Moscow and Yuzefgrad and using the troops elsewhere, arguing the cities would fall regardless.
• Zhukov urged Joseph to leave Moscow before the Germans sealed it off, and Joseph said he would consider the advice.

After Germany’s victory at the Battle of the Azores, Qin Tian met with senior naval commanders to discuss repairs, aircraft upgrades, and plans to counter the United States. The chapter ended with Germany focused on destroying the American Navy and preparing for a future invasion of the American homeland.

• Qin Tian arrived at the Naval Ministry and was welcomed by Raeder, Dönitz, Lütjens, Rolf Kars, and Hermann Böhm.
• Raeder asked Qin Tian to order repairs for the Navy’s damaged warships, and Qin Tian directed shipyards to accelerate the work.
• Lütjens recommended replacing carrier-based BF-109s with FW-190s, and Qin Tian approved the change for Atlantic carriers before Pacific carriers.
• Rolf Kars and Manstein warned that American shipyards were rapidly rebuilding the Navy, including more than twenty aircraft carriers.
• Qin Tian and Manstein said Germany had to keep weakening the American Navy and prepare to attack the United States.

Oscar and the German naval commanders considered how to prevent the American Navy from rebuilding, then chose to use submarines to sever US supply routes from South America. The chapter ended with Oscar warning the commanders not to grow complacent and urging them to pursue final victory.

• Dönitz proposed attacking American East Coast shipyards with carrier aircraft, but Oscar and Raeder noted the strong air defenses.
• Böhm suggested shelling the shipyards with capital ships, but Lütjens warned of coastal fortifications, submarines, torpedo boats, and powerful American battleships.
• Oscar asked Dönitz whether the submarine force was ready, and Dönitz said it could depart at once.
• Oscar identified American supply routes from South America, including rubber shipments, as targets for German submarines.
• Dönitz pledged to turn the routes between the United States and South America into routes of death.
• Oscar cautioned the commanders against complacency and called on them to keep fighting for Germany's final victory.

After the American Navy’s defeat, Joseph reconsidered Russia’s strategy and weighed escaping Moscow against the risk of losing control of the army. He ordered the government offices to evacuate and halted reinforcements, but remained undecided about leaving himself.

• Joseph considered General Zhukov’s proposal to retreat east of the Ural Mountains and preserve Russia’s remaining forces.
• Molotov told Joseph that the United States had promised to rebuild its navy, but both men doubted the Americans could defeat Germany.
• Joseph asked Molotov what he thought about abandoning the defense of Moscow and Yuzefgrad, and Molotov supported preserving the troops.
• After thinking through the night, Joseph ordered Buru’s government offices to evacuate Moscow and stopped sending reinforcements to the city.
• Joseph had not decided whether he would leave Moscow himself.