Abstract
Though the United States and Great Britain were the prime movers in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, the other regional Allies – Australia, New Zealand, China, the Netherlands, and Canada – were part of the strategic equation. Inter-Allied strategy in the Pacific was shaped by many forces during the war: conduct of the enemy, coalition warfare, geography, technology, personality, and inter-service rivalries. As this chapter shows, this would eventually overwhelm the Japanese military. Despite its mercurial nature and unorthodox manifestations, Allied strategy to defeat Japan proved successful. During the war, US and British political and military leadership met in a crucial series of diplomatic conferences. At these meetings, the Allies crafted the strategy that ultimately led to the defeat of the Axis. Yet despite the commitment to a coordinated high command, the United States and Britain did not always agree on myriad strategic issues. These impasses, which reflected national interests and doctrinal differences, resulted in heated arguments. Many of the stalemates caused delays and reshaped decisions in other theatres, but ultimately, as shown here, the Allies settled their disagreements through compromise.