The Japanese did not exploit their victory as the British feared. The decision to postpone major operations in the Indian Ocean was upheld. The Japanese aircraft carriers required maintenance and replenishment after months of intensive operations, [57] and there was already difficulty in maintaining the strength of frontline air units. [58] Nagumo and officers such as Mitsuo Fuchida (commanding Akagi's air group) felt that the losses inflicted on the British did not justify the loss of experienced Japanese air crews. [59] Japanese attention also lay elsewhere. In early May, Japanese carriers fought the Battle of the Coral Sea in the southwest Pacific, [57] followed in June by the Battle of Midway. [56] In both cases, losses constrained Japanese options further. Until the Second World War, the Indian Ocean had been a British "lake". It was ringed by significant British and Commonwealth possessions and much of the strategic supplies needed in peace and war had to pass across it: i.e. Persian oil, Malayan rubber, Indian tea, Australian and New Zealand foodstuffs. Britain also utilised Australian and New Zealand manpower; hence, safe passage for British cargo ships was critical. [3]

The reinforcement of the British Eastern Fleet depended on transfers from Britain and the Mediterranean, a reflection of active warzones and the demands on the Royal Navy's (RN) resources. In May 1942, the Eastern Fleet supported the invasion of Madagascar, Operation Ironclad. It was aimed at thwarting any attempt by Japanese vessels to use naval bases on the Vichy French controlled territory. During the invasion, vessels of the Eastern Fleet were confronted by vessels of the French Navy and submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy. [16] Indian Ocean strikes [ ]Following the successful Allied landings in France during the summer of 1944, Operation OVERLORD in June and Operation DRAGOON in August, Britain began to reallocate resources to the Far East and the war against Japan. I put off buying this book for quite a long time - probably because I found the sub-title a bit corny - but I read a good review of it, and took the plunge, because it is a subject I don't know too much about. On 15–16 May 1945, the British fought the Battle of the Malacca Strait; the 26th Destroyer Flotilla (composed of Saumarez, Venus, Verulam, Vigilant and Virago) sank the Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro in the Malacca Straits using torpedoes. [21] Eastern Fleet senior officers [ edit ] Commanders-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet [ edit ] For India, a U.S. naval presence in the eastern Indian Ocean has implications that go beyond the interpretation of U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. As this analyst noted in a recent paper , U.S. freedom of navigation operations normalize military activism (including Chinese operations) near Indian islands that remain vulnerable to incursions by foreign warships in the surrounding seas. The U.S. emphasis on navigational freedoms in the exclusive economic zones encourages warships of other regional navies to violate Indian authority and jurisdiction in the waters off island territories. Since Washington is yet to ratify the U.N. convention, Indian officials aren’t eager to accept U.S. lecturing on the subject of navigational freedoms. Of the three carriers, two were new—HMS Formidable and HMS Indomitable. Neither carrier was fully worked up and they were operating obsolete aircraft compared to the Japanese and their nimble Zero fighter. Between them, they had 45 Fairey Albacore torpedo bombers and 33 fighters, the latter consisting of 12 Grumman F4F Martlets (the export version of the American Wildcat), 12 Fairey Fulmars, and nine Hawker Sea Hurricanes.

The Japanese had confounded Western observers and experts with their superb aircraft, offensive spirit, and coordinated tactics, which sent Britain’s most modern battleship, HMS Prince of Wales, to the bottom of the ocean three days into the war and captured Singapore after 70 days of victorious fighting. Now they beat upon the gates of India. The Battle-Tested Japanese Fleet Against an Aging Royal Navy During World War II, the British Eastern Fleet included, from time to time, a number of warships from other Allied nations, such as Australia, France ( Free French Navy), the Netherlands, India ( Royal Indian Navy), New Zealand and the United States. Major ships attached to the Eastern Fleet, or where indicated, East Indies Fleet, included: Charles Stephenson's well-researched and absorbing narrative gives this forgotten fleet the recognition it deserves. SeaGull Feb 21 - Apr 21If you want every author to delve in to archives and break new ground like an academic then there will be far fewer books to buy and read as the process takes inordinate amounts of time. Some of my worst reads are well researched but awfully written books. From October 1943, the Eastern Fleet was the maritime component of South East Asia Command, including responsibilities beyond the SEAC area. The fleet reached full operational strength again by 1944. On 22 November 1944 the Eastern Fleet was split into the British Pacific Fleet, receiving the majority of the ships, and the remnant, which became known as the East Indies Fleet. [19]

The Intelligence Failure At Pearl Harbor" . http://www.ww2study.com/pearl.html . Retrieved 2 September 2012.

The Japanese swarmed in on Ceylon, their 30 fighters easily defeating the British defenders. The British lost 15 Hurricanes and four Fulmars, while the Japanese lost seven fighters. The Japanese were surprised by the tenacity of the Hurricane, whose wooden frame could absorb armor-piercing bullets. Secret Port T on Addu atoll Maldives 1945". Maldives Culture . http://www.maldivesculture.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=58 . Retrieved 2 September 2012. The Eastern Fleet transferred its main base to Kilindini, Kenya in East Africa, temporarily ceding the eastern Indian Ocean to the Japanese; from there it continued contesting control of the central Indian Ocean on better terms. [50] Force A, including its two aircraft carriers, Indomitable and Formidable, retired to Bombay, [3] and Somerville regularly deployed a fast carrier force to the central Indian Ocean over the next six months, during which he operated from or near Ceylon for nearly half that time. On 18 April, naval planning accorded the Eastern Fleet the highest priority for reinforcement, which also included transferring most of the carriers from the Home Fleet and the Mediterranean, with the intention of returning to Ceylon in September. [52] The Eastern Fleet included, from time to time, as well as British warships, a number of warships from the British Dominions of Australia and New Zealand as well as other Allied nations, such as the French battleship Richelieu, other ships from the Free French Naval Forces, the Netherlands, and the United States. I particularly enjoy reading about British Commonwealth naval contributions (Australia, NZ, South Africa) even though their ships were few in number. French, Dutch, and Italian efforts in support was an added plus. If you are looking for wide ranging (Leyte) or game changing action (Midway) then this not the book. For a niche filling effort then I highly recommend Stephenson' contribution.

O'Hara, Vincent (2009). Struggle for the Middle Sea: the great navies at war in the Mediterranean theater, 1940–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1591146483. Rear-Admiral, Commanding, 5th Cruiser Squadron and Second-in-Command, East Indies Fleet/Far East Fleet [ edit ] Charles Stephenson’s well-researched and absorbing narrative gives this forgotten fleet the recognition it deserves over fifteen chapters many of which include valuable eye-witness reports. Japanese intelligence on the composition of the British Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean [8] was reasonably accurate, [6] British land-based Fulmars arrived only after Hermes was sunk. Two Fulmars and four Vals were destroyed. [46]The Book starts with the development of naval air power in Great Britain and Japan. The conclusion from this is that Great Britain thought the Japanese how to develop carrier borne air power and then the Japanese developed that in a far better way than did their teachers. O'Hara, Vincent (2009). Struggle for the Middle Sea: the great navies at war in the Mediterranean theater, 1940-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1591146488.