2. A Relatively Small Raid …
The American B-25s could take off from a carrier, but could not land on one. So according to plan, fifteen bombers continued westward, and made it to China, where they crash-landed. The sixteenth B-25 made its way to Vladivostok in the USSR, where it and its crew were interred by the Soviets. Three of eighty crewmen were killed. Eight were captured by the Japanese, of whom three were executed, and one died in captivity. The raid’s physical damage was slight, but the psychological impact was huge on both sides of the Pacific. It boosted American morale by demonstrating the country’s ability to hit back, and Doolittle was awarded a well-earned Medal of Honor. In Japan, the country’s high command lost considerable face. However, the raiders had bombed and strafed civilians, so Japanese authorities exploited and amplified for propaganda purposes, which fueled a desire for payback and retribution.
