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A Discussion on Fleet Admiral Nimitz, with special guest Admiral James Stavridis

- Nimitz Pre War
- Who was he and where did he come from?
- Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg
- Too poor to go to college, worked his tail off to go to Naval Academy
- Spent time in Japan before the war
- Nimitz was a submarine officer in his early years
- Commanded a DD in the Philippines
- Commanded a cruiser division and battleship division
- XO of SC, CO Chicago
- Highly experienced in the realm of command
- Nimitz Upon Assignment as CINCPAC
- 56 Years Old currently occupying the office of the Bureau of Navigation
- Whose decision was it to promote Nimitz to the position?
- FDR
- He had been offered the job before December 41 and turned it down for fear of upsetting senior officers.
- He was junior to some 50 other Admirals
- He feared that taking the job and leapfrogging them would have created resentment and made it more difficult to do the job.
- Nimitz the Leader
- What kind leadership style did Nimitz utilize?
- He was a people person
- Never cussed, raised his voice or dressed men down in public
- He gave his subordinates a lot of autonomy and assumed they knew their jobs until they proved they did not
- If that occurred, he spoke in low tones, was blunt but not rude or insulting
- Always looked after his men and took care of them
- Nimitz the Executive
- Juggled personalities of subordinates and his boss extremely well
- Dealings with King
- Dealings with subordinates
- Turner
- GEN Smith
- Halsey
- Towers
- JO Richardson
- MacArthur
- Spruance and Nimitz relationship
- Nimitz handled the various personalities in the Pacific in check much as Ike did in the ETO.
- Was very similar to Ike in terms of Supreme Commander, even though, Nimitz was no Supreme Commander
- What did Nimitz inherit in December 41 and how did he go about fixing the problems?
- Inherited a shattered command
- Devastated morale
- Staff, fleet and populace
- Fear of a Japanese invasion
- When he landed in Pearl on Xmas Day he asked about the relief of Wake
- When told it fell and was abandoned, he fell silent
- Didn’t take command immediately. Worked with Admiral Pye to get the lay of the land, latest issues and intel.
- Took command on December 31, 1941 aboard USS Grayling (SS-209) fittingly
- Nimitz’s Strategy 1941-42
- Be cautious, yet forceful and hit them where they least expect it
- Strike back was essential
- (Set the stage for next episode about the Hit and Run Raids)
- Nimitz’s biggest gamble
- Midway
- Recognized the role of intel and believed in it, believed in his people and their skills
- Nimitz’s Legacy
- Developed and implemented the island hopping strategy that won the war.
- Inherited a shattered fleet, trusted his subordinates, built his leadership teams and won when it was absolutely necessary.
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By Seth Paridon, William Toti
A Discussion on Fleet Admiral Nimitz, with special guest Admiral James Stavridis

- Nimitz Pre War
- Who was he and where did he come from?
- Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg
- Too poor to go to college, worked his tail off to go to Naval Academy
- Spent time in Japan before the war
- Nimitz was a submarine officer in his early years
- Commanded a DD in the Philippines
- Commanded a cruiser division and battleship division
- XO of SC, CO Chicago
- Highly experienced in the realm of command
- Nimitz Upon Assignment as CINCPAC
- 56 Years Old currently occupying the office of the Bureau of Navigation
- Whose decision was it to promote Nimitz to the position?
- FDR
- He had been offered the job before December 41 and turned it down for fear of upsetting senior officers.
- He was junior to some 50 other Admirals
- He feared that taking the job and leapfrogging them would have created resentment and made it more difficult to do the job.
- Nimitz the Leader
- What kind leadership style did Nimitz utilize?
- He was a people person
- Never cussed, raised his voice or dressed men down in public
- He gave his subordinates a lot of autonomy and assumed they knew their jobs until they proved they did not
- If that occurred, he spoke in low tones, was blunt but not rude or insulting
- Always looked after his men and took care of them
- Nimitz the Executive
- Juggled personalities of subordinates and his boss extremely well
- Dealings with King
- Dealings with subordinates
- Turner
- GEN Smith
- Halsey
- Towers
- JO Richardson
- MacArthur
- Spruance and Nimitz relationship
- Nimitz handled the various personalities in the Pacific in check much as Ike did in the ETO.
- Was very similar to Ike in terms of Supreme Commander, even though, Nimitz was no Supreme Commander
- What did Nimitz inherit in December 41 and how did he go about fixing the problems?
- Inherited a shattered command
- Devastated morale
- Staff, fleet and populace
- Fear of a Japanese invasion
- When he landed in Pearl on Xmas Day he asked about the relief of Wake
- When told it fell and was abandoned, he fell silent
- Didn’t take command immediately. Worked with Admiral Pye to get the lay of the land, latest issues and intel.
- Took command on December 31, 1941 aboard USS Grayling (SS-209) fittingly
- Nimitz’s Strategy 1941-42
- Be cautious, yet forceful and hit them where they least expect it
- Strike back was essential
- (Set the stage for next episode about the Hit and Run Raids)
- Nimitz’s biggest gamble
- Midway
- Recognized the role of intel and believed in it, believed in his people and their skills
- Nimitz’s Legacy
- Developed and implemented the island hopping strategy that won the war.
- Inherited a shattered fleet, trusted his subordinates, built his leadership teams and won when it was absolutely necessary.
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