Reason # 2:
I admire Admiral Yamamoto because he was a man that was ahead of his time. Unlike the rest of the Naval High Command, who believed that the future of naval warefare was to be determined in battleship combat, as was the case during the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 (citing Togo's victory over the Russian Baltic Fleet in Tsushima Straits), Yamamoto believed that the future of naval warfare lay in a nation's Aircraft Carriers and in Carrier warfare.
Reading Yamamoto's journals and personal statements to his aides, it is evident that his agenda was building Japan's carrier force. It was he who was responsible for producing and creating Japan's Carrier Wing, or as it was called Kido Butai (Carrier Force). Before Japan attacked pearl Harbor, the Imperial Japanese Navy had about 11 aircraft carriers in its arsenal and more in production, thanks of course to the genius of Admiral Yamamoto and his influence in the Naval High Command and the Military Structure.
When he assumed command of the Combined Imperial Japanese Fleet in its surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, he had under his command 4 carriers that were produced and augmented under his watch. These 4 carriers were the: Hiryu, Shiryu, Kaga and the Akagi; the Cream of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
In fact, Yamamoto's primary aim in attacking Pearl Harbor were the American carriers , as he knew that the destruction of those carriers would severely hinder America's ability to mobilize a counter-offensive, and thus give Japan the time to consolidate forces and even possibly force the Americans to sue for peace. Tho Yamamoto's Kido Butai crippled the American fighter wings , and annihilated the docked ships that day, the IJN was unable to locate and neutralize the American Carriers that day.
The reason why I admire Yamamoto is because he set standard in naval warfare; especially in regards to the importance of the Aircraft Carrier in future navies and future naval warfare.
Personally speaking, had Yamamoto not be killed by American fighter planes in 1943, he would have been capable of overturning the American victory in Midway in 42' and would have been capable of a counter-attack as was his plan in Papau New Guinea. His sudden and untimely death left the Imperial Japanese Navy scrambling to replace his position, however, none of the replacements / subordinates came close to the genius that was Yamamoto.
When Yamamoto died, the Imperial Navy's fate was already sealed.
To illustrate Yamamoto's influence in the Imperial Japanese Navy:(Note, that Japan's Navy was unmatched in the beginning of the war, she had more carriers than America, as well as fielded the most powerful battleships the world had ever known: the Musashi and the Yamato)
IJN Kaga
IJN Akagi
IJN Soryu
IJN Hiryu
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The Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship YamatoThe Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship Musashiphotos from: Nihonkaigun.com
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