A (0:00)

Foreign. This is Angela Odell and you are listening to Real Cool History for Kids, a podcast show featuring history told from a distinctly biblical worldview perspective. Welcome to an adventure. Welcome to episode 155 of Real Cool History for Kids. This episode is for Spruce Myers, who wanted to hear the story of the daring Dolittle Raid. Hey, Spruce, this one's for you. Back in episode 40, I told you guys the story of the bombing of Pearl harbor in December of 1941. It was December 7, 1941, and that was the event that officially brought the United States into World War II. This attack made Americans very angry, and soon after, the United States declared war on Japan. The story that takes place in this episode shows the way Americans thought and felt at that time. And they wanted justice. And they began to prepare for war. On a quiet morning In April of 1942, four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, 16American B25 bombers took off from the deck of the USS Hornet, a huge aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. These bombers weren't originally designed to take off from a ship, but this was no ordinary mission. The brave men aboard these planes were part of one of the most daring military operations in history, the Doolittle Raid. This incredible mission, named after its leader, Lt. Col. James, also called Jimmy Doolittle, was meant to be a bold response to the attack at Pearl. The United States wanted to send this message to Japan. America is strong and we would not back down. But there was a problem. Japan was very far away, and at that time, American bombers couldn't reach it from any of the US Bases. However, military planners came up with a daring plan. What if. What if we launched bombers from an aircraft carrier, flew over Japan, dropped the bombs on military and industrial targets, and then headed safely to China? Could it be done? Yes, logistically, it could be done. The mission was super, super dangerous. Though the B25 bombers were, they were just way too large to normally take off from an aircraft carrier. But the pilots practiced taking off from short runways. To prepare for this unique challenge, Doolittle selected 80 men, pilots, navigators, bombardiers and engineers who were all ready to risk their lives. These men trained in secret. They practiced taking off on short runways, and they learned how to navigate long distances over the ocean. They also knew that if they were captured, they would face severe consequences, probably death. Among the selected men were many young pilots eager to serve their country. Richard, who was called Dick Cole, who was Doolittle's co pilot, would later be the last surviving raider, Jacob Deshazzar, a Bombardier was captured by the Japanese and spent more than three years as a prisoner of war. And I'll tell you the rest of his story later in this episode. It's pretty amazing, you guys. So on April 18, 1942, the USS Hornet and its escort ships moved closer to Japan. As the American ships came closer, a Japanese patrol boat spotted them, and this unfortunately forced the mission to launch sooner than they had planned. This meant that the bombers had to take off farther from Japan than expected, which made their journey even more dangerous. One by one, the 16 Bombers roared off the deck, flying towards Japan. Each plane carried four bombs. Their targets were military factories, shipyards, and other important sites in Tokyo and other Japanese cities. The bombers reached Japan and successfully dropped their bombs. While the damage to Japan's infrastructure was it really wasn't that massive. The psychological impact was huge. You see, Japan had believed its homeland was untouchable because of their location so far away from America. The raid proved that America could reach them, and it really shook their confidence. After completing their bombing runs, the airmen faced another huge challenge making it to safety. They were supposed to fly to airstrips in China, but they ran into trouble because they had to take off so early. Many of the planes ran out of fuel before reaching their planned landing spots. Some crews had to bail out and parachute into China, and others crash landed. One plane even landed in the Soviet Union, where the crew was detained by Soviet authorities. Hey guys, I'm going to take a quick break right here in the middle of our story about the amazing Dolittle Raid to give a shout out to a recent podcast reviewer, Paisley, who says this about real cool history for kids. This is such a great podcast. I love it. My name is Paisley Peg and I live on a farm in Dallas, Oregon. And I love history. This makes it even more fun. Thanks, Paisley, for your awesome feedback. I'm so happy you're enjoying the podcast show. Everyone. I'm inviting you to join us on our Patreon platform. For just $8 a month, you get all kinds of great resources added throughout the month. By joining our platform, you are helping to keep real cool history for kids on the air. Everyone, make sure you stick around to hear this episode's birthday shout outs. This episode is made possible in part by the America Story series, written by me and published through Master Books, creators of homeschool curriculum written from a distinctly biblical worldview perspective. Now, let's get back to our story about the Doolittle raid. Because the Soviet Union had not declared war on Japan, they were trying to avoid A diplomatic conflict. So the crew from the Doolittle raid that had crashed in the Soviet Union was held under house arrest for over a year before escaping with the help of the Soviet officials who secretly allowed them to escape into Iran. They wanted them to escape, so they let them. From there they returned safely to American forces. This unusual detour became one of the raids lesser known but fascinating stories. The people of China tried to help this the stranded American fliers, the ones that had landed in China. But the Japanese army who were angered by the raid, launched brutal attacks on Chinese villages that had assisted the Americans. Most of the Doolittle Raiders survived, but not all of them. Some were captured by the Japanese and endured terrible conditions as prisoners of war. Three men were killed and others suffered harsh, really harsh treatment. However, the Doolittle raid had a lasting effect. Back home in the United States, the mission was seen as a great victory. It lifted the spirits of the American people, proving that their military could fight back. It also led Japan to make some pretty critical mistakes, such as the decision to attack Midway island, an event that became a major turning point in the war. Doolittle himself had feared that the mission was a failure because all the planes were lost. However, when he returned home, he was awarded the Medal of Honor and celebrated as a hero. And the Doolittle Raiders were honored for their bravery and their sacrifice. Now I want to tell you about something absolutely amazing that came out of the Doolittle raid. Remember I told you that one of the bombardiers was captured and spent a long time time as a prisoner of war. During his captivity, Jacob Deshazzar suffered severe mistreatment, but he eventually found strength in his faith. After the war he became a Christian missionary and returned to Japan to spread the gospel and a message of forgiveness. His journey led him to befriend a former enemy, Mutsuyo Fushida, the Japanese pilot who led the attack on Pearl Harbor. Isn't that amazing? Fushido, inspired by Jacob's story, also became a Christian and dedicated his life to spreading peace. Their unlikely friendship became an amazing symbol of reconciliation and the power of forgiveness and the love of God. I love that. Isn't that just incredible? The story of the Dolittle raid is one of courage, teamwork and determination. And the men who took part in this mission knew they might not come back. Yet they volunteered anyway. Their actions not only changed the course of World War II, but it also inspired future generations of pilots and service members. Today, historians remember this raid as a bold and necessary move in the fight against tyranny. The surviving Doolittle Raiders held reunions for many, many years, honoring their fallen comrades and sharing their incredible story. For those of us learning about history, the Doolittle Raid is an excellent example of how bravery and teamwork can make a difference. The airmen who knew the risks, but they believed in their mission and in each other. Their story teaches us that sometimes courage means stepping out into the unknown, even when the odds seem impossible. The Doolittle Raid was more than just a military operation. It was a message of hope and determination that still inspires people today. Through their sacrifice and courage, these airmen showed the nation that was still reeling from the attack on Pearl harbor how to be brave and courageous and willing to lay down their lives for their country. Now it's time for this episode's birthday shout outs. You guys, because this June has three episode release periods, we're going to take this first one to catch up on any birthdays we couldn't fit into the earlier episodes. Okay, so the next two episodes will be all June birthday shout outs. Happy birthday to James Rogers, who turned 9 on Feb. 8. Happy birthday to Poppy Walczak, who turned 9 on March 11. Happy birthday to Jasper Schultz, who turned 8 on March 21. Happy birthday to Goldie Walzack, who turned 6 on April 2. Happy birthday to Jude Welsh, who turned 12 on May 7. Happy birthday to Valerie Povis, who turned 8 on May 18. Happy birthday to August Kristal, who turned 8 on May 22. And happy birthday to K. Nguyen, who turned 6 on May 24. Happy birthday to all of you from the Real Cool History for Kids family. I hope you all have enjoyed our adventure in history today. I'll meet you here soon for our next episode of Real Cool History for Kids. I Until then, through the grace and mercy of Jesus our savior, be the best you ever.