--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I assumed command of the Pacific…" description: "\"When I assumed command of the Pacific Fleet in 31 December, 1941; our submarines were already operating against the enemy, the only units of the Fleet ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/chester-w-nimitz-22437_activity_when-i-assumed-command-of-the-pacific-fl_382106.png" --- # When I assumed command of the Pacific Fleet in 31… ![“When I assumed command of the Pacific Fleet in 31 December, 1941; our submarines were already operating against the enemy, the only units of the Fleet that could come to grips with the Japanese for months to come. It was to the Submarine Force that I looked to carry the load until our great…” quote by Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/chester-w-nimitz-22437_activity_when-i-assumed-command-of-the-pacific-fl_382106.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/chester-w-nimitz-22437_activity_when-i-assumed-command-of-the-pacific-fl_382106.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/chester-w-nimitz-22437_activity_when-i-assumed-command-of-the-pacific-fl_382106.png) > “When I assumed command of the Pacific Fleet in 31 December, 1941; our submarines were already operating against the enemy, the only units of the Fleet that could come to grips with the Japanese for months to come. It was to the Submarine Force that I looked to carry the load until our great industrial activity could produce the weapons we so sorely needed to carry the war to the enemy. It is to the everlasting honor and glory of our submarine personnel that they never failed us in our days of peril.” [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The submarine force was the backbone of early WWII naval effort, bearing the burden until industrial production could catch up. **In simple terms:** Submarines carried the fight while factories built more weapons. Key Takeaway Rely on specialized units when resources are limited. Themes leadership military strategy naval warfare Mood determined proud reflective Type historical military When to use this quote - early WWII Pacific battles - logistical planning - resource constraints Key Concepts strategic reliance industrial capacity crew morale Questions to Reflect On - How can small, elite teams sustain effort under pressure? - What modern parallels exist for specialized units filling gaps? A Different Perspective Submarines alone could not win the war without broader support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1941 Submarines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1941-submarines-3463716/) [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Command](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/command/) [December](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/december/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Everlasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everlasting/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Load](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/load/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Pacific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacific/) [Pacific Fleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacific-fleet-704433/) [Peril](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peril/) [Personnel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personnel/) [Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce/) [Submarine Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/submarine-force-1783347/) [Submarines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/submarines/) [Submarines Operating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/submarines-operating-3463717/) [Units](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/units/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [Our film examines the heroism, courage and prowess of the Soviet submarine force in ways never seen before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/our-film-examines-the-heroism-courage-and-prowess-of-the-soviet/) [Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/) > [As a matter of fact, although we had some terrible challenges and temptations when I was in office, we never dropped a bomb... we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/as-a-matter-of-fact-although-we-had-some-terrible-challenges-and/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“The Americans, Dutch and Australians had lost further vessels as well, notably at the battle of the Java Sea in February. 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We right now only have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-will-build-a-navy-of-350-surface-ships-and-submarines-as/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Certainly in the United States, you have a constituency in the form of the weapons laboratories, and you also have the branches of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/certainly-in-the-united-states-you-have-a-constituency-in-the-form-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More by Chester W. Nimitz > [When you're in command, command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/when-you-re-in-command-command/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [No other island received as much preliminary pounding as did Iwo Jima.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/no-other-island-received-as-much-preliminary-pounding-as-did-iwo-jima/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/by-their-victory-the-3rd-4th-and-5th-marine-divisions-and-other-units/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [The enemy of our games was always Japan, and the courses were so thorough that after the start of World War II, nothing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/the-enemy-of-our-games-was-always-japan-and-the-courses-were-so/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [It is the function of the Navy to carry the war to the enemy so that it is not fought on U.S. soil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/it-is-the-function-of-the-navy-to-carry-the-war-to-the-enemy-so-that/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [We must not again underestimate the Japanese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/we-must-not-again-underestimate-the-japanese/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/among-the-men-who-fought-on-iwo-jima-uncommon-valor-was-a-common/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [I felt that it was an unnecessary loss of civilian life... We had them beaten. They hadn't enough food, they couldn't do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/i-felt-that-it-was-an-unnecessary-loss-of-civilian-life-we-had-them/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [The Japanese had, in fact, already sued for peace. The atomic bomb played no decisive part, from a purely military point of view, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/the-japanese-had-in-fact-already-sued-for-peace-the-atomic-bomb/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [That is not to say that we can relax our readiness to defend ourselves. Our armament must be adequate to the needs, but our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/that-is-not-to-say-that-we-can-relax-our-readiness-to-defend/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [The battle of Iwo Island has been won. The United States Marines by their individual and collective courage have conquered a base which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/the-battle-of-iwo-island-has-been-won-the-united-states-marines-by/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [I have just taken on a great responsibility. I will do my utmost to meet it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/i-have-just-taken-on-a-great-responsibility-i-will-do-my-utmost-to/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [The U.S.'s major strength factor and weapon is its economy. If you cripple it, you cripple the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/the-u-s-s-major-strength-factor-and-weapon-is-its-economy-if-you/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [We shall never forget that it was our submarines that held the lines against the enemy while our fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/we-shall-never-forget-that-it-was-our-submarines-that-held-the-lines/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [Our present control of the sea is so absolute that it is sometimes taken for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/our-present-control-of-the-sea-is-so-absolute-that-it-is-sometimes/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) [Explore all 27 Chester W. Nimitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. 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