-
Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a tremendous success for the Japanese. They dealt a blow to the U.S. Pacific Fleet that took months to overcome.The attack also had an enormous emotional impact. For the Japanese, it provided a major national pride and encouraged them to continue their assault. For Americans, it inspired them to resolve to fight. -
Battle of Java Sea
The Japanese were quickly advancing South through the Dutch Fought in the East Indies. Allies then attempted to mount a defense of Java in an effort to hold the Malay barrier. Overseen by Dutch Vice Admiral Conrad Helfrich, ABDA forces were badly outnumbered and in poor condition for the approaching fight. To take the island, the Japanese formed two major invasion fleets. In this battle, the Japanese caused much damage to the Allied navies; they conquered many key positions in the S. Pacific. -
Loss of Philippines & Bataan Death March
When the U.S. surrendered on Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942. 75,000 Filipino and American troops were forced to make a 65 mile hike to prison camps. They were beaten by Japanese guards and force to march in extreme heat. Thousands of victims died. The march took five days to be completed. General Douglas MacArthur then recaptured the Bataan Peninsula, Manila was later liberated. Japanese Lt. General Homma Masaharu was responsible for the march. He was tried and killed. -
Doolittle Raid Cont.
The Japanese occupied the China territory where they met by village people. One crew landed in the Soviet Union and were interned immediately. 8 airemen were caught and executed by the Japanese. -
Doolittle Raid
After the attack on Peral Harbor calmed down the Americans focused on retaliation. Lt. Colonel James H. Doolittle came up with the idea to launch B-25 bomber. It would be transported by aircraft carrier over Japan at striking distance, then launched to attack a number of cities. Tokyo was targeted by 13 bombers. Others targeted Nagoya, Osaka, and Kobe. After the bombs on the targets, they flew until there was no fuel left. 15 crew members had landed in Japan. -
Battle of Coral Sea
This battle featured the one part of the Pacific fleet that had not been badly damaged at Pearl Harbor--the aircraft carriers. The batlle took place as Japanese forces were preparing to invade the British controlled Port Moresby on the island of New Guinea. To prevent the attack, U.S. Admiral Chester Nimitz sent two aircraft carriers on the attack. In the battle both sides suffered dameage. The Americasn lost an aircraft carrier and several dozen aircrafts. However, they stop the Japanese attack -
Battle of Midway
Japanese military planners wanted to try to lure the Americans into a lrge sea battle. They first step was to attack the Americanheld Midway Island, which was located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese hoped the attack would pull the American fleet into the area. Then they could destory it. The Japanese had an advantage in the number of ships and carriers they could bring to the batlle. However, the Americans had a greater advantage. Americans had Naval intelligence officers break -
Battle of Midway Cont.
a Japanese code and learned about the plans for attacking Midway. Americans knew when the Japanese were going to attack.They also knew the direction that the Japanese ships would approach from. Using his advantage knowlege, Admiral Nimitz pleaced his available aircrafts carefully. His goal was to stop the Japanese landing at Midway and to avoid contact with the larger Japanese fleet. His plan had work. Leading Americans to a sucess. -
Guadlcanal Cont.
A Gudalcanal air base was imporant to control the sea lines of communication between the U.S. and Australia. At the end of the battle the Japanese lost two-thirds of the 31,400 army troops committed to the island, when the U,S, Marines and the U.S. Army lost less than 2,000 soilders of about 60,000 deployed. -
Guadalcanal
The first major offensice and a victory for the Allies in the Pacific theater. When the Japanese troops were stationed in the section of the Solomon Islands, U.S. marines surprised attack and took control of an air base that was under construction. Japanese suffered a greater toll of casualties, whuch forced their withdrawal from Guadalcanal by February 1943.The six-month Guadalcanal campaign was proved to be the turing point of the Pacific war. -
Island Hopping Strategy
The attack was led by General Douglas MacArthur. Commander of the Allied forces in the South West Pacific. The island Hoping campaign was successful. It had allowed the US gain control over sufficient island in the Pacific to get close enought to Japan to launch an invasion. A drwan out war was feared with many more casualties. The US made plans that was to end the war quickly and force Japan to surrender. This was achieved with the World's first Atomic bombs. The Island Hopping strategy was -
Island Hopping Cont.
United States soilders were not use to the guerilla style of fighting, while the Japanese had the advantafe of controllong many of the islands. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
This event followed the Allied landing at the Philippine Island of Leyte in October. The Japanese sought to converge three naval forces on Leyte Gulf, it successfully diverted the U.S. Third Fleet with a decoy. They naval battle conducted as Allied forces invaded the Philippines began with Leyte Island on October 20th. The Japanese fleet command ordered its forces to sea at the first sign of Allied landings. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima was invaded by the American amphibious during World War 2. The Americans invaded the area because they needed a base near the Japanese coast. Three U.S. Marine divisions landed on the island February 1945. Iwo Jima was defended by about 23,000 Japanese troops who fought from caves, dugouts, tunnels, and underground installations. The Marines did wipe out the defending forces after a month of fighting. The battle earned a place in American lore. -
Battle of Okinawa
Capturing Okinawa was part of a three-point plan that Americans had for winning the war Far East.This battle was prove to be one of the major battles of World War 2. There was about 65,000 Japanese troops on the island. The Americans land commander was Lt. General Simon Bolivar Buckner, He was responsible for 180,000 men. The lands were preceded by a period of intense bombardment but American's forces were also open to attack from Japanese fighters. -
Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima
The United States became the first and only nation that used atomic weaponry during wartime when an atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Dropping the bomb on Japan marked the end of World War II. Many historians still argue that it also ignited the Cold War. The blast of the bomb immediately killed 80,000 people. -
Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki
Nagasaki was a shipbuilding center.The bomb was dropped at 11:02 a.m,1,650 feet above the city. The hills that surrounded the city did a better job of containing the destructive force, however, the number of people killed is estimated between 60,000 and 80,000. Japan surrender. -
VJ Day
Victory Over Japan Day. Truman had announced over the radio in America that Japan surrendered. At the signing of surrendering, which took place in Tokyo Bay, is where nine representatives Allied nations were present to accept the surrendor.
