Pacific Theater Timeline

By gmt

  • Japans Expansion

    Japans Expansion
    Began in 1931
    - Took over manchuria first
    - Tried to take over china but failed
    - Looked towards the rich european colonies

  • America breaks first japanese code

    America breaks first japanese code
    by august 1940
    - America found out japans plans to conquer the european colonies
    - U.S. sent aid to help strengthen chinese resistance

  • Attack on pearl harbor

    Attack on pearl harbor
    american soliders at perl harbor in hawii wake up to bombs
    - within 2 hours the japanese attack had destroyed nearly our entir pacific fleet and killed over 3,400 americans
    - the next day the U.S. declared war on japan
    Rosevelt said it would be " a day which we will live in ifamy"

  • japanese victories in 1942

    japanese victories in 1942
    in jan 1942 japanese attacked the philippine capital manila
    - overwhelmed defences on the Bataan peninsula in april and may
    - by feb. 1942 the japanese had reached singapore
    - by march the japanese had conquered the resource-rich indonesia
    - japan introduced the idea of " Asia for Asains" but natives often received same treatment as POWs
    - on the bataan death march japanese subjacted prisoners to terrible cruelties

  • Bombings of tokyo and other major cities

    Bombings of tokyo and other major cities
    U.S.wanted revenge
    - sent 16 B-25 bombers under command of Lt. Colonel James H. Doolittle to bpmb tokyo and other major cities in japan
    - The bombs did little damage but made an important point : that japan could be attacked

  • Battle of midway

    Battle of midway
    U.S. allowed japanese to make the firsst strike
    - As japanese planes flew over midway U.S. carrier planes went to attack the japanese ships which had planes on them
    - American piolits destroyed 332 japanese planes, all 4 aircraft carriers, and 1 support ship
    - the japanese were ordered to withdraw by june 6, 1942
    - this battle was known as the way the americans had avenged pearl harbor

  • 2nd time americans break japanese code

    2nd time americans break japanese code
    the code said that over 150 ships were heading towards midway
    - this japanese fleet was the largest navel force ever assembled

  • Battle of Guadalcanal

    Battle of Guadalcanal
    U.S. learned that japanese were building a base on the island of guadacanal
    - U.S. had to strike fast before the base was completed
    - at dawn of august 7, 1942 about 19,000 U.S. and Australian marines landed on the island of midway
    - caught unprepared japanese radioed in " Enemy forces overwhelming. We will fight to the death"
    - The marines easily took the japanese airfeilds
    - in february 1943 the battle was FINALLY over
    - the japanese abandoned the island " island of death"

  • The japanese retreat

    The japanese retreat
    By fall of 1944 the allies were moving in on japan
    - in october the allied forces landed on the island of Leyte
    - on oct. 23 the japanese gambled everything by attacking the U.S. fleet in the battle of Leyte gulf
    - within 3 days the japanese navy had lost disastrously
    - by march 1945 american marines took to Jima
    - on april 1st troops moved to the island of Okinawa
    - the japanese put up a desperate fight
    - on june 22 the bloodiest land battle of the war ended