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