The War In The Pacific Ocean

Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; also attack the Philippines, Wake Island, Guam, Malaya, Thailand, Shanghai and Midway.

Dec 7, 1941

U.S. and Britain declare war on Japan. Japanese land near Singapore and enter Thailand.

Dec 8, 1941

China declares war on Japan.

Dec 9, 1941

Japanese invade the Philippines and also seize Guam.

Dec 10, 1941

Japanese invade Burma.

Dec 11, 1941

First Japanese merchant ship sunk by a U.S. submarine.

Dec 15, 1941

Japanese invade British Borneo.

Dec 16, 1941

Japanese invade Hong Kong.

Dec 18, 1941

Japanese invade Luzon in the Philippines.

Dec 22, 1941

General Douglas MacArthur begins a withdrawal from Manila to Bataan; Japanese take Wake Island.

Dec 23, 1941

British surrender at Hong Kong.

Dec 25, 1941

Manila declared an open city.

Dec 26, 1941

Japanese bomb Manila.

Dec 27, 1941

President Roosevelt announces the Japanese have executed several airmen from the Doolittle Raid.

Apr 21, 1943

U.S. begins submarine warfare against Japanese shipping.

Jun 1, 1943

The U.S. Army Air Force begins preparations for dropping the Atomic Bomb by establishing the 509th Composite Group to operate the B-29s that will deliver the bomb.

Dec 17, 1944

First Atomic Bomb is successfully tested in the U.S.

Jul 16, 1945

Components of the Atomic Bomb "Little Boy" are unloaded at Tinian Island in the South Pacific.

Jul 26, 1945

First Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima from a B-29 flown by Col. Paul Tibbets.

Aug 6, 1945

Second Atomic Bomb is dropped on Nagasaki from a B-29 flown by Maj. Charles Sweeney -- Emperor Hirohito and Japanese Prime Minister Suzuki then decide to seek an immediate peace with the Allies.

Aug 9, 1945

Japanese accept unconditional surrender; Gen. MacArthur is appointed to head the occupation forces in Japan.

Aug 14, 1945

United Nations is born.

Oct 24, 1945