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The Bombing of Pearl Harbor
Om December 7, 1941, a date that President Franklin D. Roosevelt claimed would "live in infamy," the Imperial Japanese Navy conducted a surprise aerial assault on Pearl Harbor. This unprovoked attack brought the United States into World War II, as it immediately declared war on Japan. Pearl Harbor was, and still is, the most important American naval base in the Pacific and home to the US Pacific Fleet. -
The Battle of Iwo Jima
It has been one of the bloodiest battles in Marine Corps history. After the battle, Iow Jima served as an emergency landing site for more than 2,200 B-29 bombers, saving the lives of 24,000 U.S. airmen. Securing Iow Jima prepared the way for the last and largest battle in the Pacific: the invasion of Okinawa. -
The Battle of Okinawa
Taking Okinawa would provide Allied forces an airbase from which bombers could strike Japan and an advanced anchorage for Allied fleets. From Okinawa, US forces could increase air strikes against Japan and blockade important logistical routes, denying the home islands of vital commodities.