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Bombing of Pearl Harbor
The United States cut trade with Japan while Japan was trying to conquer Manchuria and the Pacific. No longer recieving resources from the US, Japans war effort was greatly affected. Instead of giving up and taking what they've already gained the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; also attack the Philippines, Wake Island, Guam, Malaya, Thailand, Shanghai and Midway in an effort to gain resources and continue their war effort. It also brought the United States into the war. -
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Japanese Domination
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US and Britain declare war on Japan
At the same time the US and Britain declare war on them the Japanese invade Thiland. -
Japanese invasions
Over the next two weeks in December the Japanese invade the Philippines and sieze Guam on the tenth, invade Burma on the eleventh, invade British Borneo on the sixteenth, invade Hong Kong on the eighteenth and Luzon in the Philippines on the twenty second. -
General MacArthur begins withdraw and Japanese gain Wake Island
MacAurthur leaves Manila and heads to Baatan at the same time the Japanese take Wake Island. -
British Surrender at Hong Kong
The British don't have a strong enough force to hold off the Japanese in Hong Kong. -
Japanese invasions and gains In January
Jan. 2- Japan takes Manila and US Naval Base at Cavite
Jan. 7- Japan attacks MacAurther at Bataan
Jan. 11- Japan invades Dutch East Indies and Dutch Borneo
Jan. 19- Japan takes Notrthern Dutch Borneo
Jan. 23- Japan takes Rabaul in Soloman Islands and invade Bouganville the largest of the Soloman Islands.
Jan. 30- The British withdraw to Singapore and the next day the Japanese place a siege on Singapore. -
US sees some success
The United States sees first success when a US submarine sinks Japanese warship for the first time. -
US offensive
http://www.cv6.org/1942/marshalls/default.htmUS air craft carriers YORKTOWN and ENTERPRISE launch massive air raids on Japanese bases at Gilbert and Marshal Islands. -
Japanese invasions in February
Feb. 2- Japan invades Java in Dutch East Indies
Feb. 8- Japan invades singapore after nine day siege
Feb. 14- Japan invades Sumatara in Dutch East Indies
Feb. 19- Japan invades Bali -
Japanese Air Raid on Darwin, Autralia
http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/japanese-bombing-of-darwinLargest Air Raid since Pearl Harbor. -
Battle of the Java Sea
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwari1/p/javasea.htmJapanese Naval Victory against the US. The United States loses its largest warship in the Far East, th HOUSTon is sunk. -
Battle of Coral Sea
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/coralsea/coralsea.htmThe ships never saw nor shot at one another. Only aircraft carriers engaged. Japan won a tactical victory but the US won a strategic victory. -
Japan at its peak
At this time Japans empire is the largest it will ever be. -
Battle of Midway
Turning point in the war occurs with a decisive victory for the U.S. against Japan in the Battle of Midway as squadrons of U.S. torpedo planes and dive bombers from ENTERPRISE, HORNET, and YORKTOWN attack and destroy four Japanese carriers, a cruiser, and damage another cruiser and two destroyers. U.S. loses YORKTOWN. -
The Battel of Guadalcanal
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/battle_of_guadalcanal.htmFirst Major offensive for the allies in the Pacific which resulted in an allied victory. The battle lasted until February 9, 1943 -
Japanese night attack
A major U.S. naval disaster off Savo Island, north of Guadalcanal, as eight Japanese warships wage a night attack and sink three U.S. heavy cruisers, an Australian cruiser, and one U.S. destroyer. Another U.S. cruiser and two destroyers are damaged. Over 1,500 Allied crewmen are lost. -
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US begins Island Hopping
Us develops strategy to take islands back from Japan one at a time until Japan has been pushed all the way back to the Island of Japan itself. -
Battle of Bismark Sea
http://www.combinedfleet.com/bismksea.htmAnother US victory over Japan. -
Battle of Vella Gulf
In the battle, six American destroyers—Dunlap, Craven, Maury, Lang, Sterett, and Stack—engaged a group of four enemy destroyers attempting to reinforce Japanese troops on Kolombangara. The American warships closed the enemy undetected with the aid of radar and fired torpedoes, which sank Hagikaze, Arashi, and Kawakaze with no damage to American ships. -
Battle of Empress Augusta Bay
The battle was a US victory. The Japanese navy was trying to stop the US from landing at Bougainville and the US navy was able to hold them off. -
Battle of Tarawa
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/tarawa.htmSecond major allied offensive that resulted in a very bloody battle but an allied victory. -
Battle of Leyte
United States troops invaded the island of Leyte as part of a strategy aimed at isolating Japan from the countries it had occupied in Southeast Asia, and in particular depriving its forces and industry of vital oil supplies. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Very fierce and bloody battle in which all but 216 Japanese soldiers fought to the death or commited suicide. The result was an allied victory. -
Battle of Okinawa
An 82 day long assult on the Japanese Island of Okinawa was the largest battle of the Pacific Theater. Japan lost over 100,000 men in the battle and lost the battle and pushed the Japanese back to the island of Japan. -
Massive air raids on Japan begin
The US launches over 1000 bomber raid on Japan -
First Atomic Bomb dropped on Hiroshima
The bomb caused over 70,000 deaths and was meant to scare Japan into submission. After the dropping of the bomb the US told Japan they would use another one in three days if they did not surrender. Japan did not surrender. -
Second Atomic Bomb dropped on Nagasaki
Bomb kills another 70,000 Japanese people and convinces Japanese leaders to seek peace with the US. -
Japan Surrenders
Japan accepts unconditional surrender. The war in the Pacific is over.