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U.S. Embargo on Japan
In 1940 Franklin Delano Roosevelt placed an embargo on Japan’s important naval and aviation supplies (oil, steel, and rubber). This embargo was a “cherry on top” of the trouble brewing in the Pacific between the United States and Japan for years. Japan wanted full control of the Pacific region and the United States were the only ones posing a threat to Japan’s control. The biggest threat the United States posed to Japan was their presence in the Philippines and their support of China. -
Pearl Harbor
Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Pearl Harbor was the United State’s main Pacific Navy base. Japan attacked in two separate waves. The first wave was the main attack, aiming for ships and airfield. The second wave was meant to finish off whatever was left. The objective of the attack was to prevent the United States from Japan’s war effort in Southeast Asia, but the attack was unsuccessful since many of the United State’s ships were not docked, but out at sea. -
U.S. Declares War
The day after the Pearl Harbor attacks Franklin Delano Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan. The Pearl Harbor attack greatly increased American patriotism and thus lead many Americans willing to join the military and serve for their country. Pearl Harbor was also the first major attack to take place on American soil and left many Americans very scared about the war that laid ahead of them. -
Doolittle Raid
The United States planned a night attack on Tokyo, but unfortunately their planes were detected early so Colonel James Doolittle led the bombers and bombed Tokyo during the day instead. Fifty Japanese civilians were killed and 100 buildings were damaged. The United States pilots flew to China and crash landed. The Doolittle Raid resulted in minimal military gain, but greatly boosted the United State’s moral. -
Battle of Coral Sea
In May of 1942 Japan moved to take New Guinea because the United States could attack Japan from there. The United States sent two aircraft carriers to fight and on May 7th and 8th we fought, although our ships never actually saw each other because all of the battle was fought by planes. The battle ended as a draw, but Japan called off their attack on New Guinea, and the battle shifted momentum to the United States. This became known as the Battle of Coral Sea. -
Battle of Midway
Midway was an American Naval base in the Central Pacific that was vital to the defense of Hawaii. Losing Midway would have forced American defenses back to the California coast. Japan had created battle plans to attack Midway, but these plans were intercepted by Admiral Chester Nimitz. The interception of these plans helped the United States to prepare for the battle. On June 4, 1942 Japan attacked and the Battle of Midway became the most important naval battle of World War II. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima was one of the fiercest battles the United States fought with Japan. The Japanese were dug in along the five mile island of Iwo Jima which stood only 650 miles from Tokyo. Twenty- three United States Marines were killed but they took the island and moved on to take Okinawa and advance their campaign towards Tokyo. -
The U.S. Drops Bombs
On August 6, 1945 United States pilots dropped an atomic bomb known as “Little Boy” on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It exploded at 9:14 A.M. and within two minutes 60000 of Hiroshima’s 344000 residents were killed. Over the next three days Japan debated on whether or not to surrender. Then, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki known as “Fat Man”. This bomb killed an additional 35000 residents and forced Japan to surrender. -
Japan Surrenders
On September 2, 1945 Japan officially surrendered from the war. This date became known as Victory in Japan Day. Japan mentioned their intent to surrender on August 10, 1945, but couldn’t under conditions in the Potsdam Conference. After working out the conditions though, Japan officially surrendered from the war on September 2, 1945 on the U.S.S Missouri.
