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Japan Leaves the LoN
Following the Manchurian crisis, Japan withdrew from the League of Nations. This showed flaws in the League of Nations and allowed other countries to also challenge its policies. For example, Mussolini of Italy and Hitler of Germany later annexed lands, exploiting the LoN’s weaknesses. Image: http://www.johndclare.net/league_of_nations6.htm -
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second-Sino Japanese War lasted until Japan surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945 and was mainly fought between the Chinese and Japanese. The annexation of Manchuria had violated the policies of the League of Nations and also started the militarists’ control of the Japanese government. Japan wanted to create the Great East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere and eventually destroyed the US fleet, causing deep anger, to protect themselves from foreign intervention. Image: http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/187/ -
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The Attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise Japanese attack that only made the massive world war even worse. This event had caused the “isolationist” United States into joining WWII and in return, caused Hitler to declare war on the US. As the US joined, the Allies were suddenly supplied with a great source of raw materials, weaponry, and men. Image: http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2012/12/07/remembering-pearl-harbor -
Battle of Midway
The Japanese had hoped to overwhelm the US Navy at the Battle of Midway on the days between June 4 and 7, 1942. In contrast to what they had intended, the US had destroyed hundreds of their aircrafts, along with several aircraft carriers and a support ship. This war marked the first actual defeat of the Japanese in the Pacific Theater and had turned the tide of war. Image: http://www.history.co.uk/this-day-in-history/June-07.html;jsessionid=6D43E1CE8BD5538685 -
Battle of Guadalcanal
The Japanese were building a huge air base on the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. If this base was completed, then Japan would have been put at an advantage with a larger air force. The US fought a gruesome battle with Japan until February 9, 1943 and had eventually won after causing tens of thousands of Japanese deaths. This had cost the Japanese majorly and had prevented them from further advancing in the Pacific. Image: http://www.davidmixner.com/2013/02/history-on-film-battle- -
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa was the largest battle in the Pacific Theater and lasted until June 22, 1945. The casualties for both the US and Japan were immense and also stretched to the civilians. This battle was the most significant because it had sealed Japan’s fate. The US had destroyed the Japanese navy and decreased the size of their army by huge numbers. This gory fight made time the only problem before Japan’s surrender. Image: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/108381/US-Marines-battli
