the war in the pacific section 18.4. after pearl harbor japanese forces attacked american bases on...
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The War in the Pacific
Section 18.4
After Pearl Harbor• Japanese forces attacked American bases
on Wake Island on Dec.8th and Guam on Dec.10th
• Days later Japanese attacked the Philippines
• MacArthur withdrew most of his troops south to the Bataan Peninsula – hoped the navy would be able to evacuate – Faced several months of attack – had to
escape to Australia
Japanese Advance
• Hoped that the U.S. would withdraw from Asia, leaving them access to much needed natural resources
Bataan Death March• Most of Bataan’s (Philippines)
defenders surrendered in April, 1942
• 2,000 soldiers & nurses escaped to the island of Corregidor – lived in rock tunnels
• Japanese captured 76,000 prisoners
Bataan Death March• Weakened by disease, lack of food,
and tropical heat
• Captors were forced to march 63 miles– Brutally beaten, tortured, denied
water and rest
– 10,000 died on the journey
– another 15,000 die in the camps
Bataan Death March• Japanese defied the accepted
international standards of conduct toward P.O.W.’s
• Geneva Convention states, “P.O.W.’s shall at all times be humanely treated and protected, particularly against acts of violence…”
Defending Burma & China
• Dec. 9, 1941: China joined the Allies
• U.S. sent supplies and military advisors
• American Gen. Joseph Stilwell led the Chinese armies defending Burma
• “Flying Tigers:” volunteer American aviators– China’s ragtag forces fared poorly against
the well trained Japanese
Island-Hopping in the Pacific• A military strategy of selectively
attacking specific enemy-held islands and bypassing others
• Allies pushed north from Australia and west from Hawaii
• Nimitz and MacArthur
War at Sea• At Pearl Harbor, Japanese didn’t
achieve one of its main goals:–Destroy 3 aircraft carriers (all were out
at sea or being repaired in California)–Doolittle’s Secret Mission: squadron
dropped bombs on Tokyo before crashing into China• Shocked Japan and boosted Allied
morale
Turning Point-Battle of Midway• Japanese Admiral Yamamoto committed a
large part of Japan’s navy to the attack on Midway
• Yamamoto expected Nimitz (U.S.) to do the same to protect the island
• June 4, 1942: battle was fought entirely in the air– Sunk 4 Japanese carriers; lost 250 planes and
most of their skilled pilots– American victory due to breaking the Japanese
code JN-25
Yamatolargest battleship ever
built sent with only enough fuel for one-way trip
http://www.looksmart.com/r?page=/search/frames/index.html&isp=combinedfleet.com
Iwo Jima• Iwo Jima: one of the bloodiest battles of the
war–Volcanic island, steep, rocky slopes of caves
and tunnels–74 days of battling – 7,000 tons of bombs and
20,000 shells–Mid-Feb.,1945: marines stormed the beaches,
faced fierce resistance–110,000 Americans vs. 25,000 Japanese–Took 1 month to secure island
Near the End
• Battle of Okinawa was the costliest engagement of the Pacific war (50,000 casualties)
The Manhattan Project
• 1939: FDR received letter from Einstein about a new type of bomb
• Manhattan Project: top secret plan to develop an atomic bomb
• July 16,1945: 1st field test in New Mexico
Decision to Drop the Bomb• Alternative possibilities:
–A massive invasion of Japan – millions of Allied casualties
–Naval blockade to starve Japan w/conventional bombing
–Demonstration of new weapon on a deserted island
–Softening for an unconditional surrender
• FDR died in April, 1945
• President Harry S. Truman had to make the final decision – had no problem and never regretted his decision
• Aug. 6,1945: Bombed Hiroshima
• Aug. 9,1945: Bombed Nagasaki
Nagasaki – 60,000-80,000Nagasaki – 60,000-80,000Hiroshima - 90,000-160,000Hiroshima - 90,000-160,000
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