The Pacific Theater

The Pacific TheaterPearl HarborDecember 7, 1941

Pearl HarborDecember 7, 1941US Battleships: 4/8 destroyed, all damagedAll but one later raised, 6 returned to battleDestroyed: 3 Cruisers, 3 Destroyers, 1 anti-aircraft, 1 minelayerDestroyed: 188 US Aircraft2,403 Americans killed

USS ArizonaHit by an armor-piercing bomb, exploded; total loss. 1,177 dead

Pearl HarborDecember 7, 1941US Aircraft carriers - 0/8 at Pearl Harbor

By March, Japan has Hong Kong, the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Singapore, and BurmaGeneral Douglas Macarthur

Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area

General Douglas Macarthur

Escapes from the Philippines:"I came through and I shall return."

Fleet AdmiralChester Nimitz

Island hoppingAttack weaker Japanese islands - isolate the strongerSaves us supplies, money, time, peopleBattle of the Coral SeaMay 4-8 1942Japan sinks more ships but loses strategically:Loses key aircraft carriersFirst time Japan is repelled

Battle of MidwayJune 4-7 1942The Sequel to Pearl HarborJapanese plan a trapAmerican intelligence forewarned, create their own trapJapanese lose 4/6 aircraft carriers

Guadalcanal CampaignAugust 1942 - February 1943First major offensive against the Japanese empire Brutal conditions, long battle

Macarthur ReturnsOctober 1944 Offensive in the PhilippinesLong, deadly, difficult battlesPlanned bases for airstrikes on mainland JapanKamikaze attacksIwo Jima - Feb-March 1945Okinawa April June 1945Iwo JimaFeb-March 1945

Long, deadly, difficult battlesPlanned bases for airstrikes on mainland JapanKamikaze attacksIwo Jima - Feb-March 1945Okinawa April June 1945

Meanwhileback in EuropeYalta ConferenceFranklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Joseph StalinMet Feb 4-11, 1945 to discuss post-war reorganization

To BerlinApril 12 Roosevelt dies succeeded by Harry TrumanApril 28 Mussolini executed by ItaliansApril 30 Hitler commits suicideMay 7 German surrender signedMay 8 VE DayPotsdam ConferenceJuly 17 August 2Joseph Stalin, Harry Truman, Winston Churchill /Clement Attlee

Potsdam ConferenceSoviet occupied Eastern/Central EuropeGermanys futureJapan unconditional surrender

Potsdam ConferenceSoviet occupied Eastern/Central EuropeGermanys futureJapan unconditional surrenderAmericas new weapon

The BombAugust 6 HiroshimaPlane: Enola GayBomb: Little BoyAugust 9 NagasakiPlane: BockscarBomb: Fat Man

Nagasaki 20 mins after51The SurrenderAugust 14 Japan surrendersSeptember 2 official surrender: VJ Day