The War in the PacificBy: Robert and Tyler

1. How many people died/ships sunk/aircraft shot down?

2. Why did the Japanese attack pearl harbor?

3. Why did the United States stop sending supplies to Japan?

4. What was going on in pearl harbor? What was the United States Navy doing there?

5. How did the United States mistake Japanese planes for United State planes?

Guiding Questions

The US entered the war on December 7th, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attack by Japan.

Japan vs. US, China, Great Britain, USSR, and Australia.

Began when Japan invaded China on September 19th, 1931.

Ended when the US bombed two cities of Japan in August of 1945, officially ending World War II one month later.

Quick Facts

Estimates of total dead range from 50 million to over 70 million.

Civilians killed totaled from 40 to 52 million, including 13 to 20 million from war-related disease and famine.

Total military dead: from 22 to 25 million, including deaths in captivity of about 5 million prisoners of war.

World War II Deaths

Warships used in WWII◦ Royal Navy - 21 total

5 Queen Elizabeth class5 Revenge class2 Repulse class1 Hood class2 Nelson class5 King George V class1 Vanguard classSoviet Navy - 4 total1 Revenge class on loan from the Royal Navy3 Gangut class 

United States Navy - 27 total2 New York class2 Nevada class2 Pennsylvania class3 New Mexico class2 Tennessee class4 Colorado class2 North Carolina class4 South Dakota class4 Iowa class2 Alaska classImperial Japanese Navy - 12 total4 Kongo class2 Fuso class2 Ise class2 Nagato class2 Yamato c

Imperial Japanese Navy: 10

Royal Navy: 7United States Navy: 4

Soviet Navy: 1

Warships sunk by Country

The US lost roughly 60,000 aircraft during the war.

45,000 in combat. 15,000 during training accidents

US Aircraft Loses in WWII

September 1940. The U.S. placed an embargo on Japan by prohibiting exports of steel, scrap iron, and aviation fuel to Japan, due to Japan's takeover of northern French Indochina.

April 1941. The Japanese signed a neutrality treaty with the Soviet Union to help prevent an attack from that direction if they were to go to war with Britain or the U.S. while taking a bigger bite out of Southeast Asia.

June 1941 through the end of July 1941. Japan occupied southern Indochina. Two days later, the U.S., Britain, and the Netherlands froze Japanese assets. This prevented Japan from buying oil, which would, in time, cripple its army and make its navy and air force completely useless.

Before Pearl Harbor

We stopped supplying Japan in fear that they would grow too powerful and eventually turn against us. Which they did anyway after we did stop

sending oil and other supplies to them.

Why We Stopped Supplying Japan

There was nothing major going on at Pearl Harbor before the attack. Though, earlier that year, the U.S. made a decision stating that their new Naval Fleet were to be split in two major pieces, Atlantic and Pacific. The Pacific fleet was to be permanently based out of Hawaii at Pearl Harbor. Knowing this, the Japanese attacked believing they would be able to take out the United State’s complete Pacific Naval fleet. And believing that this would take the U.S. out of the war completely.

What Was Going On At Pearl Harbor Before The Attack

There was a new Lieutenant in the information center that day. After a call came across the phone stating that there was a large number of planes headed towards the base. The new Lieutenant thought it was just a U.S. fleet returning from training missions in the Pacific. The Private who answered the phone call knew it was more serious then this, but was afraid to go over the Lieutenants head in fear of being court-marshaled.

How Japanese Planes Were Mistaken For U.S. Planes

Pearl Harbor Before and After

U.S. Pacific Landings During WWII

During the next few months, Japan continued to conquer China, including Hong Kong. Also, U.S. bases in Guam and Wake Island were lost and were a major blow to the United States.

Japan continued to conquer islands and small territories in countries all around south east Asia.

Japan Continues to Conquer

The Battle of Midway was the turning point of the war in the Pacific. It was fought between 3 Japanese battleships and two allied forces ships. (U.S. and Australia) Even though the loses for the allied forces were greater then the Japanese, the battle proved a strategic victory for the allies.

The allied forces took the offensive after the Battle of Guadalcanal was at a standstill.

The Turning Point

The U.S. launched an attack against Japan, using submarines and submarines only. They would bombarded their opponents cornering them until they would surrender. Helping the allied forces turn the war around and begin to capture back lands that were claimed when Japan was on the offensive.

A New Style of Warfare

The USSR invaded Japan in early 1945. On August 6th, 1945, the U.S. dropped an

atomic bomb on Hiroshima. And then another on August 9th on Nagasaki. August 15th, Japan surrendered and that day became known as V-J Day or Victory in Japan Day.

The formal surrender was signed on September 2nd, 1945.

The Final Chapter

The Surrender of Japan

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Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor.com. Web. 03 Apr. 2011. http://www.pearl-harbor.com/faq.html

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Works Cited