Thursday Jan. 21, 2010

TSW: Explore major events in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

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Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answer.

The War in the Pacific US conducts “island hopping” campaign across the Pacific towards Japan.

U.S. Strategy in Pacific War

Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which launched WWII.

Japanese attacked Pacific territories controlled by US, Great Britain, the Netherlands, US Philippine Islands, island of Guam, Burma, Hong Kong, Malaya, Thailand, Asian mainland, Wake Island in South Pacific, Gilbert Islands in Central Pacific all in the same day.

Overwhelmed American forces on Bataan surrendered to the Japanese on April 9, 1942, this became known as the Bataan Death March.

The Japanese forced 70,000 captured American and Filipino troops to walk 60 miles to San Fernando, where they were sent to concentration camps.

The Japanese received the first taste of the power of American bombing on April 18, 1942.

By Spring of 1942, Japan occupied virtually every island in over 4,500 miles of Pacific Ocean.

Details on U.S. Strategy in the Pacific War

– Japan’s attack on the U.S. naval base at Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, launched World War 2’s Pacific War.

– The 80,000 American and Filipino troops led by famed U.S. general Douglas MacArthur retreated to the Bataan Peninsula, located on the northern Philippine island of Luzon.

– In what became known as the Bataan Death March, the Japanese forced 70,000 captured American and Filipino troops to walk 60 miles to San Fernando, where they were sent on to prison camps. Fourteen thousand prisoners died on the march.

– The United States had to fight the Pacific War, they decided to adopt an “island hopping” strategy. The United States would attack Japan on selected islands and “hop” over others, thereby conserving their resources.

– This strategy went against the traditional military approach of attacking the most heavily defended outposts first, but it would prove to be key to the United States’ ultimate success in the Pacific.

Pacific Naval Battles in WWII

Battle of the Coral Sea 1st Carrier to Carrier Battle May 7-8,1942 The Japanese wanted to extend their perimeter from the their main forward

base Rabaul. Invasion of New Guinea & Tulagi (Solomon Islands) Tactical victory for the Japanese – Lexington was sunk and Yorktown was

heavily damaged 1st warship kill against the Japanese – US sinks “Shoho” Carrier This was a Multi-dimensional victory for the U.S.

The Battle of Midway The Doolittle Raids prove that Japan could be reached. Japans Defense Perimeter had to be extended eastward and Midway Island

became the target. Entire Imperial Fleet

– 6-Aircraft Carriers 45-Destroyers– 11-Battleships Submarines, Transports, Mine Sweeps– 13-Cruisers

U.S. intercepts messages and discovers Japanese Fleet NE of Midway Victory was the turning point in the Pacific Theater.

Battle of the Philippine Sea

Marshall Islands are taken with the fall of Truk. U.S. sets their sights on the Marianas Islands From these islands B-29’s could reach the Japanese Home Islands Admiral Ozawa planned to use aircraft shuttling between his carriers and

airbases on Guam and Saipan. American Bombers quickly destroyed airfields leaving the Japanese aircraft

no place to land.

The Battle of Iwo Jima Americans suffered over 22,000 casualties, including about 5,300 deaths,

while the Japanese had about 22,000 deaths. Soldiers faced malaria and temperatures as high as 115 degrees in the

shade in addition to earthquakes in Guadalcanal and heavy equipment sinking in the jungles of Bougainville.

After The United States established a base on Iwo Jima they launched an attack on Okinawa on April 1, 1945.

After successfully reclaiming the Philippine Islands, the United States was ready to launch an attack on the main islands of Japan.

Invade or Bomb?

End of World War ll Planned invasion of JapanThe united states used a method of island hopping to invade Japan. In march

1945 the US Air force firebombed the Japanese capital of Tokyo. Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki The U.S scientists worked on the atomic bomb for five years. “Little Boy” was

dropped on Hiroshima killing 100,000 people and destroying 60% of the city. The second bomb dropped only 1 day later named “Fat man” killed 70,000. On august 14th 1945 Japan surrenders to the Allies on the Battle ship Missouri.

The Costs of War At the end of the war 300,000 Americans had died and over 700,000

causalities.World wide 50 million lives were lost. Three million tons of bombs were dropped

to destroy 7 million homes. The united states stopped the rise of Fascism and the rise of Hitler. In addition the U.S halted Japan’s war of conquest in the pacific.