2.2 WW11 Timeline Assignment (Pacific)

By Zoey Vonheeder

  • Attack on Pearl Harbor

    Japan launched a surprise air raid on the U.S. Naval Base in Pearl Harbor. This destroyed or damaged 19 ships, and over 300 aircraft. This attack killed 2,403 Americans.

  • Doolittle's Raid

    Jimmy Doolittle led 16 US Army B-25 bombers from the USS Hornet to strike Tokyo and other cities in a daring, first of it's kind raid on the Japanese homeland. This boosted American morale.

  • Battle of Midway

    The US Pacific Fleet defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy. They sunk 4 aircraft carriers. This event turned the war in the Pacific in favor of the US.

  • Guadalcanal

    The Battle of Guadalcanal was a major fight in World War II where U.S. forces battled Japan for control of a small island in the Pacific. It lasted from 1942 to 1943 and was important because it helped stop Japan from expanding further. Even though it was long and brutal, the battle gave the Allies confidence and momentum for the rest of the war. Japanese forces withdrew after suffering over 24,000 deaths. The US lost about 1,600 people.

  • Bataan Death March

    76,000 people were forced to march by the Imperial Japanese Army after the Battle of Bataan. Thousands of people died from starvation, abuse and disease during this war crime. This occurred in the Philippines.

  • Leyte

    Leyte is an island in the Philippines that became really important during World War II. In 1944, U.S. forces landed there to take it back from Japan, which helped turn the war in the Pacific around. The fighting on and around Leyte, including the Battle of Leyte Gulf, showed how intense the war was and why the Philippines mattered so much.

  • Iwo Jima

    The Battle of Iwo Jima was a big World War II fight in 1945 where U.S. Marines battled Japanese forces for a small island in the Pacific. It was extremely brutal, with casualties on both sides. Even though the island was tiny, it mattered because it helped the U.S. get closer to Japan and showed how intense the Pacific war really was.

  • Okinawa

    Okinawa is an island in Japan that was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. In 1945, U.S. forces fought Japanese troops there in a long and brutal battle as they moved closer to invading Japan. The battle caused massive loss of life and showed how devastating the final stages of the war were.

  • Bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki

    The US dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. This killed 150,000-246,000 people. This in turn prompted Japans surrender.

  • Surrender of Japan

    The Surrender of Japan was a 23 minute ceremony which took place on the USS Missouri. Japan agreed to unconditionally surrender.