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Pearl Harbor
tremendous success for Japanesse. dealt blow to US Pcific Fleet. damage to American sea power would take time plus Allies decided to focus their energy to defeat Axis in Europe. huge emotional impact. Japanesse-provided boost to national pride&encourage them to continue assault. leaders sense dual danger w/ Jap. confidence&Amer. anger. lasted two hrs.2,500 people, wounded 1,000 more and damaged or destroyed 18 American ships and nearly 300 airplanes. 1/2 casualties at USS Arizona which-hit 4 tim -
Loss of Philippines and the Bataan Death March
Japan attacked Hong Kong, Singapore, Dutch East Indies,& Burma were part of a large offensive-1other major target: American controlled islands of the Philippines. Douglass MacArthur led defense of small force of Americans+ poorly trained Filipino soldiers. as Jap forces came MacArthur retreated to Bataan Peninsula. short of supplies. Henry Stimson "There are times when men have to die" March 1942 MA left men. 10,000Amer+60,000Filipino surrendered. 5 days and nights Jap forced 2march. 100s more -
Battle of Java Sea
Japanese easily taking control of the Dutch East Indies.(Indonesia)& British Borneo. Jap. caused much damage to the Allies. conquered British-controlled Burma and a # of key positions in the South Pacific. gained control of rich oil reserves-vital to military plans. established strategic bases for future operations.Dutch Admiral Doorman to death. Americans realized how strong Japanesse were and how good their fighter aircrafts, ships, &torpedoes -
Doolittle Raid
James Doolittle(left college to join army, left army1930-aviation consultant. Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo) led a group of 16 Amer. bombers of daring air raid of Tokyo and other Jap cities. airplanes were launched form an aircraft carrier several 110miles off coast of Japan. no major damage to Japan, but gave Americans something to celebrate about&worried/angered Jap. leaders. their outrage would cloud their judgement &lead to major military mistakes in months ahead. -
Battle of Coral Sea
Battle featured the one part of the Pacific fleet that had not been badly damaged at Pearl Harbor- aircraft carriers. took place as Japanese forces were preparing to invade the British controlled Port Moresby on island of New Guinea. to prevent this attack, US Admiral Chester Nimitz sent 2 aircraft carriers on the attack. in following battle, Amer.&Jap. navies suffered damage. Amer- loss of carrier&dozens aircraft. Jap advance had been halted for the 1st time -
Battle of Midway
Fuchido predictions were correct. fires and explosions destroyed all three ships. American aircraft later destroyed the fourth carrier. Japnesse planes did destroy one of the American carriers- USS Yorktown. Americans had a tremendous victory. invasion of Midway was stopped, and Japan's navy suffered terrible blow. Japs great advantage on the seas no longer existed. -
Battle of Midway
Midway island sat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Japan hoped to lure the American fleet into the area of sea battle so they could destroy it. American naval intelligence had broken a Jap code and learned about the attack. knew date and from which direction Jap would come. Jap war planners were careless. they recognize flas but ignored. USs Nimitz placed 3 aircraft carriers carefully to avoid contact. plan was perfect. USS Enterprise broke through Jap defense. Amer bombs took 3/4 carriers. -
Guadalcanal
1st step was to win control of territory in Solomon islands. Jap moved there in spring of 1942-threatened Australia(which was fighting with the Allies) Allied presence in the Solomon would protect Australia and provide abse for efforts to push back Japs.Key goal was to capture island of Guadalcanal- covered w/ swamps&dense jungles. daytime temp of 90.millions of diseased insects-miserable place to fight.6 months of bloody combat w/Jap. Feb 1943 Japs fled. "...Jap were looking for us...on the run -
Island Hopping Strategy
Allies used powerful combo of land, sea, and air forces to capture key islands. focused on the weak sports and skipped over Japans strongholds. made steady progress in the Southwest Pacific in 1943.1944-Allies capture locations in Gilbert, Marshall, Caroline,&Mariana islands. took advantage of tremendous industrial power-busy Amer factories produced planes&ships fast. used Navajo code talkers-Jap could not break codes-helped Allies win many major battles -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
300 ships took part in the largest naval battle ever fought. Allies had huge advantage in #of ships. Jap lost 4 carriers, 3 battleships,& other vessels. new Japanese weapon- kamikaze. Jap piolet loaded aircraft w/ bombs and crashed into enemy ship. "the only way of assuming our meager strength will be effective to the maximum degree" attacks did not change outcome. 23-26 -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima- volcanic island 750 miles south of Tokyo. Japan fought hidden in caves and tunnels. marines managed to capture the islands tallest point, Mount Suribachi. Jap refused to surrender. 7,000 Americans dead &many wounded. out of 20,000 Jap-19,000 fought to the death -
Battle of Okinawa
350 miles from Japan-island was to be the launching padfor the final invasion of Japan. Bloodiest task Americans would face in the Pacific. Japanese retreated to southern tip to plan response after the Allies invaded the island-was filled with caves and tunnels. Japs skillfully hid and launched deadly assaults. 12,000 Americans died&thousands more injured. Jap lost 110,000 troop. "I see no way to get them out except to blast them out yard by yard." Amer gained control of island in June,1945. -
Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima
Manhattan Project continued throughout the war. VP Harry S Truman became president after Roosevelts death in April. knew nothing about the bomb prior to assuming presidency. formed group of advisors to debate. Truman-drop the bomb on Jap city w/o warning. July 26, Allies issued a demand for Japan's surrender, no response, "prompt and utter destruction" American B-29 Enola Gay flew over and exploded-everything in 1mile radius destroyed.3mile.12mile. 80,000immediately. 35,000injured.90,000building -
Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki
Japan's leaders took no action to end the war. debated next step for three days. US droppped a second bomb. death toll of 40,000. General Groves and Admiral Purnell-convinced that 2 atomic bombs dropped within days of the other would have an overwhelming impact on the Japanese government &would surrender.America's primary target was Kokura.Nagasaki was a major shipbuilding city and large military port. 'Bockscar'blast was bigger but its impact was reduced by the natural topography -
VJ Day!!!
Japanese emperor Hirohito favored surrender but military leaders resisted. some tried to overthrow the Jap Gov't and continue the war-failed. Hirohito announced the end of the war in a radio broadcast-1st time Japs ever heard his voice. This sparked spontaneous celebrations over the final ending of World War II. On September 2, 1945, a formal surrender ceremony was held in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri. At the time, President Truman declared September 2 to be VJ Day.
