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China Joins the War
They officialy declared war on Germany, Italy, and its longtime foe Japan. Their generals name was Joseph Stilwell. The leader Jiang Jieshi asked him yo serve as his chief of staff. -
The Fall of the Philippines
2,000 soldiers and nurses escaped to the fortified island of Corregidor. When running low in ammunition and food, more than 11,000 Americans and Filipinos surrened invadiing Japenese forces -
Battle of Coral Sea
Aircraft launched from aircraft carries bombed and strafed enemy ships more than 70 miles away. This was a five day battle. This battle cost both sides more than half thier planes. Japanese destroyed Lexington and badly damaged Yorktown another carrier. It opened a new chapter in the naval warfare. -
Battle of Midway
This battle was fought entirely from the air. Americans planes based on Midwya's airfields tried to fend off the Japanese carrier-based bombers. The Americans swiftly sank three of the four heavy Japenese ships crries and finished off the fourth, the Hiryu the next day. The sinking of four Japan carriers, combined with the loss of some 250 planesand most of Japans skilled naval piolts. -
Battle of Guadalcanal
This battle provided the marines with their first taste of jungle warfare. They slogged through swamps, crossed rovers, hacked through tangles of vines in search of the enemy. The marines made easy targets for Japanese snipers hidden in the thick underbrush or in the tops of palm trees. -
Island Hopping
General MacAruhur and Admiral Nimitz led a similar island-hopping campign in the Gilbert Island.After seizing the island of Tarawa, Nimitz used it to launch bombing raids on Japanese bases in the Marshall Islands. -
The Philippine Campaign
As american forces pushed toward Japan in the summer of 1944. Military planners decided to bypass the Philippine Islands. McArthur opposed this strategy, claiming the U.S. had an obligation to free the Filipino people. His argument persuaded Roosevelt, who reversed the decision. Mid-October 160,000 american troops invaded the Philippine of Leyte. -
Battle of Layte Golf
This was a three day battle. The Japanese high command directed nearly every warship still afloat to attack the United States Navy. This was the first battle in which Japanese Kamikazes or suicide planes, were used. Kamikazes pilots loaded their aircraft with enemy ships to inflict maximum damage. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
Americans suffered on estimated 25,000 casualties. The U.S. awaarded 27 Medals of Honor for actions on Iwo Jima, more than in any other single operation of the war. Nimitz described the island as a place in which "uncommon valor was a commomn virtue." A photo of servicmen raising the United Stares flag on Mt.Surabachi. This symbolizes the struggle and sacrfices of American troops during World War II. -
Battle of Okinawa
They fought from April to June 1945. The amall Island of Okinawa, little more than 350 miles from Japan itself was historically Japanese soil. This was the last obstacle to an allied invasion of the Japanese home islands. Nearly 100,000 defenders had pledged to fight to the defend. 1,300 warships and more than 180,000 combat troops. -
Surrender of Japaa
On August 6, 1945 american plane, theEnola Gay dropped a single atomic bomb on Hiroshima, a city in southern Japan and the site a large army base. 80,000 died and at least as many were injured by fire, radiation sickness, and the force of the explosion. 90%of the city's buildings were damaged or destroyed. The formal surrender agreement was signed on September 2, 1945. The war was officialy over