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The Japanese won the Battle of Wake Island. They lost four ships, one submarine, and some 1,000 lives; just over 100 Americans and Guamanians died during their defense of Wake Island. Japan held the atoll throughout World War II and then surrendered it on September 4, 1945.
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When the Bataan Peninsula surrendered they where forced to march to Japanese camps. Because of the amount of deaths this became known as the Bataan Death March. -
The United States dropped bombs on Japan for the first time. 16 B-25 planes dropped bombs on Japan. -
This battle became the turning point of the war. The naval of the Japanese was depleted after this losing the heart of their fleet.
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The United States came up with the idea of island hopping. The idea was to jump from islands in the pacific to get to Japan. This started with the island of Guadalcanal which was relinquished by Japan.
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The Battle of Tarawa was part of Operation Galvanic, the U.S. invasion of the Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Now known as one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific during WWII, the Battle of Tarawa left roughly 1,000 Marines and Sailors dead and more than 2,000 wounded.
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Taking this stronghold was necessary because troops there could block the entrance of Manila Bay. The Americans needed to establish a major harbor base at Manila Bay to support the expected invasion of Japan, planned to begin on November 1, 1945. -
The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the largest naval battle in history. It was the first time that the Japanese used kamikaze attacks. These attacks were advertised as an honorable way to die.
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The Battle of Iwo Jima was an epic military campaign between U.S. Marines and the Imperial Army of Japan in early 1945. Located 750 miles off the coast of Japan, the island of Iwo Jima had three airfields that could serve as a staging facility for a potential invasion of mainland Japan. -
Taking Okinawa would provide Allied forces an airbase. In which bombers could strike Japan and an advanced anchorage for Allied fleets.