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The Japanese, who were already waging war against the Chinese, attacked the US pacific fleet at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, as a preliminary to taking British, French and Dutch colonies in South East Asia.
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Britain and the United States declared war on Japan.
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The Japanese captured Singapore from the British, taking some 60,000 prisoners.
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The USA defeated the Japanese navy at the Battle of Midway. Following this victory, the US navy was able to push the Japanese back.
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British forces under General Slim, with help from guerrilla-fighting Chindits led by Orde Wingate, evicted the Japanese from Burma.
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The Japanese generals refused to surrender. The US dropped an atomic bomb on the island of Hiroshima.
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Russia declared war on Japan and invaded Japanese-ruled Manchuria.
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The US dropped an atomic bomb on the island of Nagasaki as the Japanese had not surrendered following Hiroshima.
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The Japanese unconditionally surrendered to the allies ending the second world war.
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US General, Douglas MacArthur, accepted Japan's surrender thus formally ending the second world war.
