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Period: to
War in the pacific
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China joins war
Oficially declaring war on Germany, Italy and Japan.
General Joseph Stilwell.
Lost control of China lifeline, The Burma Road and retreated back into China.
China's ragtag foreces fared poorly against the well-trained Japane.
Not succesful. Japan therated of invasion. -
The fall and the philippines
2,000 soldiers and nurses escaped to the fortified island of Corregidor, to join the forts defenders.
Japanese capture about 76000 Filipinos and Americans as prisoners of war.
At least 10,000 prisioners died during the 6 to 12 day journey.
Many were executed when they grew too weak (Bataan Death March) -
Battle of the Coral Sea
Battle between American and Japanese aircraft.
Fought in the Northeast of Australia.
Five day battle.
Prevented the Japanese from invading Australia = Succesful.
General Earl E. Anderson.
The battle opened a new chapter in naval warfare. -
Battle of Midway
Japanese bomber attacks on the island and a simultaneous, unsuccesful American strike on the Japanese fleet.
Fought entirely from the air.
Most important naval battle of the pacific campaign of WWII
Fought near Midway Island, Northwest of Hawaii
Commander Joseph Rocherfort broke Japanase code before the attack began
AMERICAN VICTORY -
Battle of Guadalcanal
Solomon Islands.
More than 11,000 marines landed on the Islands.
Provided the marines with their first taste of jungle warfare.
Lasted 7 months.
American Navy control waters = No Japanase troop landing.
The allies conquered the first piece of Japanese-held territory. -
Island Hopping
Military strategy of attacking specific enemy-held Islands. Only crucial Islands.
Allowed Americans to move quickly to Japan.
Allies pushed North from Australia and West across the Central Pacific.
General MacArthur, Admiral William Halsey and Admiral Nimitz.
By February 1944, B-29 superfortresses were dropping tons of explosives on Japan cities. -
The Philippines campaign
McArthur claimed that the US had an obligation to free the Phillipine Island.
160,000 American troops invaded the hilippine Island of Leyte. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
Lasted three days.
Japan command every warship to attack the United States Navy.
Japan used Kamikazes or suicide planes for the first time.
American force destroyed the Japanese Navy and emerged victorious. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
One of the bloodiest battles.
Took place in island Iwo Jima, less than 700 miles from Japan.
For 74 days, American planes and warships poured nearly 7,000 tons of bombs and more than 20,000 shells onto Iwo Jima's defenders.
After three days of combat, only advanced about 700 yards inland.
The marines needed a month to secure the island. -
Battle of Okinawa
Fought at the island of Okinawa, about 350 miles from Japan.
Japanese pilots flew nearly 2,000 kamikaze attacks against this fleet.
American soldiers stormed ashore.
Defenders made attacks in which the soldiers tried to kill as many as enemy as posible until they themselves were killed.
AMERICAN VICTORY -
Atomic Bomb
An American plane, the Enola Gay, dropped a single atomic bomb on Hiroshima, a city in Southern Japan.
80,000 died and least as many were injured by fire, radiation sickness and the force of the explosion.
90% of the city's buildings were damaged.
Three days later a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. -
Surrender of Japan
The government of Japan accepted the American terms of surrender.
The next day, Americans celebrated V-J day (Victory in Japan day)
The formal surrender aggrement was signed on September 2, 1945 aboard the US Missouri in Tokyo.
