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Pearl Harbor
The Japanese attacked the US Pacific fleet battle line in Hawaii. The Japanese launched dive bombers and torpedo planes. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor because they were angry that the US cut off supplies to them. -
Battle of Wake Island
The battle was for a small island in Central Pacific with the Marines and civilians of the island defending against invaders from Japan. A few days later, on December 11th a naval task force from Japan tried to take out the island, but was forced back. -
The Battle of the Coral Sea
The battle was a 4 day war lasting from May 4, 1942- May 8, 1942. The battle marked the first air-sea battle in history. The Japanese were planning to take over the Coral Sea and invade Port Moresby. However, when the Japanese landed, they were attacked by the American task force commanded by Rear Admiral Frank J. -
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway took place at Midway Island, which is a US territory in the central Pacific Ocean. The US was outnumbered in the four day air-sea battle. However, the US succeeded by destroying 4 of the Japanese aircraft's,. While the US only lost one known as the Yorktown aircraft. -
Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal was a series of naval battles between primarily American allies and Imperial Japanese forces during Guadalcanal Campaign in the Solomon Islands. The Battle took place over a span of 4 days. The Japanese wanted to reinforce the land. However, both sides lost numerous Warships, the US and it's allies came out with a victory -
Battle of the Bismarck Sea
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea took place in the Southwest Pacific Area. U.S. Fifth Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force attacked the Japanese convoy carrying troops to Lae, New Guinea. This resulted in an allied victory. -
The Battle of Attu
The Battle of Attu the main conflict of the Aleutian Islands Campaign during World War II. The American and Japanese armies fought for 9 days over the Attu, a small island at the far west end of Alaska. The US took a huge blow at first but then came back and won the battle taking Attu and Kiska. -
Battle of Tawara
The U.S. began its Central Pacific Campaign against Japan by seizing the heavily fortified, Japanese-held island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. More than 18,000 US marines were sent into the tiny island of Betio. However, because of low tides the marines were forced to swim toward shore. After the 76 hour bloody battle the US took the island. -
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The United States invaded the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War. The Japanese sent 430 planes in four waves against the ships. They lost more than 200 and two regular carriers. The US lost a total of 130 aircraft's and had some damages to the ships but came out with a major victory. -
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf lasted 3 days and is said to the largest naval battle in history. It was fought in waters near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar and Luzon. United States troops invaded the island of Leyte as part of a strategy aimed at depriving Japanese forces and industry of vital oil supplies -
Iwo Jima
The US army landed on the Island of Iwo Jima and eventually captured the island. They captured the Japanese-controlled airfields (including the South Field and the Central Field). The Japanese combat deaths numbered 3x more than the US deaths. Iwo Jima went on to save countless American lives as an emergency landing strip for Air Force bombers in the Pacific -
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa also known as operation Iceberg lasted for almost 3 months. It also resulted in the largest casualties with over 100,000 Japanese casualties and 50,000 casualties for the Allies. The battle took place on the Island of Okinawa. The Americans wished to destroy what was left of Japan’s merchant fleet and use airstrips in the region to launch bombing raids on Japan’s industrial heartland. The allies came out with the victory. -
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
An American B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first deployed atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima, whipping out 90% of the country and killing 80,000 people immediately and thousands more later due to radiation poisoning. Three days later another B-29 bomber dropped another bomb over Nagasaki, killing around 40,000. On August 15, 1945 Japan’s Emperor Hirohito announced their surrender in WW II.
