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Japanese bomb the American fleet at Pearl Harbour
On the 7th of Dec, 1941, Japan lands a suprise aerial attack on the U.S naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack climaxed the worsening relations betweem the US and Japan. The Prime Minister Tojo Hideki has decided on war. 4 Nevada-class ships sank 3 battleships, 3 cruisers and 3 destoyers were also damaged. This severely crippled the U.S naval force in the Pacific but three aircraft carriers managed to escape. -
Pearl Harbor reasoning
The relation between the US and Japan was already bad because of Japan's invasion of China, their alliance with the Axis powers and their occupation of French Indochina which made US to respond with the declaration an embargo on shipments of vital war materials to Jap. By the bombing, Japan has decided to completely turn against US and start a war, this event was basically a starting point of WW2 in the Pacific -
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World War II in the Pacifics
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USA declares war on the Axis powers
8th of Dec, 1941, the US declares war on the Empire of Japan in response to the suprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Following the declaration, Germany and Italy also delcares war on the US, bringing US completely into World War II. This declaration brought US into WW II "officially". This was important because without them being involved in the second World War, they wouldn't have grown to be a "Superpower" since they've -
Reasoning
This declaration was important because without them being involved in the second World War, they wouldn't have grown to be a "Superpower" since they've got a massive economic boost, claims to West Germany and Berlin, ownership of Okinawa Island, military bases throughout Europe and the Pacific and they were able to get rid of the USSR. -
Frist Japanese defeat at the Battle of Midway
Japan plans on to land an attack on Midway, Hawaii, knowing that the US navy would protect it with their lives. Knowing this, Yamamoto Isoroku plans attack from behind. However the US intelligence was able to crack the Japanese naval code, which allowed them to ready themselves against Japan's attack. The US was able to take down 4 Japanese carriers and a heavy cruiser with their dive and torpedo bombers. In contrast US only lost one carrier (which was known as Yorktown) and one destroyer. -
First Japanese defat at the Battle of Midway.
(Why its Important) The loss of four out of four carriers and a heavy cruiser was devastating to Japan, also losing their highly trianed maintenance in battle weakened Japan permanently and they were unable to recover while the US was constructing new ships and traning more pilots. This battle was a "turning point" and the first major victory for the Allies in the Pacific.
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American forces push back the Japanese forces island by island
This is when America hunts down the Japanese force island by isalnd starting from the island of Guadalcanal. They fought along the islands such as Tarwa, Saipan and Iwo Jima and lastly Okinawa. The Battle of Okinawa was the second biggest amphibious battle and was one of the longest battles in history (80 days) -
American forces push back the Japanese forces island by island
Japan remained 10% of their original troops (about 150,000 deaths) and the US lost 12,000 people with more than 30,000 wounded after the Battle of Okiwana. Also the US takes total control of Okinawa. This battle was one of the bloodiest, longest, battle in the Pacific or even in the entire history. The Battle of Okinawa pratically leaves Japan powerless and "ends" the war. -
Japan rejects the Allied offer of armistice
The Allies demanded unconditional surrender to Japan and thats what ticked them off. The Empire or the Emperor, was "godly" to the Japanese people, and the Emperor speaking about "surrendering" was unimaginable and dishonourable to the whole country. So they decide not to give in to the demands of the unconditional surrender. This event basically causes the Nagasaki and the Hiroshima atomic bombing which brought even more devastation to the already damaged and crippled Japan -
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagaski
President Harry S Truman at the time was discouraged by the refusal of the armistice. He decided to use an atomic bomb called the "Little Boy" which he thought would do less damage than them invading Japan by land. Little Boy caused 70,000 immediate death as it was dropped. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
After the first bombing, Japan was warned that if they were not to agree with the terms of peace and end the war, simliar attack would be launched and it was. On the 9th of Aug, another atomic bomb called "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki, killing another 40,000 people. After all that loss, Japan finally decides to surrender -
Japan unconditionally surrenders
On the 14th of Aug, 1945, Japan finally agrees to unconditionally surrender, effectively ending the World War II as a whole.