1. L8: World War Two Part One War in the Pacific American Foreign Policy Agenda Objective: 1.To understand U.S. engagements in the Pacific Theater of World War Two Schedule: 1.Discussion of Bess “Long Causes of the Pacific War” 2.Lecture Homework: None

2. Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 The first attack wave targeted airfields and battleships The second wave targeted other ships and shipyard facilities Eight battleships were damaged, with five sunk Three light cruisers, three destroyers, three smaller vessels, and 188 aircraft were destroyed 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians killed 1,178 wounded

3. Discussion Discussion of Bess reading!

4. War in the Pacific Pacific Theater was a major theater of combat between the Allies and Japan –America & Britain (and its commonwealth allies) vs. Japan Japanese Military Strategy –The Japanese planned to establish a strongly fortified defensive perimeter extending from Burma, the Dutch East Indies, New Guinea, and the Marshall Islands –The British and Americans would not be able to penetrate this perimeter and would surrender. American Military Strategy –Island Hopping Strategy –Mainland invasion of Japan When the Atomic Bomb is invented, the decision is used to drop the bomb rather than invade Japan

5. 1941

6. 1942

7. Battle of Coral Sea May 4-8, 1942 What happened? Carrier battle in the Pacific Prior to the battle, US intercepted Japanese radio traffic which allowed Americans to position two carriers off the eastern tip of New Guinea prior to the battle Both sides suffered heavy losses but the Japanese were forced to call off their amphibious attack Significance? Halted the Japanese advance –First check on Japanese expansion in the Pacific First naval battle carried out entirely by aircraft –Opposing surface ships never made direct contact

8. Battle of Midway June 4-7, 1942 What Happened? Carrier Battle in the Pacific Americans again used intercepted messages to foil a Japanese attack at the island of Midway After losing many planes in ineffective strikes, US dive bombers manage to set three Japanese carriers on fire. Americans destroyed four Japanese carriers and most of their flight crews Significance? Allied victory Turns the momentum in the Pacific to the Allies First major carrier v. carrier engagement Japan’s first naval defeat since 1863

9. 1943-1944

10. Battle of Iwo Jima February 19 – March 26 1945 What Happened? Island battle in the Pacific Battle for the Japanese-owned island off the coast of Japan Longest sustained aerial offensive of the war More U.S. marines sent to Iwo Jima than any other battle Some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of World War Two Significance? Allied victory Strategic importance is debated Remembered because of the heavy losses sustained by both sides –Americans: 6,821 –Japanese: 18, 844

11. Battle of Okinawa April-June 1945 What Happened? Island battle in the Pacific Largest amphibious assault in the Pacific Theater Japanese had heavy use of kamikazes Fierce and bloody fighting Deaths –US: 12,500 killed –Japan: 93,000 killed 94,000 civilians (many by suicide) Significance Was to serve as a base for air operations for the planned invasion of mainland Japan

12. Plan to Invade Japan US planned to invade Japan with eleven Army and Marine divisions (650,000 troops) Casualty estimates for the operation were as high as 1,400,000 Truman decided to use the atomic bomb to avoid such losses Operation Cornet, the plan to take Tokyo

13. The Atomic Bomb In the early 1940s, America had started an atomic weapons development program code named the “Manhattan Project” A successful test was conducted at Alamogordo in New Mexico in July 1945

14. Decision to Drop The Bomb The Japanese government ignored an ultimatum given at the Potsdam Conference. Truman made the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. He believed that dropping the bomb would: –Bring about a quick resolution to the war by inflicting destruction and fear sufficient enough to cause Japan to surrender. –Save hundreds of thousands of American troops’ lives by avoiding a bloody land invasion of Japan.

15. The Dropping of the Bomb By executive order of President Harry Truman, the United States dropped an atomic bomb, “Little Boy” on the city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. When Japan still failed to surrender, the United States dropped another bomb, “Fat Man,” on the city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. Six days later, Japan surrendered to the allied powers officially ending World War Two.

16. Surrender Japan surrenders Sept 2, 1945 aboard the USS Missouri

17. Post-war Impact of Atomic Bomb Changed the very nature of war –Presented the possibility of annihilation of humankind US came to place great strategic reliance on atomic bomb –War plans emphasized sudden atomic attack against USSR to allow time for conventional mobilization