War in the Pacific

Pearl Harbor & Naval Fleet Attack had damaged naval fleet but missed American aircraft carriers—were at sea on mission Had several carriers in Pacific Commander of US Navy in Pacific- Admiral Chester Nimitz Planned operations against Japanese navy

Fall of the Philippines Japan attacked airfields in Philippines hours after Pearl Harbor Landed troops 2 days later American & Filipino forces outnumbered—Gen. Douglas MacArthur retreated to Bataan Peninsula Rugged terrain allowed to hold out for over 3 months

Fall of the Philippines By March 1942, running out of food & supplies, disease rampant, conditions poor Roosevelt wanted MacArthur to evacuate to Australia & MacArthur vowed to return April 9th- 140,000 soldiers surrendered

Bataan Death March 78,000 forced to march 65 miles to Japanese POW camp

Bataan Death March Almost 10,000 died on march Many not allowed to drink water, killed if asked Dead bodies littered trail

Bataan Death March https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPbAd1TUGJA What were the conditions those on the Death March faced? How did the survivor get through the march?

Bataan Bataan Death March later ruled a Japanese war crime 66 female nurses captured, sent to University of Santo Tomas in Manila, remained until 1945 Small force held out on Corregidor island in Manila Bay In May, surrendered

Doolittle raid on tokyo Roosevelt wanted to bomb Tokyo to raise morale American planes couldn’t reach Aircraft carriers couldn’t bring close enough with Japanese ships in North Pacific Replaced carrier’s usual short-range bombers with long-range B-25 bombers that could attack from farther away Although B-25s could take off from carrier, bombers couldn’t land on short deck—they’d have to land in China

Doolittle raid on tokyo Mission led by Lt. Colonel James Doolittle End of March 1942, 16 B-52s departed on aircraft carrier Hornet April 18- American bombs fell on Japan for first time

Japanese strategy change Japanese leaders were worried that Emperor Hirohito, revered as a god, could have been killed Originally wanted to cut American supply lines to Australia by capturing south coast of New Guinea but turned to Commander of fleet, Admiral Yamamoto’s plan Attack Midway Island—last American base in North Pacific west of Hawaii Would lure American fleet into battle and enable his fleet to destroy Attack on New Guinea would continue but only with three aircraft carriers

Battle of the coral sea Japan thought could do two missions at same time since secret American code breakers discovered messages Yorktown and Lexington carriers sent to intercept Japanese in Coral Sea

Battle of the coral sea Both sides launched all-out airstrikes Lexington sank, Yorktown badly damaged Prevented Japan from landing on New Guinea’s south coast—kept supply line to Australia open Explosion of Lexington

Navajo code talkers Used radios to communicate when storming beaches—no time to translate messages Navajos recruited to serve as “code talkers” Navajo language- no written alphabet, known only to Navajo and few others Recruits developed code words that stood for military terms Jay-sho: buzzard- bomber Lo-tso: whale- battleship Ni-ma-si: potatoes- grenades Mission not revealed until 1971 2001, awarded Congressional Medal

Battle of midway Admiral Nimitz sent carriers to ambush Japanese at Midway 38 Japanese planes shot down Japan prepared second wave to attack Aircraft from Hornet, Yorktown, and Enterprise launched counterattack 3 Japanese carriers burned within minutes since had fuel, bombs, and aircraft exposed on flight decks Fourth Japanese carrier sunk, and Admiral Yamamoto ordered remaining ships to retreat

Battle of Midway Turning point in war Japan lost 4 large carriers—heart of fleet Stopped Japanese advance 362 Americans & 3,057 Japanese killed

Battle of Midway https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-au50GxIXw How were Americans successful despite being outnumbered 2:1?

Plan to drive back japan 2-pronged attack: Pacific Fleet, commanded by Nimitz, would advance through central Pacific by island-hopping MacArthur’s troops would advance through Solomon Islands, capture north coast of New Guinea, then launch invasion to retake Philippines

Island-Hopping Problem: many islands were coral reef atolls- water over coral reef not always deep enough to allow landing craft to get to shore If landing craft ran aground on reef, troops would have to wade to beach Many learned at Tarawa Atoll, wading ashore could cause high causalities

Battle of Tarawa Tarawa- part of Gilbert Islands—navy’s first objective Japanese base had to be captured in order to put air bases in nearby Marshall Islands At least 20 ships ran aground Marines had to wade in under heavy Japanese fire—only 1/3 made it Amphtracs, “Alligators”, boats with tank tracks, crossed reef & delivered troops to beaches More than 1,000 Marines died—shocked Americans at home

Battle of Kwajalein Smooth assault—all went ashore in amphtracs Captured Kwajalein & nearby Eniwetok with fewer casualties

Mariana Islands After taking Marshall Islands, targeted Mariana Islands Wanted to use as base for new heavy bomber, B-29 Superfortress Could fly farther than any other plane in world From Mariana, could bomb Japan Captured 3 Mariana Islands, Saipan, Tinian, Guam by Aug. ‘44—few months later began bombing Japan

Mariana Islands

Solomon Islands campaign Aug. ‘42- Invaded Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands, east of New Guinea, led by MacArthur Continued until early ‘44 when troops captured enough islands to surround main Japanese base in region Japanese withdrew ships and aircraft from base, but left 100,000 troops behind to hold island

Solomon islands campaign

MacArthur’s Jump MacArthur worried navy’s advance was leaving him behind Ordered forces to leap nearly 600 miles to capture base at Hollandia on north coast of New Guinea

Shortly after, seized Morotai—last stop before Philippines

Battle of Leyte Gulf Oct. ’44 over 700 ships & more than 160,000 troops Oct. 20- troops begin lading on Leyte, island on eastern side MacArthur fulfilled promise of returning

Battle of Leyte Gulf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DapU6pTetd4 What was Japan’s plan? What tactics were they going to use?

Battle of Leyte Gulf Japanese sent 4 aircraft carriers from north & secretly dispatched another fleet from west Most American carriers protecting the invasion left Leyte Gulf to go north to stop Japan, thinking main attack was there Japan seized chance & warships ambushed remaining American ships to west

Battle of Leyte Gulf Largest naval battle First time Japanese used kamikaze attacks “Divine wind” -refers to great storm that destroyed Mongol fleet during invasion of Japan in 13th century Pilots deliberately crashed planes into American ships, killing themselves & inflicting severe damage Just as American situation became desperate, Japanese commander ordered retreat, thinking more American ships were coming

Philippines Campaign Campaign long and grueling More than 80,000 Japanese killed, fewer than 1,000 surrendered Manila not captured until March 1945 Battle left city in ruins, more than 100,000 Filipino civilians dead Remaining Japanese retreated into rugged terrain north of Manila—still fighting in Aug. 1945 when word came that Japan had surrendered

Assignment Create a timeline of the important WWII Pacific Theatre battles For each battle, include the following: Date Location Effect of battle on war effort Must include at least seven battles