Course of the War Pacific/Asian Theater

Japan’s Military Might JAP leaders were encouraged by GER’s rapid victories in the 1940s. JAP received permission from GER to occupy French Indochina. Pres. Roosevelt froze all JAP assets in U.S. & stopped shipping oil to them. U.S. demanded JAP withdraw from China and Indochina. While negotiating with U.S. the JAP planned a surprise attack on U.S. naval base: Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941 U.S. enters the war Japanese aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor Americans in Hawaii are unprepared for attack. Japanese invasion seems inevitable. The Battle of Wake Island began simultaneously w/ the attack on Pearl Harbor JAP also hit Philippines & pushed toward Malaya (BR colony) Soon invaded Dutch Indies Spring 1942 – almost all SE Asia & much of W Pacific in Japanese control JAP leaders - hoped lightening strike at American bases would destroy US Pacific fleet U.S. enters the war joined European nations & nationalist China to defeat Japan

Historic sites of Pearl Harbor http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2256300/7106820 Hitler - declared war on U.S., thought U.S. couldn’t fight in Pacific & Europe The battles of Bataan & Corregidor fought in the Philippines were 2 of America’s greatest losses to Japan at beginning of WWII. Battle of Bataan American/Filipino losses: 10,000 men, 20,000 wounded, 75,000 prisoners Bataan Death March

Battle of Coral Sea May 7 & 8, 1942 – Battle of Coral Sea US navy stopped Japanese advance & saved Australia from invasion JAP losses: Approximately 3500 men, 2 aircraft carriers, 2 destroyers, numerous other vessels, about 100 planes U.S. losses: 540 personnel, the aircraft carrier Lexington, 65 planes, the destroyer Sims, and the aircraft carrier Yorktown was damaged

Battle of Midway Island June 4 – Battle of Midway Island Turning Point in the Pacific Showing that the Japanese had greatly underestimated the U.S. Navy U.S. planes destroyed 4 Japanese aircraft carriers U.S. losses: 307 personnel, 1 carrier, 1 destroyer, 98 planes JAP losses: 3,057 men, 4 carriers, 1 cruiser, 248 planes Losses permanently weakened the Imperial Japanese Navy U.S. established naval superiority in Pacific

Fall 1942 – Allied forces gathering for 2 operations 1. MacArthur – to Philippines through New Guinea & South Pacific 2. Move across Pacific w/ U.S. Army, Marines & Navy attacks on Japanese held-island. (d) island hopping – tactic of capturing some and bypassing other Japanese held- islands 1943 – U.S. forces on offensive, advancing across Pacific

Gen. Douglas MacArthur US commander in Pacific “old soldiers never die; they just fade away.”

The Battle of Iwo Jima Feb. – March 1945 One of the bloodiest engagements of the entire war. JAP losses: 21,000 U.S. losses: 6,821

Harry Truman Harry Truman – U.S. Pres after FDR dies Has to decide if U.S. should use atomic bomb

Atomic Bomb Use of Atomic Bomb Allow U.S. to avoid invasion of Japan Estimated 90% casualty rate to invade JAP Aug 6 – 1st bomb dropped on Hiroshima Aug 9 – 2nd bomb dropped on Nagasaki Both cities leveled Hiroshima: 71,379 instantly killed, 70,000 die later from radiation poisoning. Nagasaki: 25,000 instantly killed, 45,000 die by end of year from radiation poisoning

Atomic Bomb cont. Almost everything within a one-mile radius of the explosion’s center spontaneously combusted. Granite stone melted People vaporized left ghostly images imprinted on stone walls & sidewalks. *Information from Everything World War II

End of the War Aug 14 – Emperor Hirohito surrendered 17 million dead in battle 20 million dead civilians Some estimate total dead 50 million Immediately after the war, Russia and the U.S. went their separate ways This rivalry between east & west was known as the Cold War