WWII BATTLES

1942 1943 TURNING POINT BATTLES Coral Sea Midway map/japan TURNING POINT BATTLES 1942 Coral Sea Midway Midway virtually destroyed Japanese Navy. 1943 Continued “island hopping” strategy

Change in Japanese Strategy Japanese leaders were rattled by the raids—bombs might have killed the emperor!! The American fleet, they decided, had to be destroyed! They wanted to cut off their supply lines to Australia. Japan decided to attack Midway Island—the last American base west of Pearl Harbor. Bombs falling on Tokyo.

Fighting at the Battle of Midway Badly damaged Yorktown At the Battle of Coral Sea, the Yorktown and the Lexington fended off a Japanese attack on New Guinea and preserved Australia. American code-breakers heard the plan Admiral Nimitz used this as an opportunity to ambush the Japanese fleet. Japanese plans were hit with antiaircraft fire, shooting down 38 planes. Japan lost 100 pilots which hurt their Air War. American planes caught carriers by surprise— their fuel, bombs, and aircraft were exposed. Four Japanese carriers were sunk, destroying the heart of the navy. This hit the Japanese hard—it halted Japanese expansion in the Pacific. Fighting at the Battle of Midway Badly damaged Yorktown

The Pacific Island Hopping- capturing some Japanese controlled islands and ignoring others in a steady path to Japan. This was a slow and steady process to get to Japan and end their conquering power.

Japanese Kamikaze Planes: The Scourge of the South Pacific Kamikaze Pilots The last 2 years of the war, the Japanese resorted to “suicidal bombers” or Kamikaze bombers to destroy the American Navy. Approximately 2,800 Kamikaze attackers sunk 34 Navy ships, damaged 368 others, killed 4,900 sailors, and wounded over 4,800.

Moving Toward Japan Iwo Jima- March 1945- 36 days of fighting= 23, 000 casualties. Americans won. Okinawa- April 1945= Most costly operation in the Pacific. Held a vital air base. 50, 000 casualties. ½ million troops and 1,213 warships. Using these places American troops could bomb Japanese Islands. March 1945- One night= B 52 bombers destroyed 16 square miles of Tokyo. Killed 83, 0000 Japanese and injured more than 100,000 more. (more than the atomic bombs)

US Marines on Mt. Surbachi, Iwo Jima Feb. 19, 1945

MANHATTEN PROJECT A joint Allied Project consisting of Canadian, British and U.S. scientists to build an atomic bomb. Started in 1940….. By July 1945, 3 bombs had been built. 1 bomb = 20,000 tons of TNT One would be set off in New Mexico successfully.

Col. Paul Tibbets & the A-Bomb

Hiroshima- August 6, 1945 70,000 killed immediately 48,000 buildings. destroyed. 100,000s died of radiation poisoning & cancer later.

Nagasaki- August 9, 1945 40,000 killed immediately 60,000 injured. 100,000s died of radiation poisoning & cancer later.

President Harry Truman My fellow Americans, the British, Chinese and United States governments have given the Japanese people adequate warning of what is in store for them. The world will note that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a military base. If Japan does not surrender, bombs will have to be dropped on her war industries and unfortunately thousands of civilian lives will be lost. I urge Japanese civilians to leave industrial cities immediately and save themselves. President Harry Truman

Japanese A-Bomb Survivors

The Beginning of the Atomic Age

TOTALITARIAN DICTATORS After the Nagasaki bombing, Emperor Horhito surrendered to the Allies to end WWII in Japan. “The time has come to bear the unbearable”. Japan surrenders on Aug 14, 1945. Official surrender ceremonies were held on Sept. 2, 1945 aboard the USS Missouri near Tokyo Bay. Emperor Horhito dictators

JAPANESE SURRENDER Jap surrender Japan surrenders on Aug. 14, 1945……Official surrender ceremonies were held on Sept. 2, 1945

V-J Day response by Americans in New York City