War in the Pacific

Pacific Theater In addition to Pearl Harbor, Japan attacks Malaya, Hong Kong, Guam, Wake Island, Midway Island, and the Philippines (where the Americans are stationed under Gen. MacArthur) In addition to Pearl Harbor, Japan attacks Malaya, Hong Kong, Guam, Wake Island, Midway Island, and the Philippines (where the Americans are stationed under Gen. MacArthur)

Philippines - Bataan Death March MacArthur ordered to relinquish command; escaped to Australia MacArthur ordered to relinquish command; escaped to Australia 25,000 Americans and Filipinos died on the 60 mi. Bataan Death March to captivity 25,000 Americans and Filipinos died on the 60 mi. Bataan Death March to captivity Beheadings, shootings, slit throats, rapes, bayonet stabbings, disembowelments, denial of food and water Beheadings, shootings, slit throats, rapes, bayonet stabbings, disembowelments, denial of food and water

Bataan Death March –“I was questioned by a Japanese officer who found out that I had been in a Philippine Scout Battalion. The Japanese hated the scouts….Anyway, they took me outside and I was forced to watch as they buried six of my scouts alive. They made the men dig their own graves, and then they had them kneel down in a pit. The guards hit them over the head with shovels to stun them and piled the earth on top of them.”

1942 – Allies gain control in Pacific

Greatest Extent of Japan’s Sphere of Influence

Battle of the Coral Sea America/Australia v. Japan America/Australia v. Japan –New kind of naval warfare Not a shot fired from the ships (all from planes) Not a shot fired from the ships (all from planes) Battle was a draw (Allies lose more ships, but Japanese halts expansion) Battle was a draw (Allies lose more ships, but Japanese halts expansion)

Battle of Midway Northwest of Hawaii Northwest of Hawaii Was a key American airfield Was a key American airfield Japan had largest naval force ever assembled; outnumbers U.S. 4 to 1 Japan had largest naval force ever assembled; outnumbers U.S. 4 to 1 Japan’s goal: finish off U.S. fleet Japan’s goal: finish off U.S. fleet U.S. cracks Japanese code U.S. cracks Japanese code U.S. surprises Japan and wins U.S. surprises Japan and wins “The Americans had avenged Pearl Harbor” – Yamamoto “The Americans had avenged Pearl Harbor” – Yamamoto Turning point Turning point

Allies go on the offensive Island hopping Island hopping –Taking one island at a time closer and closer to Japan –Skip the Japanese strongpoints –Douglas Macarthur (U.S.)

Battle of Guadalcanal Base of Japanese air force Base of Japanese air force U.S./Australia v. Japan U.S./Australia v. Japan Took 6 months Took 6 months Japan’s 1 st defeat on land Japan’s 1 st defeat on land Japanese lose 23,000 out of 36,000 Japanese lose 23,000 out of 36,000 “island of death” “island of death”

Battle of Guadalcanal “Hell was furry red spiders as big as your fist, giant lizards as long as your leg, leeches falling from trees to suck blood, armies of white ants with bites of fire, scurrying scorpions inflaming any flesh they touched, enormous rats and bats everywhere, and rivers with waiting crocodiles. Hell was the sour, foul smell of the squishy jungle, humidity that rotted a body within hours….Hell was an enemy…..so fanatic that it used its own dead as booby traps.” “Hell was furry red spiders as big as your fist, giant lizards as long as your leg, leeches falling from trees to suck blood, armies of white ants with bites of fire, scurrying scorpions inflaming any flesh they touched, enormous rats and bats everywhere, and rivers with waiting crocodiles. Hell was the sour, foul smell of the squishy jungle, humidity that rotted a body within hours….Hell was an enemy…..so fanatic that it used its own dead as booby traps.”

“I shall return” – MacArthur U.S. Retakes Philippines, 1944

U.S. bombs Japan, Wake Island Use Saipan and Tinian as bombing bases Use Saipan and Tinian as bombing bases

Pacific/Japan Japanese keep retreating but won’t surrender Japanese keep retreating but won’t surrender Have no hope of winning but begin kamikaze missions against allies – Leyte Gulf Have no hope of winning but begin kamikaze missions against allies – Leyte Gulf

Iwo Jima and Okinawa “Sulfur Island” “Sulfur Island” 20,700 Japanese 20,700 Japanese 6000 US Marines killed 6000 US Marines killed 20,500 Japanese killed 20,500 Japanese killed Kamikaze -12,000 Americans killed (49,000 casualties) -110,000 Japanese killed -Ready for Japanese invasion?

Plan to Invade Japan US planned to invade Japan with eleven Army and Marine divisions (650,000 troops) 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 Casualty estimates for the operation were as high as 1,400,000 Truman must decide to invade Truman must decide to invade

A-Bombs on Japan Truman learns of A-Bomb at Potsdam Conference issues warning to Japan (really a warning to USSR?) ignored (by both) August 6 – dropped on Hiroshima 73,000 out of 365,000 die no surrender August 9 – dropped on Nagasaki 37,000 out of 200,000 die Japan surrenders (V-J Day) Captain Paul Tibbets piloted the plane (named after his mother) that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima

A-Bomb in Hiroshima Ground temperature = 7,000 degrees F Ground temperature = 7,000 degrees F Winds = 980 miles per hour Winds = 980 miles per hour Energy released= 20,000 tons of TNT Energy released= 20,000 tons of TNT 62,000 buildings destroyed 62,000 buildings destroyed 70,000 killed immediately 70,000 killed immediately 140,000 dead by the end of the year 140,000 dead by the end of the year 200,000 related deaths to bomb in Hiroshima 200,000 related deaths to bomb in Hiroshima

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After