The U.S. needs to get to the Japanese mainland. Island Hopping – conquering one small island in the Pacific at a time. Battles on Tarawa and Saipan caused many losses and were very time consuming. The battles moved forward onto the Marshall islands and Guam. These victories while difficult to achieve, were beneficial because the U.S. was able to get strategic air strips closer to Japan. The U.S. then began to recapture the Philippines as McArthur promised.

By 1945 – The U.S. regained most of the islands in the Pacific ocean and set its sights on the Japanese mainland. The U.S. began bombing major cities in Japan like Tokyo. These civilian attacks weakened moral, but not the Japanese military’s resolve. Battle of Iwo Jima – February 1945, lasted 6 weeks, cost many American lives. Battle of Okinawa – April 1 st 1945, 49,000 troops killed. More than 100,000 Japanese troops were killed. Bloodiest war in the Pacific. Very decisive battle. Kamikaze – means “divine wind.” Suicide Pilots. Crashed planes on troops.

April 12 th, 1945 – Franklin Roosevelt dies. Harry S. Truman his Vice President is sworn in to office. After battle in Okinawa, Truman had to decide to whether or not to use the Atomic Bomb on Japan. The Manhattan Project – Robert Oppenheimer’s team of scientists started building the first Atomic bomb. Einstein helped pave the way with his research of atomic energy. The bomb was tested in New Mexico and was a success. Truman ordered Japan to surrender. They did not. He then authorized the use of the atomic bombs.

August 6 th, 1945 – the Enola Gay piloted by Colonel Paul Tibbets, dropped an atomic bomb (little boy) on Hiroshima. The Enola Gay was created in Omaha/Bellevue in what is now Offutt Air Force Base. And chosen by Paul Tibbets personally. August 9 th, 1945 – we dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. (Fat Man) Japan surrenders on September 2 nd, 1945.

Costs of the War: The Holocaust Major cities were in ruins Churches and Palaces were reduced to rubble Millions had not heat, power, water, etc… Forests and fields were destroyed One German city was 90% uninhabitable Kiev and Minsk had to be rebuilt in the Soviet Union About 30 million civilians died Economically – the war cost was around 1 trillion for all armaments and battles, and destruction.